So again on the thought of suffering, why do we do the things we do? As a North American I feel this is probably one of the hardest place to grow up as a genuine-for-reals-and-for-trues Christian. It's so easy to live in comfort and just do the things we enjoy, or do the things we are used to.
However, that does not necessarily mean that those who are poorer are any more Godly than those who are not. I was talking to byli and he mentioned how there are both righteous rich and righteous poor, and likewise with the unrighteous. What that means is that ultimately what we do with our things does not matter inasmuch as where our hearts are on the issue. For example, if i were to sacrifice all my material possessions for the sake of "just doing it" or "to look good in front of other people", then that is meaningless.
Again, that is not to say that it's alright to flaunt around with excess wealth. It merely becomes more difficult (in my opinion) to remain humble and rely more on God. The money given to us can be a blessing, yes, but it can also be a curse in which you rely on your wealth to pull you through rough times rather than relying completely and utterly on God the Father, who sustains us.
So then, where do you draw the line? Is it okay to possess ridiculous amounts of wealth, or should we continue to be generous (with your heart in the right place, of course) to the point where you only keep enough to live?
mmm let me add a bit to clarify: I did not mean to say excessive material wealth, accumulating for the self, is acceptable. What we do with our things DOES _very much_ matter. What we spend our money on reflects what we value.
ReplyDeleteThe ultimate thought though is how generous we are with the money we are given/earn.
as Driscoll says: you can either love money and use people; or love people and use money.
Obviously it is not okay to possess ridiculous amounts of wealth and still feel good about yourself. "Ridiculous" is also a relative term.
ReplyDeleteFrom a more practical POV, I think it's also important to budget the money you are given wisely. For instance, if you have your own family to feed, you won't just give away the very money you use for groceries. That's just foolhardy. God calls us to be good stewards of his riches, so we should act accordingly.
I realize this could be the topic of further discussion. Haha.. the "lines" that separate selfishness, wisdom and foolishness are very blurry. I guess it's a good start to just check your heart's intentions every time you deal with your money.
family? ;) what about CELIBACY! haha i'm joking. maybe :P
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