Treasure and Worry

I remember a number of years ago I was pastoring in another city. An individual left our church because he had become a vegetarian. In his new vegetarian believes he found the treatment of animals in the Bible, particularly the Old Testament, unacceptable. Just after that I had gone over for a visit and he was working in his garage. He was a sign painter by trade and I noticed he was working on painting a number of signs for a client. The client happened to be Harveys Restaurant. He had left church over issues of animals, but was painting signs for a place that makes "hamburgers a beautiful thing". Something was not cohesive!

Money has a way of clouding our principles, maybe clouded is too soft of a word,maybe twisted or distort, would be more appropriate. It's no wonder Jesus said, "You can't serve both God and money". Money is god in our society.

I thought if this as I was speaking on Sunday. If I was to send out two individuals and one was to give God away and the other $1000.00, who would have the bigger following. The answer is obvious. I bet you (interesting use of words)that more people buy lottery tickets than go to church. I don't have stats - but I have waited in a lot of lines at convenience stores. Why? Money is tangible, it's real, it can't be touched. We know the power that it yields.

Most of us in the church would say that we serve God and not money, but the reality is we are like everyone else, 80% of our lives are spent making, spending or worrying about money.

The fact that stress, anxiety and worry are rampant in our lives is a sign of our misplaced allegiance. If we were truly Seeking first His Kingdom (which is unseen)we would have less stress and more generosity.

God help us! God help me!