Sunday, August 10, 1997 In Your Absence:
In this week's lesson, which came from I Timothy 6:6-12, 17-19, we studied about the use of our resources to support the Lord's work. Many people in this world are destitute, having little or nothing. Others are greedy and want to have it all. In both cases, the affected individuals are usually driven to get and to have more. For Christians, however, this determination to abound in the world's goods should not be. Whether we have much or whether we have little, we should never allow ourselves to fret over what we do not have, nor should we ever be overly disturbed by what we want but cannot have. These attitudes, and the actions which usually result from them, are not the marks of the mature Christian. If someone has called on Christ and has placed their faith in His finished work on Calvary, then that person should ideally be driven by a more lofty goal than just that of making and having more.
For starters, the mature Christian should be, or at least could be, focusing on trying to reach others for Christ. The Apostle Paul wrote that godliness with contentment is great gain, and by those words, he was teaching that the spiritual blessings of just knowing Christ as Savior are far greater than the size of one's bank account, regardless of what that size might be. When we truly believe these words, then we will not have any difficulty using our words or our finances in ways that others might learn more about our Lord. The Apostle Paul taught that a first step towards having the correct attitude about money and possessions is to be content with what we have. He also wrote that we should resist the temptation to be greedy. Notice the irony of his comment about money as he said that the "love" of money, not the money itself, is the root of all evil. This means that even the very poor person can be hurt and brought down by an unhealthy appetite for wealth and possessions.
Many Christians would like very much to win the lottery or the Publisher’s Clearinghouse Sweepstake, but it would be so much better if we were that anxious to win our neighbors to Christ. Paul wrote to Timothy that he should teach the people to seek after those things which matter most. He wrote that Christians should pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, and meekness and that we should strive to use our resources to serve God and to help others. An important conclusion of this week's lesson was that money is a resource which can be used for good. Our time and talents can also be used. But first, we must turn the control of our life over to the leadership of the Holy Spirit. Then, we will be able to avoid all or most of the pitfalls which come from an improper affection for wealth and the things of this world. As you go through this coming week, let Jesus be the Lord and Master of your life and ask Him to give you many opportunities to share your faith in Him with others.
Tom of Spotswood"He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life." (I John 5:12)
"And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart." (Jeremiah 29:13)
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