Seven Billion

Sometime on Monday, October 31, 2011 a human being was born increasing the number of living humans to 7,000,000,000 or seven billion on planet earth.

Now one billion is a big number (really big as one billion seconds is approximately 31.7 years) and seven billion is obviously seven times greater.

Many people are already in despair and claiming the sky is about to fall because we now have seven billion people on our planet. They are asking, "What are we going to do about this incredible population explosion before we are all lost and drown in this sea of humanity."

First of all a little perspective is called for here.

Let's just answer one question first, "Where in the world could we put so many people?"

Answer: "How about Texas? It is the second largest state in the USA with 268,820 sq. miles which computes to 7,494,271,488,000 square feet (sf) or about 7.5 Trillion sf."

A little division and that comes out to about 1,071 sf available per person in Texas alone for all (every single person) seven billion.

Imagine that, everyone in Texas and the rest of the world vacant, empty, devoid of mankind.

But few people will live alone in their 1,071 sf (lots of folks, like married couples and families) will share 1,071 sf or a bit more. If apartment buildings are used for most people, then half or more of Texas would be vacant as well. Or would it be vacant?

Probably not. The rest of Texas would be full of roads, shopping centers, restaurants, manufacturing and anything else 7,000,000,000 people might be interested in.

Heck, if the apartment buildings for all seven billion are Texas sized (many stories high) and made available for most people, then all 7 billion people could fit in less that 33 percent of Texas leaving 67 percent vacant ... along with the rest of the world.

So, forgive me, but no cries of despair here.

However, there is one question that keeps bothering me, "How is the world are we to get the gospel of Jesus Christ to all 7 billion people on this wonderful earth of His?"

It would surely be easier if they were all in Texas.