Counter Culture Commitment
Couple of observations for today from my bible reading. First off, I am proud of myself for getting all the way through the old testament in less than a year. Whippee! There is a lot to chew on there, and when I finished this morning, I was literally excited about what I learned and getting through it. Ok, so I'm a geek. I get it.
Otherwise-I am in 1 Timothy right now, and I was seriously convicted on how we are called to live if we are truly following God. From 1 Timothy 6:
6But godliness with contentment is great gain. 7For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. 8But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. 9People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction. 10For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.
Look at verse 8-if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. So why do Americans chase after all the folly-including myself in that group. We need to be like Paul and admit that if we are fed and we are clothed, we will have joy. Beyond that, if we are following Jesus, we need to go counter race and head the wrong way on the path that is going toward money and gain and equity and retirement money. I'm not saying we shouldn't be smart and take care of what God gives us, because He gives us all that is good. But we need to stop and realize that if we have food and shelter, we need to be content with that. Paul even sys in v. 10 to 'flee from that'. So let's get on our counter culture train, and head upstream to shine light on the path of chasing the 'American Dream.'
Otherwise-I am in 1 Timothy right now, and I was seriously convicted on how we are called to live if we are truly following God. From 1 Timothy 6:
6But godliness with contentment is great gain. 7For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. 8But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. 9People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction. 10For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.
Look at verse 8-if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. So why do Americans chase after all the folly-including myself in that group. We need to be like Paul and admit that if we are fed and we are clothed, we will have joy. Beyond that, if we are following Jesus, we need to go counter race and head the wrong way on the path that is going toward money and gain and equity and retirement money. I'm not saying we shouldn't be smart and take care of what God gives us, because He gives us all that is good. But we need to stop and realize that if we have food and shelter, we need to be content with that. Paul even sys in v. 10 to 'flee from that'. So let's get on our counter culture train, and head upstream to shine light on the path of chasing the 'American Dream.'
Comments
I've struggled so much with this teaching lately. Book after book of the New Testament seems to point toward a far more radical way of life than any of us want to acknowledge. I sure don't. I'm a master at finding ways to talk around what seems to be a clear, consistent message. But it seems teachings like this, as well as the Rich Young Ruler story, suggest we should give 100 percent, not 10. I'm praying I might figure out what that looks like and how to do it.