Monday: Following Godly Counsel
We are material beings, and we live in a material world, a world that, at times, can be very alluring. You’d have to be made out of steel and synthetic oil, not flesh and blood, not to feel, at times, the lure of material possessions and the desire for wealth. At one time or another, who hasn’t fantasized about being rich or winning the lottery?
Though we all face it, and there is nothing wrong in and of itself in working hard to earn a good living or even being wealthy, none of us has to succumb to the trap of making idols out of money, wealth, and material possessions. We are promised divine power to stay faithful to what we know is right. This is important, because the temptation for wealth and material possessions has led to the ruin of many souls.
Read Matthew 6:24 and 1 John 2:15. Though expressed differently, what’s the common theme found in both of them?
Image © Jeff Preston at Goodsalt.com
Unfortunately, the love of the world can be so strong that people will get into debt in order — as they hope — to satisfy that love. (It never works; see Eccles. 4:8)
And because debt is one of Satan’s nets that he sets for souls, it just makes sense that God would like to see His children debt-free. He has given us counsel through the Bible and the prophetic gift that will lead us to financial freedom.
Read Psalm 50:14-15. What attitude should God’s people live with? What does it mean to “pay your vows” (NKJV)?
We enter into our church membership with praise and thanksgiving to our God, who has created and redeemed us. In point 9 (of 13) in our baptismal vows, we were asked, “Do you believe in church organization? Is it your purpose to worship God and to support the church through your tithes and offerings and by your personal effort and influence?” As Seventh-day Adventists, we all said yes. So this text (Psalm 50:14-15) is a promise to those who offer thanksgiving to God and are faithfully paying their vows.
| What do your choices tell you about how well you deal with the lure of the world? Why is working hard to earn a good living not necessarily the same thing as making an idol of wealth or money? How can we learn the difference? |
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Your choices can tell you that you have a healthy relationship with material things and with money. They show that you don't obsess over money or view it as a goal in and of itself, but instead use it to achieve other goals or to take care of yourself and your loved ones.
Working hard to earn a good living isn't necessarily the same thing as making an idol of wealth or money because one does not require the other. Working hard to earn a living is focused on the effort and the results: creating and sustaining a lifestyle that can provide for oneself and one’s family. Making an idol of wealth or money is more closely associated with greed, self-aggrandizement, and the craving for power or status.
We can learn the difference between having a healthy respect for money and material things, and making an idol of them by understanding our own motivations and intentions. We should question why we make the decisions that we do, and be mindful of valuing material possessions or money more than relationships and experiences. Additionally, we can practice gratitude and contentment and focus on what we already have instead of what we want, as this can help us break the cycle of wanting and needing more.
When I do landscape photography (not often enough according to Carmel) I use a wide-angle lens. One of the features of such a lens is that you don't have to move very far before you completely change the perspective of your subject. You can make a flower appear huge while a range of mountains in the background look small and insignificant. Or, you can get the mountains to tower over you while the flower is just a colourful spot in the foreground. It is all a matter of perspective. And the trick of being a good landscape photographer is to move around until you discover the perspective that you find the most meaningful.
In our consumer-oriented world, it is very easy for the shiny trinkets of life to overshadow the meaningful things of life. We can easily accumulate kitchens full of gadgets, living rooms full of entertainment gear, that we have been conned into thinking we cannot do without, or they are on sale at a never-to-be-repeated price. Parenthetically, I have a wry smile as I see people falling over themselves at the post-Christmas sales to save 60% on some items they probably don't need. I have a better sales slogan. "Save 100%! Don't buy anything!"
Nowhere is this consumerism more apparent than when it comes to buying presents. A little personal observation. I have a shelf full of books, about birds, that people have given to me as presents. They are as useless as an extra set of legs on a centipede. People see a bird book and they think that, because I am interested in birds, I will like the book. Some of them are expensive, but useless. If you want to give me a birthday present, come for a walk with me along the bush tracks so that I can share with you the experience of seeing birds in their natural habitat. We will both be blessed.
And that leads to my big point. People are more important than things. And, spending time with people is of more value than spending money on them. That is the change in perspective that Christianity has the potential to give us. That is the message that God tried to give us at the cross.
Exactly, Maurice. The perspective makes all the difference. When I work with the microscope it is totally different to see something at 40X than 4000X. Regarding money and material possessions I need to think about which perspective I am going to apply to them. Will the focus be on the money itself, or on the things money can buy? Do I concentrate on how much money I'm making, or on survival? Nevertheless, I have to remember that there are things that money cannot buy, and I have to be aware of this at the same time I work to get paid and support myself and family. Things that money cannot buy are priceless! Such as peace of mind, balance, health, family, true friendship, love, salvation! Would I exchange all of this for money or possessions? Where is my perspective/focus in life, today? And it is very easy to lose the right perspective. May my (your) perspective be Jesus today, because He represents the love story of a God Who wants to restore and give balance to all of my (your) life perspectives.
I agree, and yet I would say that everyone is different in what means a lot to them. If you've read the book on love languages, the author sees gifts as a love language, just as quality time is. You may not value gifts, but that doesn't mean that someone else doesn't or loves you less because they give you a "useless" book.
I'm not a gift person, but I get a lot of satisfaction out of finding a gift that I know will really be appreciated. My family doesn't really exchange gifts anymore and though it makes Christmas a lot less busy, sometimes I feel a little wistful that I can't set out and try to find something good. I know others who are really good at finding the "perfect" gift. Just because the motives of many people in our society are wrong in respect to gifts doesn't mean that's true for everyone.
I understand where you are coming from Christina and I hope that I am gracious enough to accept gifts given to me with thoughtfulness. Interestingly, when we were clearing out my father-in-law's house after he passed away, we found that he had kept my handmade Christmas and birthday cards. He was, in his last few years, what we Australians call a "cantankerous old coot" as far as giving him presents was concerned, but he obviously enjoyed the cards that we made for him. They had been kept and it was obvious that he had viewed them frequently. It is a case of matching the present with the person.
Winning the lottery?
We, as an Adventists don't believe in gambling because is a sin. Therefore writing this for us to learn will be gradually breaking our protective walls. So let's be vigilant.
Speaking of perspective, any job can (and should) be mission/ministry focused. When we go to work, are we thinking about it as a means to a financial end, or are we approaching it as a means to honor the Father as a witness to his truth?
When we pray and then look for ways to demonstrate God’s goodness, truth, and beauty in our work—-whether you are a CEO of some multinational corporation or flipping burgers at a fast-food restaurant —- the financial reward will follow.