Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ. 1 Corinthians 11:1
“In confession the breakthrough to community takes place. Sin demands to have a man by himself. It withdraws him from the community. The more isolated a person is, the more destructive will be the power of sin over him, and the more deeply he becomes involved in it, the more disastrous is his isolation. Sin wants to remain unknown. It shuns the light. In the darkness of the unexpressed it poisons the whole being of a person. This can happen even in the midst of a pious community. In confession the light of the gospel breaks into the darkness and seclusion of the heart. The sin must be brought into the light. The unexpressed must be openly spoken and acknowledged. All that is secret and hidden is made manifest. It is a hard struggle until the sin is openly admitted.”
Dietrich Bonhoeffer (1906-1945) in Life Together (New York: Harper One, 1954) 112.
As I teach on generosity and speak about what the Bible says on the handling of money, I have come to realize that the most significant things I share are not linked to theology but rather, confession. People say the testimonies help them understand the instruction. For example, when I admit that we stored up treasures on earth for years, which is the opposite location where Jesus told us to put them, my confession helps set others free from this sin. People, who are experiencing the “hard struggle” of letting go, find freedom.
When I testify to other things my family has learned about life in God’s economy, people resonate with the illustrations because our confession helps show them the way. We don’t have this all figured out, but it’s how we grow in community. Money is a topic that few people like to talk about, and I believe it is because darkness has a stronghold in many lives. Sin loses its power through confession. To grow from greed to generosity, let the light of the gospel shine on your financial situation. Confess what God is teaching you, and see what God does among you.