Lord help me. Give me wisdom as I wrestle with these two seemingly opposing schools of thought. The fact that you came humbly, Lived humbly and were ill treated and poor, but you acted with the full resources of heaven. You did not hold back from ministry in anyway because you couldn't afford it or didn't have the answers or the power to change circumstances. You took straight from heaven and passed it through to bring life around you.
We have been living at such a level that we have not been able to even take care of our own family without aid much less be a conduit for other people's change. Frugality on our part has nothing to do with how much we make and give. We can live simply so others can simply live, but we can succeed prosperously so that we can give and be generous.
Perhaps you've looked at my blog or facebook posts and thought we've fallen off the deep end seeking riches and prosperity. We have lived in poverty (American poverty) but we were called to greatness. Not so we can be looked at, but because there are people hurting who need people who love. We know what it's like to be hungry, cold, ashamed of our clothing, sick, depressed, surrounded by mold and rats and trash and mud. We know what it's like to be cramped and feel trapped. We don't want to live there anymore. We know other people don't either.
I remember a Sunday School teacher asking me once. "Do you prefer to Give or Get?" And then "Do you want to be rich or poor?"
We have been living at such a level that we have not been able to even take care of our own family without aid much less be a conduit for other people's change. Frugality on our part has nothing to do with how much we make and give. We can live simply so others can simply live, but we can succeed prosperously so that we can give and be generous.
Is that struggle that we want so much more because we have been so far behind then we get greedy for more? Are we trying to get more for ourselves? and gaining an entitlement attitude at the same time? (Incidentally we recognize entitlement issues in our children, yet we encourage it in women?/men? respectively to a degree...) We deserve nothing, but God in His grace provides richly for our enjoyment. He loves to shower blessings on His people. He loves to be extravagant so that others see his greatness and are drawn.
He is not skimpy with nature. He is not skimpy with sunrises. He is not skimpy with details. He is a magnificent, all powerful, all loving God. He has good things stored up for those who love him and are called according to His purposes.
No, we were not meant to be satisfied with poverty level and lack in our home. We can choose to live at a level that others may not understand because of its simplicity, but our God is extravagant. It's okay to receive His blessings and share them extravagantly with our children and the world.
Perhaps you've looked at my blog or facebook posts and thought we've fallen off the deep end seeking riches and prosperity. We have lived in poverty (American poverty) but we were called to greatness. Not so we can be looked at, but because there are people hurting who need people who love. We know what it's like to be hungry, cold, ashamed of our clothing, sick, depressed, surrounded by mold and rats and trash and mud. We know what it's like to be cramped and feel trapped. We don't want to live there anymore. We know other people don't either.
I remember a Sunday School teacher asking me once. "Do you prefer to Give or Get?" And then "Do you want to be rich or poor?"
I remember answering quickly- "I love to give."
"Truly?" she countered.
"Yes, I do. I know it is the "right" answer but it feels good to give." But, I couldn't answer that second one as easy. I wanted to be rich, but I knew that was not the "right" answer! Blessed are the poor. So, I meekly said, "I guess it's better to be poor so that's what I want."
The Lady was wise and asked me this. "Can you give more when you are rich or poor? If you want to give much you may have to be rich."
That's an age old question isn't it? We look at our options and we go with duty. We feel we need to desire poverty so we can be holy. "How can a rich man enter heaven?" But, from what I see, the Bible never says to desire poverty and lack.
We are to be Christlike, and yes, he didn't live richly on earth by way of material goods- but he didn't lack either. He gave extravagantly, not with financial means because that was what was expected. He gave to the needs of the people. The true needs. He healed brokenness and brought life. He shook up the normal idea that the holy were blessed financially.
He still shakes up the normal.
We have to wrestle with these thoughts.