Good
Monday morning (2-22-10),
It seems to me that the contemporary Church pretty much gets it that God’s love cannot be earned. We know His willingness to forgive, and abundantly forgive, is unfathomable. I’ve spent a fair amount of time in God-talk sharing with others about His love and how I love others. Until, that is, such a time happens that I’m inconvenienced with the needs of others.
We American Christians generally live in such widespread and amazing abundance. I know it’s not true in every case, but mostly, you must admit, many are very financially blessed. Yet more often than not our wealth is so mesmerizing that it pressures us to take our eyes off the primary purpose for this prosperity, which is to win the lost for Jesus.
In Luke 16 Jesus taught His disciples that the children of this world are smarter about the power of money than the Children of Light. He taught that a certain man had, with the power and influence of his master’s money, paid off people who then had to room and board this crooked servant once he was fired. As Jesus put it, this wicked man was wiser about money matters than God’s own people.
Jesus used this parable to teach us that wise men will use the power and influence of this world’s riches to win souls. Then, upon death and appearance before Christ, those who were born-again as a result of our giving will be standing in Heaven with Him waiting to receive us into everlasting habitations. Givers will be joyfully greeted in Heaven by those who were saved through the power of their offerings.
We came into this world with nothing but the call to give, and we will leave this earth with nothing but the fruit of our giving.
All our money and houses and cars and investments will be left behind for others to use. But true riches can be brought forward into the next life through the investments we made in the wellbeing of others.
Some people are really stingy when it comes to money. Research indicates that few Christians are active and consistent in tithing. In fact, most research shows that few of those who claim to be born-again are faithful in giving the tithe, and most give nothing back at all!
While we cannot earn God’s kindness or love, we also cannot please Him when we are so possessive of what is rightfully His to begin with. After all don’t we call Him Lord and Master? Do we really understand that as His servants we are duty bound therefore to obey Him in the area of giving? It’s not optional. The question we should be asking is, “Are we faithful servants?” when it comes to this issue of giving money to God’s work.
We each make the choice. In our prosperity, we choose to build bigger barns to store up more wealth, or we choose to use the power and influence of money to secure souls for Christ. Money will perish with the user; however, souls won for Christ will endure forever as a living testimony to our faithfulness with worldly riches.
It can be a little bit overwhelming, the poverty and hardships we each see around us. Especially as we seek to leave what is familiar and comfortable by addressing the needs of others.
The most obvious thing Christians must do is support their local church and its ministries. As weird as our culture is, we’ve no idea how bad things would become if the influence of the local church ceased. Communities would look like something out of a Mad Max movie. I’m not kidding!
Now, politicians want more taxes. To them more government policy and influence is the answer for what ails our communities. You know, “I’m from the government, I’m here to help!” But if God’s people would walk in collective obedience in giving, Christianity would have the resources needed to assume the responsibilities which have been so foolishly abrogated to our civil servants. I’m not talking about basic services like trash pickup, infrastructure, and protection. No, I’m referring to the Biblical command to feed the widows and orphans and care for the weak among us.
We send money to large missionary organizations, which is a great thing to do. But one day I started thinking about some not-so-famous individual missionaries I know who aren’t supported by the mass mailings of a stateside staff. It occurred to me that these small ministries are a great opportunity to make a major difference in the lives of others on a more personal, and I might add, a more satisfying level.
I began to pray for these smaller
ministries, looking for a way to be a blessing to them. In particular I know of
a single lady who labors in the mission field of
Let’s put some feet to our God-talk. If we say we love others, let’s show it by giving money to those who are in need. Let’s not stop supporting the work of God. We each will give an account to Jesus for how well we’ve managed what the Father has given to us. I encourage you to take the challenge I too have accepted by reviewing our honesty and obedience to the call to make friends for God with the riches we each possess.
Wayne
Witcher
Jesus said unto him, [the rich young ruler] If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me. Matthew 19:21