Milk vs Steak
During my years at bible college, especially my senior year, my fellow students and I were continually warned by our professors not to become snobby bible college grads. And I fear that I might not have heeded that warning so well.
Cami and I are so blessed to be a part of a church that is truly transforming lives. Every time we gather all I have to do is talk to the person next to me or look up to the balcony and I see at least 100 people who were hopeless but are now finding hope here. My church is an odd mix of extremely wealthy (not to mention extremely generous) people and those at the bottom end of poverty. The whole mission of our church is to bring in those the rest of society has given up on, give them a place to belong and a place to get back their feet and hopefully find Jesus in the process. That is why I love my church so much. But that means that the sermons are milk to the spiritually immature. Sundays often tend to feel like motivational meetings. I just feel that we could be giving more substance to our people. But perhaps this is my selfish desire to be fed myself. How much meat do you bring to the immature?
I guess I have just found myself in a place where church is no longer a time to be fed, but a time to encourage those around me. It is a time to come together and make sure we are still all on the same page - knowing that everything we do is for the hopeless. I must continually remind myself of the youth pastor's words, "Why don't you every find steak on a kids menu? Because if you want it, you need to be able cut it up and eat it yourself."
Wealth and Poverty
Cami and I recently watched an episode of the show 30 Days. It was created by the same guy who did the movie Supersize Me. The premise of the show is to spend 30 days in the life of someone else. In this particular episode, the main character and his fiancee move to Columbus, OH and get minimum wage jobs to discover what it is like to be amongst the thousands of working poor in the USA. For 30 days they lived in a dumpy apartment in a dangerous part of town, relied on public transportation and were without health care. The man ended up get two full time jobs, spending an average of 18 hours a day away from home and his fiancee walked to work to save the 2.70 it would cost them in bus fare.
In addition to the harsh reality of how difficult life in the shoes of the working poor actually is, this episode also brings up some rather disturbing statistics. From 1997 to 2007 Congress did not raise minimum wage a single penny, but received cost of living increases of their own, to the tune of $27,000. How can we live in the richest country in the world and have so many people struggling from day to day. I live in a city full of people hoping to survive from one day to the next, when less than ten miles away live people who have abundantly more than they could ever need and continually gain more. Why is it that the rich just get richer and the poor never seem to get a break? Greed is so ugly! And I wonder how much of it is in me. Why can I not be more like my friend Andrea who gives everything she has away? Why do I need a nice home and nice clothes? Is it wrong of me to desire to own a home some day? Do I really need to own a home, could that money help turn someone's life around, give them the break they have been waiting for?
Now I know owning a home is an exercise of financial wisdom, but what about all the other things I so desperately "need", like my new indoor soccer shoes. When does it become greedy and selfish ambition? Do any of you ever ask these questions? Lord, am I faithful with all that you bless me with?
You have brought up some very good food for thought...and all things that I have thought about myself. As far as milk or meat being served at you church, I have struggled with the lack of meat served at my own. I understand that there are many who need encouragement and application, but if I don't get fed there then where? Aaron says that I should be in the Word, myself, as well. I agree, but who do I sit under and ask my questions to when I don't understand or when I want to learn more?! I think that people will rise to the occasion. I don't think that one or two mature sermons will cause the babes to up and run. Or perhaps first and second services shouldn't be for the "old" and "hip" crowds, respectively...but for the mature and imature, so that those who get the milk learn to chew their food eventually. I often think about these things!
ReplyDeleteP.S. As far as rich and poor...I think the "plight," if you will, of the poor is difficult, but I don't really find it difficult to see the rich get richer. Why shouldn't they...they work hard for their money , are often generous with it, and are the main ones to stimulate our economy. They get rich because they are smart about their money! There are some who are dishonest, but that is for the Lord to judge their hearts. The main thing that saddens me about the impoverished is that most of them are fed the lie that others are supposed to take care of them. Living with that mentality will never get any of them out of their situation...only hard work will. ...and don't feel guilty about wanting to own a home, etc. I think striving to be debt free and free of being beholden to others is good thing, especially in this economy. You can share/give what is yours...but you can't be generous with what belongs to another man. bla bla bla...that's my soap box!
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ReplyDeleteDre.
ReplyDeleteI just wrote this whole big long thing. It was really articulate, too, if someone had bothered to read it they might get the impression that I was smart! Anyway... then I decided that I'd much rather just talk with you.
anyway... I've observed a few things, the Lord has burnt a few things on my heart regarding wealth and poverty, but it's a life-long learning curve. Some of us are called to be Mother Ts and some are called to be Philip Anschutzs. There are many of both in the world.
Greed outside the church is totally understandable. Greed inside the church is like rot to the Body... it doesn't belong in a place where Love is the mandate... the church is responsible to get this and to be agents of change, motivated by Love, compelled because of Love... shallow judgements and random acts of generosity aren't gonna get us anywhere here.
JOB 1:21 is gold-- God's people living with open hands who are jealous for the Lord's name nomatter what... learning to be content in all things, etc.
And, to be honest, I'd rather spend the day with the guy on the street who doesn't have two pennies to rub together, but who gets this... than the "rich" dude with flash and pomp who, if he was stripped of everything material, would be so naked and alone he'd be pathetic. That's poverty!
press on, dear friend!
--and
my deleted p.s. comment was about wanting my own room at your nice house if and when the Lord says it is yours to have... but we can talk about that sometime, too.