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 Luke 15:1-16:31.

“No servant 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” (Luke 16:13).

Jesus applied this to material goods, but it is true for anything. I have learned that I can’t follow Jesus halfway. When I do, whatever else is pulling at me always takes me in the wrong direction. Half measures avail me nothing. If I don’t completely and totally surrender myself to Jesus today, I can just about guarantee by the end of the day I’ll be wondering how I ended up committing that sin over again.

When I want just enough Jesus to feel good, but also want to hang on to some other goal at the same time, I always come out on the losing end. Jesus needs to be my master today. That’s the only way for me to have the abundant, joyful life.

Keep the faith and keep reading,

ELC

PS. 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

Today’s reading is I Timothy 6:1-21; II Timothy 1:1-18.

Sorry about the weekend break. The extra long weekend became an extra work in the yard weekend for me and I hardly got to my computer at all. Thanks for sticking with me though and coming back today.

The first couple of verses of today’s reading struck me:

“Let all who are under a yoke as slaves regard their own masters as worthy of all honor, so that the name of God and the teaching may not be reviled. Those who have believing masters must not be disrespectful on the ground that they are brothers; rather they must serve all the better since those who benefit by their good service are believers and beloved.”

I hope we can talk about these verses without getting distracted by the existence of slavery. Jesus didn’t specifically come into the world to promote social reform, though no doubt the single greatest factor that ended slavery in most nations is the teaching of the Gospel. Christianity was not about social reform but about how to live in a way that glorified God within society as it existed. Slavery existed, therefore Paul taught how to glorify God while that happened.

However, these verses didn’t hit me because of the talk about slavery. Rather, they hit me because of the talk about disrespecting someone because they are a brother. In this particular case, he was speaking of servants who seemed to think they could get away with not working quite as hard in their service because they were brethren with their masters. Paul’s point was the Christian slave serving a Christian master should work all the more knowing they were benefiting a beloved brother.

I know we don’t have master and slave relationships today, but do we often have this same kind of disrespect for our brethren?

It is one thing to be in a tight spot and receive benevolent help from our brother and sisters in Christ. However, it is a completely different thing to think every time we have business or work dealings with a Christian that they should cut us a deal just because we are brothers and sisters. It is amazing to me the number of people who will ask a Christian to cut his/her prices because their selling to or working for another Christian. Yet, they never once think about doubling their payments because they are buying from or hiring a Christian. Does this not demonstrate that same kind of disrespect Paul was talking about? Does being brothers or sisters in Christ suddenly mean we have a right to demand they cut their profit margin? Are we really given the right to take advantage of their work and say it is all in the name of Jesus? Why don’t they have the right to expect us to pay double because we are contracting with or buying from a beloved brother or sister?

Don’t misunderstand. As I said, it is certainly fine to seek benevolent aid when we need it. I think it is certainly fine for Christians to offer deals to other Christians if they want. What concerns me is the level of expectation Christians to always pay less when they are contracting with or buying from other Christians. Being brothers and sisters does not give us the right to take advantage of each other. 

Let’s make sure we are showing respect to our brothers and sisters for their work. Let’s be happy to pay fair prices and fair wages especially to our brethren because those who benefit from it are believers and beloved. If they want to show respect and love for us by giving a deal, that is their decision. We shouldn’t just expect it.

Keep the faith and keep reading,

ELC

P.S. What did you get out of today’s reading.

“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

Paul was about to be flogged. However, at the seeming last possible moments, he uttered the magic words. “Um, guys, are  you sure you want to do this? I’m a Roman citizen.”

This piqued the tribune’s curiosity. “How much did you pay to get in?”

Okay, so I’m taking a little poetic license here. What I really want to hone in on is the fact that the tribune paid his way into the Roman kingdom. That makes me think of Matthew 5:3–”Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” 

Suddenly, that statement means a good bit more to me. And I see it as an even greater shock. The people to whom Jesus spoke lived in a kingdom that took money to enter. They could all become Romans and throw off the yoke of their slave status if they just paid money to get in like the tribune.

That, however, is not how the kingdom of God works. God’s kingdom doesn’t go to those who can pay enough money. God’s kingdom goes to those who are humble enough to admit their poverty in spirit and quit trying to pay their way in. Only those who recognize how little they have to offer and simply come to Jesus asking for mercy knowing that is their only way in get Jesus’ kingdom.

Paul was able to say he was born into the Roman kingdom. But the only way into Christ’s kingdom is to be reborn by humbly submitting to Jesus (John 3:3, 5; Mark 16:16).

Keep the faith today and keep reading.

ELC