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Force closes the heart
Use the FORCE!
The easy thing to do is call greedy and materialistic those who try to hang on to their wealth: yeah, that is true; however, in some cases it may be their ‘security blanket’ so to speak and there is such deep insecurity buried inside that the likelyhood they’d let go of that source of security to hold on to Jesus is rather slim.
(probably happens with other sources of security too)
“I’m desperately insecure so do I let go of the ‘security’ I can see to hold onto a secruity I cannot see?”
Like an old television advertisement said, “You Make the Call!”
You know what bothers me? It’s that (at least here in the States), it’s often the financially successful who get picked as lay leaders in the church. I guess business success is considered more an indicator of spiritual leadership than humility, service, knowledge of the Bible, a walk of integrity, etc.
Yes, but is it big enough for camels?
Hi;
Yes, Longing for Holiday, it can be. Yet, often, not always, but often, it is the financially successful who have the necessary leadership skills – that being how they got successful.
Looking, for example, at my father and grandfather and the guy who was our best man:
Dad retired as senior navy officer, sort-of financially successful – not as ‘rich’ as assumed, and after that went to seminary. He’s been a teacher, Bible study leader, deacon; and after graduation, pastor.
Grandfather, wasn’t all that successful but made a living as carpenter, electrician, and signmaker. Was a teacher, Bible study leader, and deacon for many, many, years.
Greg makes a living with a small engine shop, is now a Deacon, has been a teacher, and “Minister of Maintenance”. Was saved late in life, and recently became Mayor of their 77 registered voters town.
Granted, that’s only 3 people I know, but it does offer examples.
Oh, forgot to add that Greg has done de-facto Christian counseling for several years and is now being professionally trained.
His wife Marilyn is an attorney for disabled children in their rural area who mostly takes on schools who don’t do their legal requirements and certainly does not make near the kind of cash a city attorney would. They live in a 90 year old farmhouse and drive used car and truck.
I’m going to put up one more post.
My Wife Kathy is not financialy successful but was a Sunday School teacher for many years in the past. I’m not successful either but have been a Bible study leader in the past. Right now we’re both on disability and not active in leadership, we don’t have the health for it.
As far as I can tell, all of the above are, or in grandfather’s case, were, people who meet the “humility, service, knowledge of the Bible, a walk of integrity, etc.”
The same high level of service, knowledge, and integrity applicable to Christian life, and spiritual life in general, may help in, and/or be carried over from what got them successful.
I agree wtih your point FSWood. And many elders/deacons I knew/know are both leaders in the community/business and very godly people. BUT, I’ve seen way too much of the other – folks who have no business being in a position of spiritual leadership, and create havoc as a result.
True.
I’ve been in two churches where same has taken place.
Ugly.
And the in-laws’ pastor could well fall in to that category – preaches more politics than preaches Jesus. And they wonder why the church is stagnant.
And then there’s the ones who have zero business in either spiritual or practical leadership – like the one girls youth leader lady who as well as elbowing her way past more qualified people,in the middle of a road trip filled the church van with gasoline when the fuel gauge, the logbook, and the fuel filler cap all said DIESEL FUEL ONLY.
Fixing that took a hefty bite out of the budget.
{now, before someone interprets that as somehow implying females are dumb and not mechanically inclined – my mom has rebuilt a laundry dryer and my wife knows more about fixing cars than I do (I have reactions to petrochemicals) and Chris’s ex-wife Sally was a carpenter}
Then, there’s also the case where those spiritually qualified stay seated as they don’t feel qualified to do leadership, leaving the practically but not spiritually qualified the only ones stepping up.
The hesitation is understandable; but, isn’t that implying that you think your God is not able to supply you with the necessary skills or even supply a place for you to be taught them by a person?
Kind of like Moses?
Okay, that’s as far as I’m taking that tangent.
Back to the dichotomy between worldly wealth and spiritual wealth: between faith in cash seen and faith in Christ unseen.
You know, we could get on the related tangent of Prosperity Theology – it could be seen a kind of connived and contrived ‘needle’s eye’.
“I have reactions to petrochemicals.”
i presume you don’t mean they make you angry.
talking about ‘angry’, don’t get me started on that prosperity scam… christianised pyramid selling to be polite… lies upon lies to be more accurate.
now see what you’ve done… i’m turning green and breaking out of everything but my purple trousers!
I am glad I found this blog. There are few I look at daily, but I this one and enjoy the fellowship, too. Makes me want to get back to the UK and visit! (Oh, to leave the States just for a while… but, alas, I’ve now two little girls and two dogs.)
Jon – you are such a star
I’m teaching charity to year 8 today and we’re using this cartoon and no. 450 as the starting point!
maybe I should just send you my topics and request a whole series
Next you’ll be writing about cutting off our hands and plucking out our eyes and then selling all we have for buried treasure.
Hmmm…
Sounds piraty.
thanks dadube! please send topics… happy to oblige!
ron… arrrgh harrrrr me hearty!
Haven’t you got anything a little less piratey?
He’s not even CORRECT…it’s a camel that’s got to be minced up!