I would guess that 99% of the people who read my blog are considered to be in the top 1-2% of richest people in the world, including myself (pre and post Race))!!! If you don’t believe me, just click this link (Global Rich List) and enter your income to find out where you stand. Hearing this used to blow my mind as many of us would categorize ourselves as average, or even as struggling, when it comes to finances. It is often hard to believe that our limited scope of a situation can define a version of reality altogether inaccurate. However, there is a whole other reality we often don’t focus on. Almost half the world — over three billion people — live on less than $2.50 a day and 80% of the world population lives on less than $10 a day!
It is hard to truly comprehend poverty until you come face to face with it. After traveling the world for 9 months now and seeing the way many live, I better understand just how rich I truly am, how we all are. As such, I take the following cautionary verses in Matthew 19: 23-24 even more seriously: Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Truly I tell you, it is hard for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of heaven. Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.” An equally tough verse is found in Matthew 6:24: “…You cannot serve God and money.”
Of course I don’t believe it is the actual possession of money that is the problem. Money simply has a way of revealing one’s true values and heart. You see all throughout the Bible where God blessed His followers richly, from Abraham to Joseph, so clearly it is not simply the presence of comforts and riches that causes problems. However, our position as some of the wealthiest people in the world comes with responsibility.
I remember a time where I was truly struggling financially, from my point of view. I cried over bills that I did not know if I would be able to pay, ate rice and beans for many a meal and learned to get creative with coupons. I cried out to God and asked for His help in bringing me out of that difficulty. Years later, my prayers had been answered abundantly. I had a great salary with a fairly low cost of livin, so had more than enough to meet my needs.
What did I do with this blessing and the extra money that was provided? I spent it all on myself. I got a nicer house, bought nicer clothes, went on better trips, etc. I still tithed the minimum required, but that was all. I did not really look for any ways to bless others with my money, nor did I fully give God the credit for it in that moment. I thanked Him for my job and making that possible, but when my paycheck came, I switched over to an I-earned-it mentality. I put in those hours and sacrificed my time to make that money, so why shouldn’t I enjoy it? I absolutely believe God blesses us for enjoyment. The Bible says as much. However, where I went wrong was focusing solely on that enjoyment and nothing else.
God has a very clear mission and purpose for us on this earth…to make His name and glory known throughout the nations. In addition, He repeatedly speaks out against things such as poverty, abuse, injustice and forsaking orphans and widows, among others. He asks us as followers to join Him in these causes. Yet, how often do we forsake the mission of God because we are too busy following our own? How can we so easily charge another new flat-screen TV to our credit card (that we don’t have the money for) knowing that roughly 22,000 children die each day due to poverty (according to UNICEF). When did we become so numb to the needs of others?
This isn’t a post about bashing money or making one feel guilty for having it. It is simply a reminder that one’s heart and perspective on these matters determine the outcome of its possession. It is also an encouragement to steward the gifts we have well. It is important to identify that the large majority of people whom God blessed with money, property and/or livestock remained fully focused on and trusting in Him at the same time. In addition, many times these individuals went on to then use these riches to bless others. Some were even asked to forfeit these riches, whether by choice or not, for God’s glory.
If we are among the richest people in the world, what are doing with that blessing? How are we using our money, as well as our skills, talents and time, to sow into God’s purposes? It is awesome to help pitch in for a mission trip here and there for someone you know or financially adopt a child overseas to help cover their medical costs. These are good things that I believe do support God’s mission, but a mission is not something you dabble in occasionally.
A mission inspires motivation. It drives you forward with purpose and is something you commit your whole life to. As God’s people, we are to be about His business. We are to put our money, time, energy and heart into pursuing the things closest to His heart, and do so as a part of our daily life.
There is an entire generation of followers right now that I believe God is just waiting to use for His purposes, from doctors and business owners to students and stay-at-home moms. We all have things to contribute, yet we so often downplay or avoid this reality. For some, it will be financially sowing into the Kingdom and investing in people and projects that support God’s mission. For others, it will be volunteering some of their time and skills to help others that otherwise would not have access to it (think medical missions, potable water projects, teaching, etc.). Some will be advocates and connect people with needs around the world.
Many will be disciples, and disciple makers, truly investing into the lives and well-being of others, from coworkers to the man standing in line at Starbucks. There are endless ways and opportunities to partner with God, even while working a 9-5 and raising a family. We only need to look up and look past our own short-sighted concept of family and home.
We are so very blessed, and that is a wonderful thing. Never forget Who these blessings come from, and for what purposes they were intended. “For where you treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Matthew 6:21
