JESUS EMBRACED A LIFESTYLE OF VOLUNTARY POVERTY, AND TAUGHT HIS FOLLOWERS TO GIVE AWAY THEIR WEALTH IN ORDER TO OBTAIN JOY
I used to believe that the more I had, the happier I would become. This was especially true when I compared my wealth & possessions to others. As far back as I can remember, when I was still just a little boy, the love of money (and the things money could buy) has offered elusive hope. I remember my first real skateboard, a Logan with a wood deck and urethane wheels. I remember the Christmas I got it, when my family lived at 1002 N. Lowell in Santa Ana, CA. I remember riding it, and trying my first tricks, on the sidewalk in front of my house and getting my parents to take pictures of me. I was so happy…I had arrived…life was complete and I was satisfied. Until I wasn’t, which probably didn’t take very long at all. I could share about 1,000 other stories like that, and you probably could too. It’s human nature, and we all deal with it…especially in America.
We Americans are, by far, the most privileged people on the planet…and statistically speaking, the most depressed and disillusioned as well. If Christians in America were categorically different in this area, it would be really obvious…but honestly we’re not. Although a huge portion of generosity in our society comes from people of Jesus, we really have a long way to go in parting with our treasures. Even some of our ill-fated “health & wealth” theologies are smokescreens for greed. It seems to be everywhere out there…and inside of us.
How did Jesus and His early followers approach wealth and possessions?
“Jesus said to them, “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of possessions.” And he told them this parable: “The ground of a certain rich man yielded an abundant harvest. He thought to himself, ‘What shall I do? I have no place to store my crops.’ “Then he said, ‘This is what I’ll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store my surplus grain. And I’ll say to myself, “You have plenty of grain laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry.” ’ “But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?’ “This is how it will be with whoever stores up things for themselves but is not rich toward God.” (Luke 12:15-20)
“As Jesus started on his way, a man ran up to him and fell on his knees before him. “Good teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?” …Jesus answered…”You know the commandments: ‘You shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, you shall not defraud, honor your father and mother.’” “Teacher,” he declared, “all these I have kept since I was a boy.” Jesus looked at him and loved him. “One thing you lack,” he said. “Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” At this the man’s face fell. He went away sad, because he had great wealth…” (Mark 10:17-22)
“Godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.” (1 Timothy 6:6-10)
“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also…“No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money. “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life? “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For [those who don’t know God] run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” (Mathew 6:19-33)
So there you have it. It’s really an issue of trusting where happiness really comes from.
Perhaps if we gave away more of our money & possessions, we would experience more of what God has in store for us?
