Bible and Abundance预览

ABUNDANCE - I WANT IT, AND I WANT I NOW...

One of the most poignant films of late about money and wealth must be "Wall Street 2" starring Michael Douglas as the archetypal capitalist Gordon Gekko. Gekko had just been released from jail and was giving a speech to students on the causes and consequences of the 2008-2015 economic crisis. He said the cause was, in a word, "greed". We remember the consequences. Politicians, businessmen, and economists worldwide cited greed as the cause of the crisis. That crisis is over, and we are currently experiencing nice economic growth, but is greed a thing of the past? By no means. Commentators say that no lessons have been learnt from that crisis. Greed reigns again.

The Bible calls greed ' idolatry', which is why Jesus warned us against sin. In response, he told a parable of a rich man who had prospered (Luke 12:16-21). In this account, Jesus had the man say "I" or "my" five times. The man was rich and trusted that his wealth would bring him a long life of enjoyment. He told his soul, "You have enough for many years; rest, eat, drink, and be merry.” Jesus related that the man had a confrontation with God. God called him a fool and told him his life would be ended that night, and his goods would pass to others. God was not interested in his wealth, but he was very interested in his soul.

A businessman tells of a period in his life. "I was a young businessman, full of ambition and managing director of a chemical company. Business was the top priority in my life, even though I had been a Christian since I was a boy. Money, honour, and status became idols for me. During a meeting with other Christian businessmen, I was challenged by a Bible text: 'What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul?' (Matthew 16:26). Business was going reasonably well, but I was suffering from stress, and my family was suffering from my absence. I read little in the Bible and hardly prayed anymore. My soul was suffering. I decided to change this and henceforth prioritise my relationship with God and my family over my career. This brought peace and more joy in life."

"Money never stays with me for long. I would burn my fingers on it. I let it out of my hands as soon as possible, before it finds a way to my heart." John Wesley

CHALLENGE

It is good to regularly evaluate our priorities. To what extent does greed have a place in my life? Greed places money above the Master!