We’ve heard all of the clichés…”What about my Christian liberty?!?!” “I live under grace, not the law.” I’ve even heard this one multiple times--”Well, the Proverbs 31 woman wears expensive clothing!”
We all think that we’re the exception. "If everyone else was more generous then I could have everything I want…" I don’t believe I have ever said those words out loud, but if I examine my heart I know that it is the way I have felt many times.
Do you look at wealthy people you know and wonder what it would be like to be rich? Reality check--you are rich. Oh, you may not be in the top one percent of wealthy individuals in the world…you’re just in the top ten percent. In America, we are just not easily impressed, are we? Unless you have a mansion, expensive cars, the latest gadgets, and possibly your own helicopter…we just think, “Oh, well, he doesn’t have as nice a car as…”
And then the pastor finally gets to 1 Timothy 6:17-19. You’re thinking that the rich Christians really need to hear this! If they would just give a few million dollars to the church, or give you a job, or give Billy Bob a car…maybe I’m the only one who has been guilty of such judgmental thoughts (I doubt it though).
We need…I need to look at those verses and see them talking to me. See, I have gotten so accustomed to what makes my life comfortable, not what makes it livable, that I have excused myself from being as generous as I should be. It‘s not even rational--storing up treasures here instead of storing up treasures for eternity, absurd!
Augustine speaks of materialism in his book The City of God (read this book!!!),
But as to those feebler spirits who, though they cannot be said to prefer earthly possessions to Christ, do yet cleave to them with a somewhat immoderate attachment, they have discovered by the pain of losing these things how much they were sinning in loving them.
And again, speaking of Christians who heed 1 Timothy 6:17-19,
They who were making such a use of their property have been consoled for light losses by great gains, and have had more pleasure in those possessions which they have securely laid past, by freely giving them away, than grief in those which they entirely lost by an anxious and selfish hoarding of them. For nothing could perish on earth save what they would be ashamed to carry away from earth.
As we move closer to going "home" we should be freeing ourselves from worldly attachments, not trying to "get as much in while I can" (but there might not be iced caramel macchiato in heaven!!!…okay, maybe that’s an area where I struggle).
Seriously though, I don’t want to leave this earth with a "bag full of stuff."
I’ll share with you some things in my "bag" (excesses, things to enjoy in moderation or even abstain from):
1) entertainment--t.v., movies, sports…
2) caffeine--Starbucks!!! (I have seriously cut back…I promise…)
3) sleep
4) toys--ipod, cell phone, computer
5) sweets
6) free time--a luxury that I am extremely grateful for and which I have sinfully wasted most of on frivolous activities and selfish pursuits
I am painfully aware that as I type this very blog entry I am enjoying a diet Coke and peanut M&Ms. I stand before you, the ultimate hypocrite.
What’s in your "bag?"
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