1. It will neutralize our complaining. God has promised to meet our need, and nothing more. Therefore we have no real grounds for murmuring discontent when we are "deprived" of anything other than food and shelter. Also, if we think about such texts as Philippians 4:11-13 and 2Corinthians 11:25-27 we'll realize that even when God chooses to withhold physical need for a greater spiritual cause we have no reason to murmur.
Too often our wealth producees a sense of entitlement in far too many Amercian Christians. And an entitlement mindset yields discontented hearts which only a biblical doctrine of need can cure.
2. It will maximize our gratitude. Realizing that God has met our needs--and given a whole lot more--is easier to do when you define needs as He does. When we are mis-defining luxury and extra as need, we fall easily into ingratitude. When we see that anything more than food and clothing is luxury (and it is) then we feel overwhelmed with the mercies of God!
3. It will radicalize our giving. God gives us more money than is necessary to pay for our needed food and shelter, not so we can spend it on ourselves, but so that we can give it away. There may be some overstatement and absence of needed nuancing in his words, but I cannot help but believe that John Wesley's view of these matters is far closer to truth than is ours.
If I leave behind me £10 pounds, you and all mankind bear witness against me that I lived and died a thief and a robber...Christians should give away all but the plain necessaries of life – wholesome food, clean clothes and enough to continue their business. Anyone who keeps more lives in open, habitual denial of the Lord.
Friends: someone has said that while God ordains that there be rich Christians, he does not intend that there be rich living Christans. If the work of the church and its mission to the lost and needy both locally and globally is in want, and we are spending money on things we do not need, I cannot help but wonder what God thinks of it.
Before we spend money on anything beyond our basic needs we should at least ask ourselves and ask God: "What would God have me do with this money? After all, He's entrusted me with resources for a reason; am I fulfilling that purpose?"
I know there really are biblical qualifiers and nuances touching on this subject, but let us beware lest we miss the clear biblical mandate and allow it to die the death of a thousand qualifications.
If we are thinking biblically, we will give radically. People will see the cars we drive, the homes we inhabit, the food we eat, the decorations we do not have, the simple styles and clothes we wear, the gadgets we refuse, the meals out we forego, the fine landscaping we resist, the expensive vacations we say no to, and they will think: "These people are living for something (the kingdom of God), somewhere (heaven), and Someone (the Lord and Owner of All) different than everyone else."
Do they think that about you right now?
Thank you for the faithful putting forth of reality. The true pain of loss comes when we love someone dearly, and lose them. I think the greatest difficulty in letting go of the world, is the pain of loss. This would imply a deep, connected love for the world. If I lost everything I had in life but food and clothes (Job 2:6) the level of my grief, the level of my sense of loss, would be comensurate with the love of these things I held secretly in my heart. I fear the reason I don't let much of the world go, is that secretly, I still love too much of what the world has to offer. The world is passing away. Why do we cling to that which is temporal and distracts us from that which is eternal? I fear that this blog is very revealing of our hearts. How do we react to this particular blog today? I confess that for me, it held a bit of discomfort. We need, I need to be exhorted daily on these things. I need to create a new paradigm with respect to aquiring "stuff".
ReplyDeleteThanks Tim, for a good start. Don't let this theme fade away quietly. As the Baptist said,"He must increase, I must decrease". If in the end, we love the things of this world more than our Lord, we must prepare to hear those terrifying words...."depart from me ye cursed, into everlasting torment". Loving comfort, conveniance, ease, entertainment, security, health, fine clothes, nice vacations, peaceful living etc, all innocent enough in them selves, could end up nurturing an evil heart of unbelief. Let us all remember Demas, once a comrad, and co-laborer with St. Paul, in the end.....an eternal epitaph in holy scriptures..."Demas has forsaken me, having loved this present world" (ASV)
Sobering thoughts..........
JR
I just sat down and read, Tim`s blog for friday, OUCH! Anonymous is correct. I to love much of what the world has to offer. My problem is not loving "stuff" more, but trusting God less. I`m ashamed to admit that ,after all that God has provided for me and my family. It should be a no brainer, but the sin of doubt creeps in and the trust fades. Tim, thank you for the brick to the head (which i sometimes need). Also the amount of comment on this should not surprise us. Any one for brick. Just one of the sheep!
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