Yesterday I enjoyed with a friend a Chinese buffet. The most comprehensive and classy Chinese buffet I've ever experienced, by the way, and all on the cheap.
My friend's fortune cookie told him, "Keep following the narrow path for now." We found this funny, if that's the right word, since Jesus basically said, "Follow the narrow path and don't ever get off it, or you'll end up in utter and eternal darkness" (see Luke 13:22-30).
Well, my mind has been on serious matters this past week. So I recognize this post isn't for everybody. But I hope you will give it your time.
The other morning I woke up thinking about the nation's economy (who hasn't?). And I pondered God's plan (who hasn't?). I thought about how different God's priorities are than ours, and how Christians and others just don't handle prosperity well. And then, later, I read one of the many times Jesus addressed money and possessions:
"Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also" (Matthew 6:19-21).
And then:
"No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money [mammon]" (v.24).
And then, finally, I read the following in an excellent commentary on Matthew by Craig Blomberg (a go-to guy for all things gospels). This was published nearly two decades ago. Now I warn you, in blogging terms, these two paragraphs are going to seem long. But they are worth it!
Blomberg is commenting on the phrase "no one can serve two masters."
Against those who might protest that they can accumulate both spiritual and earthly treasures, Jesus replies that they have only two options. They must choose between competing loyalties. "Master" suggests a slaveowner who required total allegiance. People could not serve two masters in the way in which people today often work two jobs. "Money" is more literally mammon, referring to all of a person's material resources. Of course, many people do try to cherish both God and mammon, but ultimately only one will be chosen. The other will be "hated," if only by neglect...
Many perceptive observers have sensed that the greatest danger to Western Christianity is not, as is sometimes alleged, prevailing ideologies such as Marxism, Islam, the New Age movement or humanism but rather the all-pervasive materialism of our affluent culture. We try so hard to create heaven on earth and to throw in Christianity when convenient as another small addition to the so-called good life. Jesus proclaims that unless we are willing to serve him wholeheartedly in every area of life, but particularly with our material resources, we cannot claim to be serving him at all.
Jesus' words were published in 60 AD and Blomberg's in 1992. They deserve consideration today, wouldn't you agree?
God and Psychotherapy, Part the Second
5 years ago
3 comments:
"Jesus proclaims that unless we are willing to serve him wholeheartedly in every area of life, but particularly with our material resources, we cannot claim to be serving him at all."
These are the heavy quotes that hang near my right now.
They are both haunting and encouraging.
but ultimately they make me want to give it all and jump...just to see what it's like to fly.
Good stuff Ken. Especially at this time of year when we put material things, such as christmas gifts, ahead of what is really important. Christ's birth.
American Christians endure nothing compared to the rest of the world, it seems. I wonder sometimes if I could take what Heb. 11 lays out. Those of faith were tortured, mocked, scourged, imprisoned, stoned, sawn in two, tempted, slain with the sword, they were destitute, afflicted and tormented. Hmm.
Post a Comment