Money and Stuff: Postscript

I have spoken previously about my struggles with money and about the things I was trying to learn (money isn't everything; be content with enough; be generous with your surplus; don't be greedy). Well I thought it was about time to report back. Praise God this is not a big problem for me anymore! He has taught me well and, no doubt, people have been praying for me (thank you).

The most helpful thing has been to remind myself to be content with enough. It's hard to argue against! I still have times when I desire gorgeous fashion or quality homewares, but I guess I can also see through that all now. I mean I know that having that stuff does not make you happy. If I have enough and I have eternal blessings, then I am in a better position than they. Not that I'm better than or superior to them - just that I am very fortunate. And it's not like you can't express yourself aesthetically or dress creatively when you don't have loads of money - you still can, just not as much, but that's okay 'cos aesthetic isn't everything either. I've even become pretty content with not being able to buy CDs - I mean music's not my passion in life anyway, and you know, I have quite a few CDs already, and there's always the radio. Keeping up with the latest music isn't my birthright. It's a Western privilege and it's okay that it's one I don't currently have access to.

As well as being content with what we presently have, I also said that we had no need to worry about the future because God has promised to give us enough. That has been my experience time and time again. In my case, he uses ordinary means - people's generosity, the government's stimulus package, things on sale.

And now it looks like he's given me a great job! For this year and last I've been trying off and on to find a better paying job, because I think I should support myself while I'm studying - just like everyone else does. No one's been very keen to employ someone in a (semi) professional position for only one day a week . . . until now! I think I might have found a wonderful job teaching English and writing to primary and high school students in a private tutoring company. The boss seems very kind and I like his philosophy and method. And it pays $30/hour instead of $18/hour at my (wonderful) kitchen job. I'll find out next week if he needs me, but it's looking good at the moment. I'm so enormously relieved and thankful.

In heaven I will ski

I can't imagine heaven. My small mind struggles to comprehend anything good that is not in this world, or anything better than this world. So here's my childlike conception of heaven - it will be something like this, but infinitely better.

In heaven I will ski and dance and swim and write amazing poetry and marvel at beauty and teach people (though maybe not, for there each person will have full access to God, seeing him face to face) . I will do all this as praise to my Brother and Lord, with a glad and peaceful heart, together with all my brothers and sisters. God will be my beloved and loving Flatmate, Husband and King. Nothing will be sullied by fear or mistrust or anxiety or pain or crying or death. For they are part of the old order of things, and in heaven all will be made new.


Heaven will be a physical place, better than but not wholly unlike this world (Isaiah 65:17, 66:22; Luke 22:18; John 14:2-3; 2 Peter 3:13; Revelation 19:9, 21:1-7 & 10-11 & 21-26, 22:1-2). So how about you try to imagine it too. Think of what would make a perfect world for you here - then make it better - then eclipse it all by God's presence (Psalm 16:11, 27:4, 73:25-26; Jude 1:24; Revelation 4:8, 21:3-4 & 23, 22:3-4).

Trust

Christians trust God and his Word – even when our experience from time to time seems to belie those truths. And postmodern non-Christians trust experience – even when a multiplicity of experiences point to different, contradictory truths.

Experience tends to be the more fickle master, but knowing this will not shake a postmodern’s trust. And we all live our daily lives putting our trust in truths (we don’t jump off buildings, we give our pasta time to cook, we don’t expect our lover to always please us), but knowing this will not shatter a postmodern’s trust.

Indeed arguments of any sort don't persuade people to shift their trust. What's needed is for them to see Christians living under the one, true God and to be witness to the goodness and coherence of that life.

Thanks to Christos for getting me thinking along this path.

We Are All Part of the Body

My new Tassie pastor, Dan Shepheard, preached on The Body recently. I think that if a church, if my church, can understand this rightly, then it will result in a godly attitude amongst the sending church (Crossroads), the missionary (me) and the receiving church (?, somewhere in Latin America).

You need to listen to

• his first talk
• his second talk

I think that understanding the body helps bridge the natural distance we feel when people are physically far away. And I think that understanding the body helps correct false ideas about missionaries' roles and person (eg that they're doing something more worthy than everyone else or that they're more spiritual than everyone else). And I think that understanding the body empowers everyone to wholeheartedly and joyfully support everyone else, whatever their role.

O God Beyond All Praising1

O God beyond all praising,
we worship you today
and sing the love amazing
that songs cannot repay;
for we can only wonder
at every gift you send,
at blessings without number
and mercies without end:
we lift our hearts before you
and wait upon your word,
we honor and adore you,
our great and mighty Lord.

Then hear, O gracious Savior,
accept the love we bring,
that we who know your favor
may serve you as our king;
and whether our tomorrows
be filled with good or ill,
we'II triumph through our sorrows
and rise to bless you still:
to marvel at your beauty
and glory in your ways,
and make a joyful duty
our sacrifice of praise.

---

Words: Michael Perry (1942-1996);
© by Jubilate Hymns, Ltd. (admin. by Hope Publishing Co., Carol Stream, IL 60188).

1 I think it might be naughty to reproduce this without approval, but I was thinking that because it's not actually being sung, it might be okay. Anyway I'm obviously not troubled enough to either find out or to refrain - but please do let me know if you think I shouldn't and I'll remove the post.

Money and Stuff: Don't be greedy

Don’t act as if money is everything. When you have enough, don’t be dissatisfied. Don’t cling onto your surplus (Luke 12:16-21). Don’t be so narrowminded and shortsighted. Don’t think only of yourself and only of now. You are not the most important person in the world. Humble yourself before God and he will lift you up. He is not a cruel, pennypinching God trying to deny you. Do not set your sights so short – there is an eternity of riches to look forward to. Don’t be like “an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea."1

If you are greedy or envious you will become an ugly person. You will walk over other people to serve yourself. You will take your eyes off God. You will fail to care for the poor. (1 Timothy 6:9-10)

If you are greedy or covertous you are playing a dangerous game. It is not possible to serve both God and money. You will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. (Matthew 6:24; Luke 16:13) If you continue in this path you will not inherit the kingdom (1 Corinthians 6:9-10). Of course you should be thankful if riches come your way, and you should enjoy them, for they are good. But do not let them be your master. Don’t pant and strive for them. Seek spiritual riches, long for heaven, be content with enough and be generous with what you have been given.


1 C.S. Lewis, The Weight of Glory and Other Addresses (Grand Rapids, Mich.: Eerdmans, 1965), 1-2 from J. Piper, Desiring God: Meditations of a Christian Hedonist (Inter-Varsity Press, 2003), 20

Money and Stuff: Be generous with your surplus

First be honest. Recognise how much of your money and possessions are sufficient for you. Call what’s left over what it is – your surplus. Then sincerely thank God for giving you enough, and for blessing you with more than enough.

Try to think of all that you have as a gift. The Giver gave it to you because he loves you and loves to look after you and bring you happiness. It’s a gift, he doesn’t want it back, it’s yours. He was pleased to give it to you. Don’t feel awkward or ashamed about having it – it’s good. Enjoy it and praise God.

But remember: “If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him?” (1 John 3:17). Indeed you must give to those in need, especially when they are a Christian brother or sister (1 Timothy 6:17-18; see also 1 Corinthians 16:2 & 2 Corinthians 8:11b-12). You are no Christian if you fail in this. But don’t give just because you must. Be glad of the opportunity to extend the generosity you yourself have been shown (2 Corinthians 8:9; 9:7). It’s not about everyone reaching the same measure of wealth. There will always be relatively rich and relatively poor people and that’s okay. Just be generous. You will know if you are being generous or just pretending to be. Give at least a little more lavishly, at least a little more than is reasonable. Be very kind.