Archive for February, 2011

“You can’t measure your worth by the values we place on our possessions. A calamity of only a few seconds can change all of that. Real worth is determined by what you do with what you have…be it large or small.”

William F. Chatlos (1889-1977), builder and founder of the Chatlos Foundation which supports Bible colleges and seminaries; religious causes; medical concerns; liberal arts colleges; and social concerns. This quote can be found on their website: www.chatlos.org

“That God gives good things to the wicked is—if you want to understand why—for your growth and does not indicate a divine perversity. Yet I see that you still do not grasp what I said. Listen therefore to what I was telling you who blame and accuse God because he gives these earthly and temporal goods even to wicked persons, which according to your way of thinking he ought not to give except to the righteous alone…

Gold, silver, every type of money, clothing, clients, relatives, cattle, honors—all these are externals. If these lower, earthly, temporal, transitory goods were not given to the wicked as well, they would be considered great by the righteous. And so God, who gives these things to the bad, teaches you to long for higher things.”

Augustine (354-430), Bishop of Hippo, in Sermon 311.13.12-14.13.

“The inward reality of simplicity involves a life of joyful unconcern for possessions. Neither the greedy nor the miserly know this liberty. It has nothing to do with abundance of possessions or their lack. It is an inward spirit of trust.”

Richard Foster in Celebration of Discipline (San Francisco: HarperCollins, 1998) 86-89.

But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Matthew 6:33

“Simplicity itself becomes idolatry when it takes precedence over seeking the kingdom. In a particularly penetrating comment on this passage of Scripture, Søren Kierkegaard considers what sort of effort could be made to pursue the kingdom of God.

Should a person get a suitable job in order to exert a virtuous influence? His answer: no, we must first seek God’s kingdom. Then should we give away all our money to feed the poor? Again the answer is no, we must first seek God’s kingdom.

Well, then perhaps we are to go out and preach this truth to the world that people are to seek first God’s kingdom? Once again the answer is a resounding: no, we are first to seek the kingdom of God.

Kierkegaard concludes, “Then in a certain sense it is nothing I shall do. Yes, certainly, in a certain sense it is nothing, become nothing before God, learn to keep silent; in this silence is the beginning, which is, first to seek God’s kingdom.”

Søren Kierkegaard in Christian Discourses (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1940) 322-344; also cited in Richard Foster in Celebration of Discipline (San Francisco: HarperCollins, 1998) 86-89.

“Jump at a chance to give!”

This quote, attributed to “Nancy” of West Bend, WI, was on the inside of the wrapper of our daughter’s Dove Chocolate yesterday. Another reason to argue that chocolate is good for you and a great Valentine’s Day gift!

This day on which we give to those we love was named after a Roman Christian leader named Valentine, who was martyred for his faith on February 14, 269. A man who even “jumped at the chance to give” the Gospel to the emperor.

Later, February 14 was declared a holy day in his honor on 14 February 496. It is said that St. Valentine left a farewell note for the jailer’s daughter whom he had befriended which read “from your Valentine” and the rest is history.

“Simplicity is the first cousin of contentment. It’s motto is: We brought nothing into this world, and we can certainly carry nothing out. It recognizes that we are pilgrims. It concentrates us on what we need, and measures this by what we use. It rejoices in the good things of creation, but hates waste and greed and clutter. It knows how easily the seed of the Word is smothered by the ‘cares and riches of this life.’ It wants to be free of distractions, in order to love and serve God and others.”

John Stott (1921-) English Christian leader and Anglican clergyman in Common Prayer: A Liturgy for Ordinary Radicals, 148. Cf. 1 Timothy 6:7 and Luke 8:14.

If I give all my possessions to feed the poor…but have not love, it profits me nothing. 1 Corinthians 13:3

“Our gifts have to spring from a compassionate heart, one that is filled with love for God and other people. Over and above the material value of our gifts we need to keep in mind the importance of our interior disposition. The spirit of true charity is intimately interconnected with a joyful heart.”

Francisco Fernández Carvajal, from volume five of In Conversations with God, 425.

“Financial poverty where it is found around the world is easy to see. One cannot be untouched by the slums of Calcutta, the townships of South Africa and any number of places where the utter devastation of the human condition confronts us with overwhelming power.

What is not so evident is poverty in the developed world. I am not referring to financial poverty – although that can be easily found – but poverty of spirit and purpose. This is a poverty disguised by material success and all its trappings which is every bit as devastating to our hearts as material poverty is in the slums. In fact, our hearts can live in the slum of poverty of spirit while we reside in homes that have everything we could ever need.

Of course the greatest poverty of all is that of alienation with our creator. But even among those who know Him there is often great poverty of spirit. The very gifts that He gives in income and possessions often tempt us to put our trust in our abilities, success and net worth rather than in simple faith that places all of life in His hands and for His purposes.

Such poverty of spirit leads to a poverty of purpose where the focus of our lives becomes ourselves and our pleasure rather than Him and His divine purpose for our existence (Ephesians 2:10). We are too busy with our stuff and schedule to engage in meaningful ministry. We have so many options in life that it is easy to crowd out the most important priority – knowing Him and dedicating our lives to making Him known.

Lives lived primarily for ourselves with dependence on ourselves are empty lives, not the abundant life that Jesus came to give. We have defined that abundance as material abundance. He defined it is an abundance of Him and the purpose that He brings. I want to be wealthy – in the way that only Jesus can make me wealthy. It is a wealth of His presence, His purposes for my life where I can join him in a meaningful way with what He is up to in our world. It is a wealth of enjoying the length and depth of his love, grace, mercy, forgiveness and presence. It is a wealth of being able to live by simple faith, trusting Him for my daily bread and direction. It is the wealth of Christ in Me, the hope of glory.

This is true wealth and it lifts us from the slums of poverty of spirit. Oh, and some of the folks that I have met in the literal slums? Some of those believers are the happiest people I have ever met – not because of their circumstances but because while their physical body lives in a slum, their hearts are wealthy with the love, purpose, and life of Jesus. Who is poor? Them or us?”

Tim Addington, Senior VP Reach Global, Evangelical Free Church of America, Blog post on 6 February 2011:

http://leadingfromthesandbox.blogspot.com/2011/02/poverty-and-wealth.html

“The only investments I ever made which have paid constantly increasing dividends are those I have given to the Lord’s work.”

Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal. Matthew 6:19-20

James L. Kraft (1874-1953) founder of Kraft Foods as quoted by Charles Stanley in Success God’s Way: Achieving True Contentment and Purpose, 106.

Give, and it will be given to you: A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you. Luke 6:38

“What is the “it” that will be given to us as we give? It may be love, time, material provision, friendship, ideas, opportunity. When we give–and not only money, but time, energy, effort, creativity, prayer–we receive. God gives us in return precisely what we need the most, and He gives it in overflowing supply. God desires for us to give, so that He might use what we give, multiply it, and return to us those things that will make us whole.”

Charles Stanley in Success God’s Way: Achieving True Contentment and Purpose (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 2000) 106.