But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness. 12 Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses. 1 Timothy 6:11-12
“One of the great countercultural statements Christians can make is to flee from the craving for wealth, living out a life that shows instead the value of family, service and knowing God, putting the needs of others ahead of material goods and their display. This is the kind of life that results in being rich toward God . . . Wealth is to be measured by generosity, the use of these material resources not to make ourself look upscale but to relieve the members of the family of God in any kind of need or distress. As always, the Christian leader is challenged to lead by example in this difficult area.”
David DeSilva in An Introduction to the New Testament: Contexts, Methods, and Ministry Formation (Downers Grove: IVP Academic, 2004) 1804.
I am safely home, catching up on my rest, doing some praying, writing, working on board reports, and doing some preparation for some upcoming speaking.
In the midst of all this, I am reminded afresh by DeSilva to lead by example.
So today’s post is for Christians anywhere and everywhere who serve in leadership positions. It’s a shoutout to lead by example. We need to model the countercultural perspective that measures wealth by generosity.
What changes might you need to make in your life for this to be so? Ponder this today.
The expression “to make yourself look upscale” really speaks to me. For example, I want the clothing I wear at home and around the world and the possessions I steward to communicate send a message linked to generosity and not materialism.
Consider your witness when you make your spending and giving decisions. Lead by example.