That has been the most common thing we have heard from people in the last six months. I'm so disappointed.
Do you really think American is in some dire straights? We're all fat and happy. We're not shopping because we can't. We're not shopping because we're bored with getting whatever we want. It's kind of like a challenge. We imagine that we're 'returning to a simpler time' like we're in some episode of "Little House on the Prairie." Yes, there's stress and uncertainty, but that just makes the game more interesting. It makes us feel more accomplished and more important.
Meanwhile, children around the world die from diarrhea, and we say, "I'd help if I could." Or, "When we get back on our feet we'll give to help take the good news about Jesus to dying people." Maybe we even think, "If God wanted me to do something, He would give me more. This economy is God's way of showing me that He doesn't want me to give right now. Maybe we should just be focusing on our relationship with Him."
NO! Listen to what Jesus said, and obey!
Luke 12:29-34
And do not set your heart on what you will eat or drink; do not worry about it. For the pagan world runs after all such things, and your Father knows that you need them. But seek his kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well. Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom. Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will not be exhausted, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
Luke 16:13-15
"No servant can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money."
The Pharisees, who loved money, heard all this and were sneering at Jesus. He said to them, "You are the ones who justify yourselves in the eyes of men, but God knows your hearts. What is highly valued among men is detestable in God's sight."
I sincerely appreciate peoples desire to empathize with us. So let me help you flesh out your empathy by telling you what's going on inside us.
We are eager to go! We have no doubt that God will send us when He wants us to go. We never think about how the economy is effecting our support raising. We long for the American church to be healthy and obedient. We are passionate about teaching and discipling the people around us to pursue God's kingdom first. We are convicted that we need to be more focused and work harder to be in more churches, small groups, and homes to plead with people to invest their treasure in heaven.
I find no comfort in speculations about the economy. If you want to encourage me, dovote yourself to making disciples. Pray that God woud send workers into the ripe harvest. Quote scripture to me. Draw my focus to God and Jesus Christ. Talk to me about what God is capable of doing with a person filled with His Spirit.
2 comments:
Hi Jeff, i'm usually a silent reader of your blog, and enjoy reading your thoughts. You write with intelligence and soul and I appreciate that. But as you have seen in the past (on facebook) some comments stir in me the desire to ask whether your comments come from judgment and desire, opinion motivated by frustration, or from what you sincerely believe to be true.
I absolutely can empathize with your frustration at those who have too much and spend unwisely. In part, it is this monetary greediness of suburban America that has gotten the world into this mess.
But not all Americans are fat and happy. I wanted to gently remind you of this fact when voicing your opinion on a public webpage: there are those who struggle, through no fault of their own, as a result of the recession. The ones who spent within their means, saved their money for their children's futures, donated to what they believed to be worthy causes, and were the recipients of a pink slip. To a more severe extreme, the ones who were poor to begin with - think of the children who live in the South San Francisco projects or Cabrini Greens (or rather where they moved the people from CG to) in Chicago - whose lives are severely effected by government cutbacks to welfare programs (it might not be as dramatic or publicized as those in deveolping countries - but there is extreme hunger, poverty, and abuse amongst American children that is well established and well hidden behind the veil of manicured mothers toting their children to mommy and me classes).
I'm not sure if it's entirely fair to judge everyone in America as a "Have" - you live in the bay area - it's certainly hard to see past the Escalade in front of you. And I know that this is not what you meant - I'm sure you didn't mean to generalize. But it is probably best to be sensitive about these things - you may not know who your audience is at any one time and what their personal financial struggles may be.
This said, I do enjoy reading your posts. It is clear that you run towards Godliness and strive to be a man who is a reflection of your beliefs.
Take care, Liz
Thanks so much Liz. You have really lived out the idea of iron sharpening iron for me, and we haven't seen each other in years. It will be great to see you next week.
I was all set to apologize and reword my post, but I've decided to invest some real thought not only in the content but also in the spirit of what I wrote. I promise a prayerful well thought out reply.
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