Lent 32: Curb the Lure
Now you kids might be getting the impression that I believe that all material stuff is evil and all Christians should live a radical life of sacrifice that removes frivolous pleasure from our daily existence so we can fully devote our lives to the pursuit of selfless spirituality.
No, not true. Sort of.
Is it wrong to be wealthy, to own the recreational vehicle, to possess a spacious modern home in the suburbs filled with stainless steel appliances, to holiday once or twice a year in the Caribbean or Mexico, and to drive two to three new vehicles?
It might be. Or not.
I asked your Daddy questions along these lines yesterday. Specifically, I asked if there were examples of rich Christians in the New Testament. I knew that the Old Testament was full of wealthy faith-filled individuals such as Abraham and King David. But what about the New Testament? Your Daddy informed me that Joseph of Arimathea was wealthy, the man who provided Jesus’ followers with a grave for Jesus’ burial. Your Daddy also stated that the book of James speaks about issues between rich and poor Christians, and how the rich should not be favored over the poor. So obviously, rich Christians existed.
If Christians are allowed to be rich, then where is the line between materialism and enjoying the blessings of God? This question completely applies to our middle-class family as well, as we are rich in comparison to many Canadian families. And we are ridiculously wealthy in comparison to individuals in third-world countries.
Of course, the answer isn’t clear cut. It is complex and requires asking some soul searching questions. It involves pondering God’s Words written in Bible. It has nothing to do with your financial net worth, but rather it has everything to do with the attitude of your heart. And it is an individual journey that may mean different outcomes for our family in comparison to another family.
Here are some questions that may assist in determining whether or not owning certain things or purchasing particular items or going on that “once-in-a-lifetime” opportunity are morally questionable:
1. Who is your Master? God or Money? A Master is someone who controls others. Are your spending habits motivated out of serving God or serving Money? What is your attitude when you make investments (or even practicing generosity)? Are you motivated primarily by temporal values such as competition with neighbors/family, immediate pleasure at the cost of long term debt or affirmation from humankind? Or are you motivated by heavenly values such as love, justice or mercy? (Matthew 6:19-21,24; Matthew 23:23; 1 Timothy 6:6-12)
2. Are you compartmentalizing the sacred from the secular? Are certain parts of your life sacred (or holy), thus reserved for God’s glory and honor, while everything else is secular and considered yours. Or is everything you are, you do, you have belong to God and IS God’s alone, thus making every aspect of your life sacred? Whether or not you compartmentalize the sacred and secular will influence the morality of owning stuff or doing certain things. (1 Peter 1:13-15)
3. Do you minister to the needs of the poor? Do you assist those who are less fortunate than you in a way that is proportional to your income? Or does the extra stuff you buy or do make it difficult to assist the needy? Throughout the Bible there are many admonitions and exhortations to assist the poor. In Acts, the early church had “no needy persons among them” (Acts 4:34). True, we live in a democratic society that uses part of our taxes to assist the poor. And yes, many churches actually budget funding allocations to organizations or programs for disadvantaged families. But it is much more tangible to give to the poor through what God has given you (and that could be even through volunteering your time).
I am sure there are more questions that you can ask yourself to curb the lure of materialism. But, this is all this Mommy’s brain can think of at the moment. I could go for an almond milk London Fog, half sweet, right about now. :)
No, not true. Sort of.
Is it wrong to be wealthy, to own the recreational vehicle, to possess a spacious modern home in the suburbs filled with stainless steel appliances, to holiday once or twice a year in the Caribbean or Mexico, and to drive two to three new vehicles?
It might be. Or not.
I asked your Daddy questions along these lines yesterday. Specifically, I asked if there were examples of rich Christians in the New Testament. I knew that the Old Testament was full of wealthy faith-filled individuals such as Abraham and King David. But what about the New Testament? Your Daddy informed me that Joseph of Arimathea was wealthy, the man who provided Jesus’ followers with a grave for Jesus’ burial. Your Daddy also stated that the book of James speaks about issues between rich and poor Christians, and how the rich should not be favored over the poor. So obviously, rich Christians existed.
If Christians are allowed to be rich, then where is the line between materialism and enjoying the blessings of God? This question completely applies to our middle-class family as well, as we are rich in comparison to many Canadian families. And we are ridiculously wealthy in comparison to individuals in third-world countries.
Of course, the answer isn’t clear cut. It is complex and requires asking some soul searching questions. It involves pondering God’s Words written in Bible. It has nothing to do with your financial net worth, but rather it has everything to do with the attitude of your heart. And it is an individual journey that may mean different outcomes for our family in comparison to another family.
Here are some questions that may assist in determining whether or not owning certain things or purchasing particular items or going on that “once-in-a-lifetime” opportunity are morally questionable:
1. Who is your Master? God or Money? A Master is someone who controls others. Are your spending habits motivated out of serving God or serving Money? What is your attitude when you make investments (or even practicing generosity)? Are you motivated primarily by temporal values such as competition with neighbors/family, immediate pleasure at the cost of long term debt or affirmation from humankind? Or are you motivated by heavenly values such as love, justice or mercy? (Matthew 6:19-21,24; Matthew 23:23; 1 Timothy 6:6-12)
2. Are you compartmentalizing the sacred from the secular? Are certain parts of your life sacred (or holy), thus reserved for God’s glory and honor, while everything else is secular and considered yours. Or is everything you are, you do, you have belong to God and IS God’s alone, thus making every aspect of your life sacred? Whether or not you compartmentalize the sacred and secular will influence the morality of owning stuff or doing certain things. (1 Peter 1:13-15)
3. Do you minister to the needs of the poor? Do you assist those who are less fortunate than you in a way that is proportional to your income? Or does the extra stuff you buy or do make it difficult to assist the needy? Throughout the Bible there are many admonitions and exhortations to assist the poor. In Acts, the early church had “no needy persons among them” (Acts 4:34). True, we live in a democratic society that uses part of our taxes to assist the poor. And yes, many churches actually budget funding allocations to organizations or programs for disadvantaged families. But it is much more tangible to give to the poor through what God has given you (and that could be even through volunteering your time).
I am sure there are more questions that you can ask yourself to curb the lure of materialism. But, this is all this Mommy’s brain can think of at the moment. I could go for an almond milk London Fog, half sweet, right about now. :)