2 Corinthians 12-13 (ESV) by Wordle*

Today’s reading is 2 Corinthians 12:1-13:14.

“Here for the third time I am ready to come to you. And I will not be a burden, for I seek not what is yours but you. For children are not obligated to save up for their parents, but parents for their children” (2 Corinthians 12:14).

I know Paul is dealing with his apostleship and the issue of receiving financial support from the Corinthians (which he did have a right to). But I can’t help but see a principle for relationships in the church.

I’m cheap. Actually, I’m not cheap. I just don’t want to spend much money on things I don’t like to spend money on so I can spend more money on things I do like to spend money on. Thus, I’m always looking for a deal. I always want to cut costs. My favorite line is, “Hey, do you have a discount for preachers?” I especially look at brethren who are in business and say, “Hey, what’s your brother-in-Christ discount? (wink, wink)” It is as if I think that since someone is a Christian, they ought to cut me a deal.

Now, I don’t have a problem with people giving discounts for any reason they want to. And it is not wrong to do the best we can to save money and cut costs. I’m not saying it is wrong to ask for a discount. But, I have to wonder, do I ever say, “Hey, since you are a brother in Christ, I want to pay you a little extra for this service”?

I have to ask myself whether I’m seeking the person, or what is theirs. Paul meant that his biggest concern was their souls’ salvation, not getting their money. Am I just excited that someone is a brother or sister in Christ or am I looking at that relationship as a ticket to good deals and more money?

Yes, yes, we may want to give special discounts and consideration to brethren, but I need to quit thinking that is owed. The laborer is worthy of his wages whether the person he is working for is a Christian or not.

I don’t want to set any hard and fast rules here. After all, as a dyed-in-the-wool capitalist, I know there is way more to all this discounting and selling than just a relationship in Christ. I just need to think about how I’m relating to my brethren in the business world.

Keep the faith and keep reading,

ELC

PS. What struck you in today’s reading? You can add your input by clicking the following link: Post a Comment

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*Today’s illustration was generated by the creative tool at Wordle.net. You can find all my wordles here.

Today’s reading is 2 Corinthians 8:1-9:15.

2 Corinthians 9:8 says, “And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work.”

2 Corinthians 8:8-15 demonstrates that Paul is not saying all Christians will always have an abundance to share with others. In fact, sometimes, we may be the Christians who need assistance from those who are abounding. Other times we may be those who abound and share. However, 2 Corinthians 9:8 explains why God allows some of us to abound.

God does not allow us to abound to make sure we have a personal retirement. God does not allow us to abound to make sure we have all the gadgets we want. God does not allow us to abound to make sure we live on the nice side of town. God allows us to abound and have sufficiency that we may share with those aren’t abounding.

Granted, this passage doesn’t draw any lines for us. It doesn’t declare how much we are allowed to enjoy our own incomes versus being generous to others or to the work of the church. I definitely don’t want to create standards that God did not create. However, this verse forces me to look at my own finances. I’m very blessed. I have to ask am I using the sufficiency God has given to share with those who are not abounding right now, perhaps directly or through the work of the congregation.

This turns my common feeling on its head. I too often want more in order to have more for me. Then sometimes I think I can manipulate the system. I’ll offer a percentage back to God so that I can abound in my giving more, but also abound more for me as well. I don’t think it works like that. God is letting us abound to spread the blessings around. I need to examine myself on that today.

Keep the faith and keep reading,

ELC

P.S. What struck you in today’s reading?

Today’s reading is Luke 9:1-10:48.

Before we get to the reading, I have had computer trouble over the weekend. For some reason, Friday’s post didn’t get published then. I just now got it to publish properly. So, if you have subscribed via e-mail, you have received two posts today. Sorry about that. Additionally, because my Macbook crashed over the weekend (which I thought was never supposed to happen) and I was traveling, I was unable to even do yesterday’s post. Sorry about that as well. But hopefully we’re back on track today. On to the reading.

Cornelius caught my attention today. As Luke was striving to explain why God chose Cornelius to be the first Gentile convert, he let’s us know what a good and God-seeking man he was. God chose Cornelius because Cornelius was already trying to find God. The text says Cornelius was “a devout man who feared God with all his household, gave alms generously to the people, and prayed continually to God” (Acts 10:2). Of course, I see the devotion, the fear of God, and the praying. What really caught my attention was the giving of alms to the people. Because I believe the church is a spiritual organization and not a social welfare organization, I often miss the passages that talk about being generous with material goods to other people. Of course, folks who view the church as a social welfare organization often miss these passages too. After all, they dropped a fiver in the collection plate on Sunday, they’ve done their part.

Yet, here it is. How did Luke know Cornelius was a man looking for God? Partly because he was giving his money away to others in need. If I’m right, it is not the local church’s job to provide social welfare. However, generosity to those in need (whether brethren or otherwise) is something someone who is actually seeking God will do naturally. He didn’t give his money to a church and let the church dole it out. He didn’t give it to the synagogue. He gave it to the people.

Apparently, if I want to be like Cornelius, a devout man, seeking God, then generosity to those in need should be on my short list of things to do today. This is not a matter of evangelism. It is not a means of giving someone a handout in hopes of getting a Bible study. No, it is a matter of caring about people. When God has blessed me financially, I need to use that to be a blessing to others.

What kinds of things can we do? Well, there’s Haiti, of course. There’s the homeless and indigent. There are numerous charities and organizations that could use time and money. There’s the neighbor, friend, family member, co-worker, brother or sister in Christ who has fallen on hard times. There are plenty of opportunities for us to be generous to the people. I need to start looking for them.

Keep the faith and keep reading,

ELC

P.S. What struck you in today’s reading?

Today’s reading is Luke 15:1-16:31.

I have all kinds of questions about the parable of the “dishonest manager” in Luke 16:1-9. However, what really struck me is what Jesus said after the parable, especially Luke 16:12–”And if you have not been faithful in that which is another’s, who will give you that which is your own?”

This parallels the previous verse. That which is another’s parallels the unrighteous wealth, that is, material goods. That which is my own parallels the true wealth. 

The first thing I get out of this is that the cash I’m carrying in my pocket is not really mine. The money sitting in my bank is not really mine. The car sitting in my driveway is not really mine. The house in which I live is not really mine. All of this actually belongs to another. I’m only the steward. Can I give a good accounting of it? 

We often talk about the contribution and ask the mistaken question, “How much of my money actually belongs to God?” We ask this trying to figure out how much we should give. The answer is it all belongs to Him. No, we don’t put all of it in the church’s collection. However, we are to use all of it to God’s glory.

However, the second thing I get out of this is if I’m faithful in this stewardship God is going to give me something that is my own. This is not saying if I’m good with a small salary, He’ll bless me with a greater one. The increased salary of unrighteous wealth is still a stewardship of what doesn’t belong to me. Rather, at some point there is some reward given to me that is mine. It is not just a stewardship but something that is totally mine. 

I don’t have the foggiest idea what that means. I can’t remotely tell you what that reward is. However, I want to get to that. I want to find out. The only way is to work on my stewardship with what is in my possession now. 

Boy, I’ve got some work to do.

***Question: What are some keys to being a good steward of these financial and material blessings that will help us be ready to receive the greater reward?

Keep the faith and keep reading,

ELC

I guess James 1:2-4 stands out to me right now because of our nation’s perilous perch on financial failure. We haven’t heard as much over the past few weeks since the bailout, but that was no more than a band-aid. A government bailout cannot fix America’s financial follies. It can only prolong the inevitable if business practices steeped in debt do not change. The great fear is another depression. What an amazing trial that would be. 

What if it does happen? 

We as Christians can count it all joy. Why? Because we know that the test of our faith will only serve to produce endurance and steadfastness. That will only make us stronger. 

Don’t get me wrong. I’m not saying that I lie awake at night praying for a depression. I don’t want to go through one of those anymore than anyone else. I’m totally unprepared for such an occurrence. But perhaps a testing such as that would be good for us. For Christians, it won’t be the end. It will merely be another time in which we can learn to more greatly rely on God. The more we rely on God, the stronger we will be. The stronger we are, the more we can accomplish for God’s kingdom, which is what is most important anyway.

Don’t fret the future. Just take it one day at a time. However, if the trial comes, lean on God and grow from it. The fact is, it is only the challenged who grow. The complacent who have it easy rarely do more than languish in their mediocrity.

Keep the faith and keep reading,

ELC

“And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times you may abound in every good work. As it is written, ‘He has distributed freely, he has given to the poor; his righteousness endures forever.’ He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness. You will be enriched in every way to be generous in every way, which through us will produce thanksgiving to God.”

II Corinthians 9:8-12 (ESV)

God has not blessed me so I can hoard what I have been given. Certainly, as Ecclesiastes taught, I am allowed to enjoy my blessings. But, I must remember that the main reason for which God has blessed me is so I may be a blessing to others. 

This is not the health and wealth gospel that performs good deeds selfishly only to receive more. No. This is the true gospel that points out God entrusts more to those with whom He can actually trust more. So often, we want and want and do not have because we only want for ourselves. We will be amazed how much God will bless us if we simply become channels for blessings to others. 

Of course, when I am not selfishly concerned about what I have and only about how I can help others, if God is not blessing me with something, I’m still content. The question is not how much I have, but how am I helping others.

I know this is tough to remember when every newspaper and television show is warning us that the sky is about to fall in financially. But this is God’s will for us no matter what our nation’s economy.

Keep the faith and keep reading,

ELC