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!
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2 comments:
You are right on the money John ;o).
Most of us are hypocrites in one form or another. For instance, we try hard not to shop a Walmart for various reasons, thinking we are on the "higher moral ground" for doing so, and snickering at others who go there. But in my business, we spend thousands at Sam's Club (Walmart's "costco"), and I seem to be able to overlook this association since it makes me money. Pretty pathetic eh?
Brian
John:
So agree with the "money is tangeble, real" comment. But I have to say, when you witness a miracle, as my family did 2 years back after being told three times that my little niece would not survive her illness, and now seeing her today as a thriving 14 year old, you realize that miracles do indeed happen. Money might be a tangeble but having faith is what can keep one alive in times of dread.
Thank you for your posts. They make my day.
Your long time friend and school mate.
Di
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