"Do
not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and
where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in
heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in
and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” Matthew
6:19-21
I
don’t think any of us actually thinks that we are really guilty of being
greedy. It’s easier to admit to
almost anything other than that. Here’s
how my mind works: I become a
believer. I find out Jesus
tells us to be givers. I ask
how much. I find out about the
10% benchmark (tithe). I do that.
I also know I’m supposed to give beyond that so I do that.
Then I figure out how to save and do that.
Then my “default” thinking tells me that out of what’s left I can
go get stuff I want, like better electronics, better car, better house stuff,
better whatever.
But
it seems to me that this misses the whole point Jesus is making.
I’m still at least somewhat greedy.
I still want more stuff and better stuff.
I’m still not satisfied with “enough”.
In the last sentence of today’s passage, Jesus tells us that the big
issue is what we treasure. I
can be a big time giver and still find myself treasuring stuff.
What He’s leading up to is that the thing we most treasure is actually
our idol. The thing we most treasure
grabs not just our attention but also our allegiance.
Our hearts follow our treasure. The
more material treasures I have, the more they hold, direct, and control my
heart.
So,
I am left with a problem that even my beyond tithing giving has not solved.
I still have an idol problem.
I’m
really glad that God teaches about tithing and giving beyond that and that
we’ve got to be a lot better than the legalism of the Pharisees (which is my
description of myself above) because all of that at least keeps me aware of my
greed. When I give and I
do so beyond what I want to give, at
least I’m aware of my cheerlessness and that’s a good sign.
It means there is still some life in me.
“Lord, prevent me from ever feeling self
satisfied with my giving. Help
me never to forget that I am living in the top 1% of the wealth of the world.
Give me gratitude for that and let that gratitude be a motivation for me
to live more simply, to live less attached to my stuff, to live in a way that my
generosity to others overtakes my desire to take and keep.
Amen”
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