February 28, 2006
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There was a village in
A manufacturing company found out about the village and decided to “reach out to them” by building a factory nearby. They gave each of the villagers a job at the factory. All villagers worked there for a full week and then received their first paycheck.
The following Monday none of the villagers showed up for work. The managers at the factory were puzzled and sent people to the village to find out where everyone was. As they investigated the matter, they found nearly every villager to say, “I have made more money than I could ever need. I do not need anymore.”
Amazing, right?
Well, the manufacturing company knew they had to do something or their factory would be a complete waste… so they passed out free Sears and Roebucks (like Wal Mart/Best Buy today) catalogues to every family in the village. The result? The next day every villager showed up to work. They realized what they did not have and suddenly were not content anymore.
So this brings me back to my last post… HOW DO WE ESCAPE THIS??? How do we escape greed and selfishness and learn to be content? I mean, the reason why there is college is so that people can get a higher education… mainly so that they can make a lot of money. Ask your classmates what their goal is in life. Nearly all of my engineering friends said, “To get a good job and make a lot of money.” There are some exceptions, but most Americans judge success by the amount on your paycheck, right?
Please share advice… any of you, working or not. How do we escape? Lets have a little forum. I believe this is one of the toughest struggles for Christians in
Comments (9)
You my friend pose a hard hard question. You know what? Now that I’m in the work force and soon to be earning a full time paycheck, I’ve been thinking about this alot too. I almost wondered if working was what God really wanted me to do at this time… as if it displeases the Lord.. But I’ve come to the conclusion that the Lord is pleased with where I am thus far. But anyway, to the question, since you seem to have a lack of discussion… i will start. There is no straight, cut and dry answer i think.
Money equals value.. not only that but through money, you can attain anything else of value…And I think because we are fallen and sinful, there is no way around it, our minds cannot be tricked into wanting something of lesser value. Then i guess it comes down to what we treasure more, value more in our lives… our relationship with the Lord or something else… i guess that is the basic formula if you wanna see it that way… of course, its not that simple. Money, but not just money, alot of other things i think, take the place of God in our hearts and sits on the throne of value in our hearts and we’re constantly having to check ourselves and repent and enthrone the Lord again… on and on… the only answer i can come up with is to practice the lifestyle of having the Lord enthoned in your heart.. and when we live with the truth of how infinitely valuable He is and how infinitely eternal (and temporary money) God is in our hearts, out of the overflow, there fruit will show: what you do with the money, how hard you hold onto it… And so with it comes a freedom and peace. “the abundance of a rich man permits him no sleep” (Ecclesiastes 5:10-12). Whoever trusts in his riches will fall, but the righteous will thrive like a green leaf” (Proverbs 11:28).
I think another thing to keep in mind is that we are stewards… the definition of a steward is maintaining a possession that is NOT his/hers. I think because we work so hard to earn our money in america its easy to think that we’ve desevered the paycheck and because the bible says tithe 10%, that only 10% is Gods money. But being stewards, 100% is the Lord and since tithing births from the old testament where the 11 tribes of Isreal would give 10% of their money or something for the Levites who were priests… something like that … so that translates to 10% is specifically for the church and for the priests and otheres who are called to live off of support… but the remaining 90% is still the Lords to invest and deal with wisely…
Another practical thing might be seeing where you spend your money… I met with a few brothers yesterday and one brother and I got to talking about what he does with his paycheck and stuff.. and he was talking about how the temptation is there to buy big things for himself but he says he consults with the Lord about making big purchases.. and he devotes 10% to tithing and another 10% to missionaries and support. I was thinking that he was being a good steward with his money. At the same time, i dont think the Lord doesn’t want us to spend some of the money on things of pleasure and what not… but to be mindful in the heart and in the mind… after all God doesnt actually need our money but He checks our hearts.
So all this stuff I’ve been thinking about lately and I’ve come to the conclusion that it all sounds good written down… but we’ll see… i imagine it will be a constant struggle for me and I’m gonna have to repent over and over… i just hope that God is faithful to show me and sanctify me in that area and stuff… but i agree, its a biiig struggle for christians in America. I dunno… i dont see myself as someone whose gonna keep making lots of money and support others but who knows… this time period is good for me tho… so i can see. but anyway, hope it encourages you a bit and stirs a discussion? U got more than you bargained for… my entry is longer that yours =). Take care JM
I’ve heard this story before. I guess one of the hardest things to do is not to give in to the hype. We have to really learn to be stewards of God’s grace. Sometimes this means giving some of our money up. Other times it means learning how to invest wisely. But the point is to make sure you’re doing it all for the glory of God. If you love money or things money can buy more than God, you really have to check yourself and repent. Fear and love the Lord. Take care bro.
it is about time someone mentioned this. this is a big, big issue. wooj talked about it very well, and i admit I have fallen to the temptation of making money and buying expensive stuff. In my life the most pure joy I have had has been those few brief moments with the Lord. And He has shown me that money cant buy everything yet He can provide those things that money cant buy. Honestly it is hard to fight the money temptation as a 2nd generation korean american. Asians are the most affulent minority, and you can ask most korean americans and you can bet most of them have had their parents tell them to goto a good college, get out of school and make a lot of money. Parents tell their daughters to marry a rich guy, doesnt matter if he is white, korean, chinese, money will buy solve it all. It is sad and alot of times sucks.
Although I must say that even giving money when called upon by God, there will still be people that judge you, even people you wouldnt expect. I heard this really awesome sermon at McLean Bible Church by Lon Solomon about money. I have the mp3 of it. I wish I could share it to everyone because he lays it down really well.
God, our Father in Heaven…
He, indeed, is our Father. Isn’t He?
A father desires the best for his child. What father would give his child a stone when he asks for bread? What father would give his child a snake when he asks for fish? If a child asks for one loaf of bread, the father would give him ten. That is the love of a father. What father would not want better for his child?
My family wasn’t too rich during my childhood. It pained my father to see me lack in fancy toys and things, which other kids possessed. Perhaps, due to my lack of things, I hardly asked for more. Sometimes, my father would jokingly quip, “Why don’t you ask me to buy things [toys]?” My fondest memory is when my father brought me a worn-out oversized bicycle from a dumpster. He cleaned it up real nice, replaced the tires, and everything. I loved that bike to death.
Although I lacked much tangible things, I had the best childhood a child can ask for.
I loved my father.
And he loved me.
Because I didn’t have much toys and stuff to play around with, he offered himself as my toy. We played together ALL THE TIME.
I could careless about other toys. I had the ULTIMATE toy.
And when he would buy me things, I would play them with him.
However, I remember when I made a foolish mistake. I was hungry and my father bought me a bag of chips. It was so delicious I didn’t want to share with anyone in the world, even my father. What a foolish child I was!
He was infuriated. Boy, he let me have it!
As much as he loves me and wants to give me everything that he can possibly give, he will not let ANYTHING come between him and his son.
Since then, I have accumulated many things. I have tasted wealth and it is good. I would be lying to you, if I have said, “I do not seek wealth.” I desire well-being. Furthermore, my father desires it also, if not, in a greater passion.
However, wealth has not led my heart astray. My love for him is unchanging, for it is unconditional.
We need to play with our Father ALL THE TIME.
That is the relationship the Father wants from His children.
Treasure the relationship.
Consider everything “scubula” when compared to Him.
He loves us and He blesses us.
We love Him and we will bless Him back.
Let me represent the non-content side…
First off I hate the concept of money. We work hard and do things constantly to earn something that we just give away, for both necessities and recreation. In order to receive more and more of these things we need money, and we get money by working… some real f’ing darn hard sometimes. The demand for necessities and recreation is so high naturally, and what we have will always be superceeded by something else, perhaps something newer, or a different need. So what do we need to reach an equilibrium… earn more money. What’s worse, giving up any of the three main things I listed, especially to the Lord, seems even more daunting, considering the sheer amount of time and effort to receive those things, would seem so worthless because omg, “I worked hard for that, and its just gone?”
Secondly, much shorter but the point is already displayed, if everything is God’s, then what’s the point of working… if He himself can provide anything… or if it’s gonna be gone in the end…
Thing is I’ve either have seen or experienced one of those two possibilites… It pains me seeing the first within someone I know, and actually it consumes him so bad, that he digs himself a deep hole within materialistic things, of personal boasting, that he himself screws himself over in the most financial of ways… Or the second point which relates to me this semester. I took the “Squall Leonhart” (ask me about FF8) way of thinking of friends and thought that one day, the ones I know will disappear, so I should just distance myself and avoid contact as much as possible, knowing that it’ll eventually eat me up in the end. I couldn’t stand the fact that there was another potential for me to having to get over another person who would move on… it’s so hard being content with the fact that He will give and take away… and in return, I suffer, taking all the pain by myself, perhaps running to a chapel or driving 15 miles away just to avoid others to see my tears… Please forgive me for being selfish by the way… I’m sorry.
… Yet the simple fact that it’s all God’s and not our own should give us hope as is … after all, whatever Human’s create will always be flawed. That even includes the non-materialistic things like friendships and relationships. From a consumers point of view, if God was like the best source for anything, if you invest everything into God, then what you’ll get out of it is something a lot more greater than what humans could originally produce. Not that this should be our main line of thinking, but it just shows that God > all.
Knowing that… theoretically can we want anything more than having the most Supreme and Superior being on our side?
My mom always told me to buy things that I “need” and not things that I “want,” and make sure I realize the difference when I’m looking at something to buy.
I suppose it’s good to have experienced the low-paying (or not paying at all) side of living before you actually start getting a regular paycheck. It makes you realize how little you actually need to live on, and it’s kind of a reminder that you really don’t “need” all this stuff.
I cant wait to go back…. and i want to adopt one of the kids right now… so cute:)
yea Jm… youre awesome. youre a motivation. hope youre doing well. tell me if you need anything from the us.
=)
hey John Michael~ Thank you for always encouraging us through your testimony of living for God.
Love, Sara Hwang
money is an interesting thing. its function here is entirely dependent on the one who holds it, and it can do either good or evil. i will admit that i have a hard time with the concept of money, particularly sharing it, because of my family’s financial situation. i will admit that much of the reason i am an engineer is so that i can grow up and support my mother and sister, who are heavily in debt because of my existence as a necessary “extra expense.” i admit that, alone without God’s guidance, my sole purpose would be to earn money, not to firstly give to the world, but to give back to my family. but is this selfishness or selflessness? or is it partiality?
your query makes me think of the piece of scripture in which the old woman gave all she had, which was very little. how can we do that? pray. because we are fallible and wealth-seeking, but God can make our paths straight. i think if we go to God in honesty, seeking to change our ways, He WILL help us change. also, i feel like this relates to what they say on ash wednesday: “from dust you came, to dust you shall return.” in other words, like isaiah said, we are like chaff in the wind; today we are here tomorrow we aren’t. as it is, nothing we earn here is actually ours. it’s all God’s. He’s merely loaning it to us. and so, we should give it back to Him, and without regret or complaint, because it isn’t ours to begin with.
but because we are weak humans, i think the only thing we can do is pray. the main thing we can do is pray. God said that He answers all promises with a “yes,” He will not abandon us to our failing methods and pain-causing actions. with pure hearts i think it would do us well to come before God with requests for change, because while lHe does not control our will, if we WANT that we may be content and give more, God can help us do that. He is helping me every day to grow in such a way, and helping my family as well. of course, it is also important that one doesn’t give for the sole purpose of seeking a blessing from God.
i don’t know. i’m young and confused and pretty much nothing withotu God. but there’s my two cents.
JM have ea great weekend! your pictures and entries are such blessings!
~heather