Hello All,
(Just a general disclaimer that I must insert here at the beginning. I am but a lay person, like most of you. And these weekly “thoughts” are but my own. Not the definitive word on this or any topic. Just my own conclusions derived from my own study and faith in God. The greatest hope I have for these weekly “thoughts” is to have them be a springboard for further study on your part. Not to be a weekly treatise to be blindly accepted. So, please read them with this intent, this motive in mind).
This week’s lesson from “The Adult Sabbath School Guide” is titled “Giving Back”. There were several good quotes in this week’s lesson:
· In Sunday’s lesson… “if a person is quitting work to spend his accumulated assets on himself, he should beware…” and “The general picture in the Bible is that a person works and remains productive as long as he/she is able”.
· Monday’s lesson… “Someone once asked the famous evangelist, Billy Graham, what surprised him most about life now that he was old (Graham was in his 60’s at the time). Graham’s answer? ‘The brevity of it’”.
· Tuesday’s lesson… “Review your financial records and determine the state of your affairs”.
· Wednesday’s lesson… “Money can have a powerful hold on human beings, a hold that has led to the ruin of many”.
· Thursday’s lesson… “We are stewards and managers of what God has entrusted to us…”.
Good quotes. Profundities. Great advice. And yet, God has often led His faithful followers into prodigal waters… profligate giving. Think of Christ’s advice to the one who sought “to inherit eternal life… (Jesus) said to him… ‘Sell all that you have and distribute to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me’” (Luke 18-22). Not a very wise use of money. In this case, “the church (gets) nothing” (quarterly for Monday) and… well… “You will always have the poor among you, and you can help them whenever you want to” (Mark 14:7). An extravagant, unwise counsel by Christ????
Or what of Mary’s anointing of Christ at Simon’s feast, wastefully pouring out that “very costly oil of spikenard” (Mark 14:3) and “anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped His feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the oil” (John 12:3), when only a few drops would’ve had the same effect. All that money wasted, as that costly perfume ran onto the floor. A year’s salary it cost. As Judas so judiciously exclaims “Why was this fragrant oil not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor” (John 12:5)? So, so surprised we are when Jesus defends this wasteful extravagance. No careful calculations of “debt to equity ratio” (quarterly for Tuesday) here. Again, Christ approves of extravagant wastefulness instead of careful, calculated financial management.
Or what of Christ’s sacrifice of Himself. The sinless Son of God, giving His life for a few wretched sinners. The costly blood of Christ, poured-out… and most gone to waste as so, so many decry the Divine “Gift” of the very lifeblood of God Himself… like Judas decrying Mary’s gift of spikenard. The life of God, poured-out… all for what? A few broken sinners???
I do not cite these instances to contradict the quarterly. Surely, we must be prudent with our resources, especially as we approach the twilight of our years. But our God is renowned for extravagant love, profligate grace, for laying all of heaven’s assets on the line for love… and redemption of sinners. And we are created in the image of Him who is such love.
Therefore, let us “be wise as serpents and harmless as doves” (Matthew 10:16). We must be wise with our finances, watching for ways to use those finances without harm… for the good. It is God’s way.
With brotherly love,
Jim