Investing in the kingdom…

“Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment.  Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share.  In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life”. 1 Timothy 6:17-19 (NIV)

Lay up treasure by doing good deeds, and be generous and willing to share.

Background

The letter of 1 Timothy was written by Paul and directed to Timothy to share with the church at Ephesus.  Ephesus was one of the largest and most prosperous cities in Asia Minor at the time of the writing.  It was a city with many affluent people.  It was a city that in Paul’s estimation required a warning.

Reflections

Few topics in the gospels generate more attention than money and possessions. Howard L. Dayton Jr. in his book entitled “Leadership” noted that:

• Sixteen of the thirty-eight parables were concerned with money or possessions
• In the Gospels, an amazing one out of ten verses (288 in all) deal directly with the subject of money
• The Bible offers nearly 500 verses on prayer, less than 500 verses on faith, but more than 2,000 verses on money and possessions

The emphasis on money isn’t because God needs our resources.  Instead, the attention on money and possessions suggests there are few areas that compete more for our heart. The father wants nothing more or less than our heart…all of it.   The enemy’s goal is the same – to win our hearts.  But he introduces alternatives.  Very appealing counterfeits.  The enemy is a master marketer.  And one of his most powerful marketing messages in culture today is that the pursuit of financial gain for comfort and pleasure is a worthy goal.

The pursuit of prosperity is at the very ethos of the American dream…We need to have money to live in suburban houses that are in “safe” neighborhoods. We need to drive new vehicles.  We need to reserve massive amounts of our earnings and designate to 401K’s for the pursuit of many retirements that chase recreation as a priority.  We need to reserve significant amounts for our children’s future college education for the pursuit of their future comfortable lives…and the cycle often continues…

But, do our perceived “needs” and the cultural whispers line up with the biblical narrative?

My wife and I know a couple that early in their marriage decided to make a counter cultural decision. They decided to tithe and to prayerfully consider identifying alternative opportunities to give beyond the tithe.  They didn’t live in the biggest house or drive the newest cars or take the most exotic vacations…but over their marriage they have invested tens of thousands with various ministries and individuals in need.  And a peculiar thing happened…God provided amazing favor in their lives.  While this was never their goal, God blessed them beyond their generosity.

And this couple’s reality was supported through a biblical promise found in Malachi 3:10 “Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,” says the Lord Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it.”

Let’s take the Lord up on his challenge. Let’s test him.  Let’s push the boundaries of generosity.

Lord, help us to think more about what we can give than what we can spend our money on. Help us to have courage to accept your test.  To loosen the grip on our money.  To prioritize a kingdom mind-set over a consumer mind-set.  To model the love that you extended to us…with the resources you have entrusted to us.  Change our hearts.  Amen.

What if in the pursuit of generosity we learned in heaven someday that our kingdom investments enabled many to come to faith?

What if the Christian church modeled generosity to such a degree that the poor or needy in their community knew that the church could be fully counted on to take care of every one of them if disaster struck? How would that impact the poor community’s view of Christianity?  How would that impact the non-Christian’s view of Christianity?