Divine Wisdom for Daily Living by Joanne Colvin

“Do not rob the poor, because he is poor, or crush the afflicted at the gate, for the Lord will plead their cause and rob of life those who rob them. (Proverbs 22:22-23)

“And the word of the Lord came to Zechariah, saying, ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts, Render true judgments, show kindness and mercy to one another, do not oppress the widow, the fatherless, the sojourner, or the poor, and let none of you devise evil against another in your heart.’” (Zechariah 7:8-10)

In the providence of God, we find ourselves studying oppression of the poor while the USA is, unfortunately, dealing with a dramatic situation of biblical injustice. It has never been, nor will it ever be my intention to state political views or opinions on this blog. The Bible, however, is always relevant to life, in every age, for every nation. Between May 2 and June 9 over two thousand children were taken from their parents and held in separate government centers, according to the Department of Homeland Security, per today’s news reports. This is a glaring illustration of oppression of the poor and immigrant (sojourners). As Dr. Tata, my pastor stated today, as Christians “we take our cues about the treatment of immigrants and refugees from the Bible, not from society.” In the Proverbs verse above, crushing “the afflicted at the gate” refers to injustice in the courts toward the vulnerable, since the gate is the place where people held legal tribunals. In the story of Ruth, Boaz takes his case to the gate where the elders have the authority to judge Boaz’s right to be Ruth’s redeemer. God worked on Boaz’s and Ruth’s behalf to give Ruth justice.

There are many other ways that the world takes advantage of the poor; one is moneylenders who charge ridiculous interest for loans to those who have no collateral. This is robbing the poor and explicitly forbidden in Scripture. The poor and elderly are also snared by telephone solicitors, questionable advertising, and misleading offers.

In the story of Ruth, Boaz provides a beautiful example of how we are to treat the poor. Ruth, a poor, foreign widower is met by Boaz with greetings of blessings and given the opportunity to work at gleaning in his field, as prescribed by the Bible. So rather than give her wheat, she has the dignity to work for it and is also then offered a place at his table. Boaz looked beyond Ruth’s poverty to her character. He treated her with kindness, justice, and the love of God. We should do the same for the poor in our midst.

As we explore our care for the poor, widows, orphans, and aliens (immigrants and refugees), we will need to have discernment about causes of poverty, since some distress is self-inflicted and other is by circumstances beyond the individual’s control. Did Naomi and her husband bring on their problems by leaving Bethlehem in search of a more comfortable life? We cannot rule out this possibility. However, since Boaz did not hold this against Ruth, neither should we. The Lord not only honored Ruth in her marriage to Boaz but provided for her inclusion in the family line of Christ, through their son, Obed (Ruth 4:17-22).

When you give to ministries, NGOs, or missionaries, do you consider how they are helping the poor with dignity? Will you look beyond the emotional appeal or political arguments to biblical principles for your contributions?

“If among you, one of your brothers should become poor, in any of your towns within your land that the Lord your God is giving you, you shall not harden your heart or shut your hand against your poor brother, but you shall open your hand to him and lend him sufficient for his need, whatever it may be….For there will never cease to be poor in the land. Therefore I command you, You shall open wide your hand to your brother, to the needy and to the poor, in your land.’ (Deuteronomy 15:7-8, 11)

“For you always have the poor with you, and whenever you want, you can do good for them.” (Mark 14:7)

We will continue to narrow our study of wise biblical financial management to kingdom stewardship. Many people living in developed countries have no practical understanding of poverty. They have hardly ever gone to bed hungry, have never known a day when water wasn’t available, haven’t had to survive in the cold without adequate clothing, and been unable to get medical care when it was required. However, most people live in the majority world, where 80% of humanity lives on $10 a day or less. They have experienced all those situations and many other trials such as not having money to travel, get married, or conduct funerals. Poverty is a fact of life but not one to be neglected, minimalized, or disparaged. “Whoever closes his ear to the cry of the poor will himself call out and not be answered” (Prov. 21: 13).

Because we are commanded to attend to the poor, how we care for them will be the subject of these devotions over the next few weeks. This study will not only serve the well-to-do. There have been times in my life when I ate beans and rice to afford to pay off debts. There have been other times when I went without any “extras.” Since those times I have always lived on a budget; even now, living in a retirement community, my budget determines my spending. Perhaps when you were young, or even now, you are trying to get by on less than is comfortable in order to stick to a budget. Budgeting in order to give to the poor should be a consistent characteristic of a Christian’s lifestyle, regardless of our class or wealth.

When Jesus told his disciples that they should attend to him, since the poor would always be with them (Mark 14:7), he was stating a fact of life in this world. We will never be able to eradicate poverty. Humanists are disturbed by this, saying things like, “There is enough food in the world to feed everyone, if only we would share it.” What most people don’t realize is that Humanism in this respect is a religion that puts its faith in people rather than in God. God’s Word clearly states that we cannot solve this problem, but that we should help those who are victims of it. Rather than address the “issue” of poverty, we are to help impoverished people. Christianity is God-centered faith that wells up in us, by the work of the Spirit, to overflow into the lives of others.

In the Old Testament God made it abundantly clear to Israel that they should help the poor by giving them work to do, honoring God’s designated observances for forgiveness of debt, and showing hospitality to aliens, widows, and orphans. James gave us this excellent definition: “Religion that is pure and undefiled before God the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.” (James 1:27)

Today when we attend church we will have the opportunity to give, and hopefully our giving will be shared with the poor, through our local churches’ commitments. We always have the opportunity to give, since there are innumerable NGO’s and ministries doing great work in the majority world. What might you be willing to forgo to help the poor?

 

 

“The reward for humility and fear of the Lord is riches and honor and life. Thorns and snares are in the way of the crooked; whoever guards his soul will keep far from them. Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.” (Proverbs 22:4-6)

When you were ten years old, did you have any idea of how capitalism or trade works? Did you know that people had bank accounts and investments? Did you have a way to save money? I did not, and I know that many of my peers didn’t have this knowledge. However, as a teacher and trainer of teachers in the twenty-first century, I know that children now have the opportunity to learn about finances in most math and social studies classes. However, God’s Word instructs us to teach our children at home, responsibly and biblically. This is one of two critical aspects of personal financial stewardship that are often neglected. The other is accountability for our financial management as adults. If you are married, you have a built-in accountability process with your spouse, with whom the Lord has knit you together as one (hopefully). If you are single, widowed, divorced, accountability will need to come from another source. I have a Christian accountant, a Christian investment broker, and a few close friends with whom I can discuss my finances.

Proverbs 22:4 teaches that humility and fear of the Lord lead to riches and honor. When we are humbled by our sense of sin and submit ourselves to God’s accountability with reverent fear, we will be blessed with the wealth of spiritual wisdom and the honor that comes from God. Likewise, spiritual wisdom leads to practical discernment in every area of life, including our finances. It is impossible to teach the younger generation how to be good financial stewards unless they know what God expects of them. Young people cannot learn to be good financial stewards unless they have the faith that comes through Jesus Christ. I used to remind teachers that children who have not come to faith in Christ still need the Law of God because they do not yet personally know the grace of Christ. The Law is our tutor until we are adopted into the Body. Therefore children need to learn self-control, patience, and saving for later to fight instant gratification and impulsiveness with material possessions. When we have the Holy Spirit working in us, these fruits of the Spirit grow out of our new nature, rather than having to work at them with so much effort. “Thorns and snares are in the way of the crooked; whoever guards his soul will keep far from them.” (v. 5)

Verse 6 is well-known and embraced by Christian parents. How we would love to take it literally, as a promise that every child taught rightly from Scripture will grow up to be a Christ-follower! However, we do know that the more biblical knowledge and wisdom we pour into our children, the better off they will be. We have a duty to teach young people what is good and right for Christian living; they will have this knowledge throughout their lives, even if they don’t live by it. Later they will be accountable for the knowledge they have received, and there is a greater chance that when they hear biblical truth, they will be convicted by it. We also need to rehearse the gospel for ourselves, so that we remain under conviction to live by its wisdom continuously, rather than occasionally or infrequently. This familiarity helps us to share more easily and naturally with other family members.

How can you help your younger family members to be better financial stewards? What basis do they have for their stewardship and discernment in a world that is always pulling on their impulses and desires?  Who can you turn to for greater financial accountability?

 

 

“Those of low estate are but a breath; those of high estate are a delusion; in the balances they go up; they are together lighter than a breath.” (Psalm 62:9)

“Let the lowly brother boast in his exaltation, and the rich in his humiliation, because like a flower of the grass he will pass away. For the sun rises with its scorching heat and withers the grass; its flower falls, and its beauty perishes. So also will the rich man fade away in the midst of his pursuits.” (James 1:9-11)

Dr. Gerald Sseruwagi was a humble, gifted Ugandan pastor who befriended me when I served in Uganda from 2003-2007. He came from very humble beginnings and dedicated his life to serving Christ in his home country in Africa in spite of being offered positions in the United States when he was studying for this MDiv and his Ph.D. Dr. Sseruwagi spoke about his extreme poverty when his sponsor sent him to begin his B.A. work in theology. His thankfulness and appreciation of God’s grace were all he needed to attend to his studies diligently. But he only owned one outfit that he wore to his classes and would launder it when it was dirty, in time for it to dry to wear the next day. Some of the generous Christian folks around the school noticed that he had a very limited wardrobe and gifted him with more clothes. One of his professors asked to see him about a week later to inquire why he suddenly started coming late to class. He explained that before he had no choices in clothing and his morning routine was simple: put on his outfit and go. Now he had options, and his life was more complicated because it took time to decide which outfit to wear each day. Gerald’s moral of the story was usually to be careful that your gifts don’t cause more harm than good. However, his experience also illustrates the problem of a poor person who acquires wealth suddenly, making his life more complicated, distracting him from his walk with God.

The poor person who is consumed with finding food and water is also necessarily distracted by the need to survive. However, in the developed world, those who have less sometimes pretend they are better off because they want to fit in, leading to increased debt, covetousness, and sometimes outright lying. On the other hand, the rich in this world may have a false sense of security, which I have addressed in previous devotions. Some Christians may have accumulated wealth by hoarding it rather than sharing with those in need and their churches. Some may think that being rich is bad (having misinterpreted Scripture) and pretend that they are less wealthy, again refusing to share generously. So, once again, we see that poverty and riches are a snare, because of the love of money—both can tempt us to focus on worldly possessions rather than on Jesus.

The writer of Psalm 62 and James both exhort the rich and poor Christian to realize that they are the same in the eyes of the Lord, have been given grace freely. Both will lose everything material on the day they die, death is the great equalizer. In the context of James, the treatment of wealth and poverty comes under the heading of the testing of our faith in trials.

Do you consider managing your money and material possessions a test of faith? How can you view your personal financial management more biblically, as a way to prove your devotion to Christ?

“And a scribe came up and said to him, ‘Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go.’ And Jesus said to him, ‘Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.’” (Matthew 8:19-20)

John Gill and Charles Spurgeon were both English Baptist Reformed preachers and theologians. While these two giants of the faith lived in different eras, they had much in common, including the depth and conviction of their teaching. Today’s devotion is entirely based on Dr. Gill’s commentary on the passage above and Dr. Spurgeon’s sermon entitled “Counting The Cost, no. 1159,” based on Luke 14:28-30.

I am especially impressed and personally convicted by Dr. Gill’s initial notes on Matthew 8:19-20. “One would have thought, that this man desired in good earnest to be a disciple of Christ, were it not for Christ’s answer to him, who knew his heart: from whence it appears, that he, seeing the miracles which Christ wrought, and observing the fame of him among the people, began to think that he would be generally received as the Messiah; and by joining himself to him, promised himself much ease, honor, and wealth. These seem to be the motives, which prevailed upon him to take so sudden and hasty a step; for he did not wait to be called to follow Christ, as the other disciples were, but offers himself to be one; that is, to be one of his intimates, one of his apostles; and besides, he rashly promises to do that, which he knew nothing of, and which in some cases is impossible to be done.”

Knowing his heart, Jesus sought to shake the man out of his dream of finding wealth and prestige by following him. Not only would he not prosper, but as a disciple of Christ, the man would have to rest wherever he could find a safe place, like a fox hiding its family from danger. He would have less than the birds, who at least have nests. He would be more tired, hungry, and thirsty than he ever thought possible. But this would be worth it, if the man valued Jesus more than a home, rest, food, or drink. Jesus knew the cost of saving sinners and counted it worthwhile; we are called to also count and pay the price to follow him.

Dr. Spurgeon says, “True religion is costly…If a man will be a Christian it will cost him something…Consider a moment; here is a blind man sitting by the wayside begging; he asks to have his eyes opened. Will it cost him anything? No, the Savior would not accept all the gold in the world for the cure! He will freely open his eyes, but when they are opened it will cost that blind man something! Obtaining his sight, he will be called upon to discharge the duties of one who has eyes; he will not be allowed, any longer, to sit there and beg, or, if he tries to do so, he will lose the sympathy which is bestowed upon blindness. Now that his eyes are opened he must use them, earn his own bread…Wisdom suggests that we should count the cost.”

 

“For which of you, desiring to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost, whether he has enough to complete it? Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him, saying, ‘This man began to build and was not able to finish’… So therefore, any one of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple.” (Luke 14:28-30, 33)

Have you realistically counted the cost of following Jesus? Are there financial expenses or pleasures should you be renouncing as the cost of following Christ? What is your relationship with Jesus worth to you?

* Gill, John–https://www.biblestudytools.com/commentaries/gills-exposition-of-the-bible/matthew-8-21.html

Spurgeon, Charles– https://www.spurgeongems.org/vols19-21/chs1159.pdf

“As for what was sown among thorns, this is the one who hears the word, but the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and it proves unfruitful.” (Matthew 13:22)

Once there was a wealthy woman who sought to reach the pinnacle of spiritual wisdom. She happened to live in the time of the greatest spiritual teacher who was accepting disciples. The wealthy woman had done everything she could to attain the wisdom and knowledge she sought. So she decided to study under the great teacher if the teacher would accept her as a disciple. Upon meeting the teacher, this wealthy woman humbly told him how she had observed all the laws of spirituality correctly but was still not satisfied. The wise teacher told her there was one thing left to do, to give away all her money and possessions to the poor, to prove that her heart was not devoted to her wealth more than spiritual matters. The woman refused this instruction and left, even more deflated and unsatisfied than before.

This story should sound familiar since it is based on the account Mark reported in chapter 10 of his gospel (vs. 17-22). I have retold it for a fresh view of the teaching that Jesus offered his disciples following the encounter. “‘How difficult it will be for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God…Children, how difficult it is to enter the kingdom of God! It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.’” (Mark 10:23-25)

Jesus is not promoting monastic living, as if being poor is a way to heaven. He is also not condemning the use of reasonable finances to live. He is, however, reiterating his teaching that “No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.” (Matthew 6:24) The rich young man would not accept two vital truths. Firstly, he was serving his money as if it were a god, rather than use his money to support his life. Secondly, he was unwilling to stop serving his wealth—trusting in it for security—in spite of his dissatisfaction with his spiritual life.

In the parable of the sower and the seeds, Jesus also taught that the deceitfulness of riches chokes out the work of God, the Word. Riches deceive us because they can purchase anything material in this world, and many other things, such as power, influence, and prestige. All the benefits of wealth are seductively enticing to our sin natures. The wisdom of Proverbs reminds us that they are worthless to provide for the ultimate hope of going to heaven. “Riches do not profit in the day of wrath, but righteousness delivers from death.” (Proverbs 11:4)

You and I probably don’t think of ourselves as worshippers of money, but we should examine our attitudes toward certain earthly pleasures. In what way may we be serving our pleasures or possessions? Will we consider ditching them for greater spiritual wisdom in Christ?

“If I have made gold my trust or called fine gold my confidence, if I have rejoiced because my wealth was abundant or because my hand had found much, if I have looked at the sun when it shone, or the moon moving in splendor, and my heart has been secretly enticed, and my mouth has kissed my hand, this also would be an iniquity to be punished by the judges, for I would have been false to God above.” (Job 31:24-28)

Today we will probe the secret places of our hearts and lives—the man-caves and woman-caves, the places where we go to “be ourselves.” This statement holds a warning in its premise. Why do we need a special place to be ourselves? Why do we divide our lives into that which we are in public, with our family and co-workers verses the person we are when we are alone and no one is watching, especially when we know that God is always watching us. Why don’t we always live coram deo, in the face (or presence) of God? Let’s admit that we are hypocrites if we have any tendency whatsoever to divide our time or personalities into public and private.

Job understood the problem with a secret life. Here is a man who was exceedingly wealthy and blessed but had it all taken away (with his health) for reasons he could not know. We are told from the outset that he is an honorable man. “There was a man in the land of Uz whose name was Job, and that man was blameless and upright, one who feared God and turned away from evil” (Job 1:1). But as Job engaged in self-examination he did not neglect examination of his heart and possibly secret desires. He truly lived in God’s presence, transparently and honestly with no self-deceit. Job knew that he would have been “false to God” if he had idolized his wealth, worshiped the sun and moon, or prided himself on his accomplishments as if they were not a gift from God.

John Gill writes,“When men covet riches, and trust in them as their security from evil…that they may live independent of the providence of God, it is virtually to deny [God], and carries in it secret atheism” (John Gill on Job 31:27). If we say and act like we worship only God, putting all our trust in him, but then secretly believe that having enough money will be our deliverance, we are “secret atheists.” If we worship the Lord in truth corporately on Sunday mornings and in Bible studies but feel that our lives are insufficient without the latest device or outfit, we are being false to God. Instead we should at least admit and confess those desires that have too strong a hold on us.

At our women’s Bible study today I asked a group of elderly women (all over the age of 80 except for me) if they are willing to change to be used by God to mentor younger women. One responded, “Absolutely not!” I was amazed by her honesty and transparency. I look forward to following up with her about why she is so adamant about not changing, since I know she is invested in the lives of women. If we, likewise, are so definite about not wanting to change, let’s at least confess this to the Lord and ask him to give us the desire to be more consistent and honest in our heart’s desires. God does not want secret or practical atheists but Christians who will grow in wisdom.

“Do not toil to acquire wealth; be discerning enough to desist. When your eyes light on it, it is gone, for suddenly it sprouts wings, flying like an eagle toward heaven…Better is a poor man who walks in his integrity than a rich man who is crooked in his ways.” (Proverbs 23:4-5; 28:6)

Do you heed warnings for wisdom or are you cynical, disregarding warnings? Do you pay attention (obey) some warnings but not others, depending on their source? Does the idea of obeying your superiors, or government and church leaders rub you the wrong way? Many adults are distrustful and question leaders today, especially compared to older generations. During their journeying in the wilderness, the Israelites were guilty of many sins, two among them being idolatry and disobedience toward Moses, their leader. When they came into the Promised Land, God’s people continued in their stubborn ways until the Lord removed them from the land. Most people today are unafraid of consequences for sin. Christians are held to the biblical standard, having the help of the Holy Spirit to redirect our will into obedience. But I’m afraid we don’t pay enough attention to the circumstances, leaders, and events that the Lord uses to warn us of our rebelliousness, even as we study God’s Word, which is full of warnings.

Proverbs is a rich source of advice and lessons for Christians, who should be heeding them, watching for their outworking in our lives. This week we will explore some biblical admonitions about money as we continue our study of financial stewardship. God is the owner of everything, created us to use everything for his glory, and is faithful to guide us in the stewardship of our finances. In Proverbs 23:4-5, we are warned to not work solely for money, which will fly away after we have accumulated it. Many have disregarded such wisdom, arguing that it is extreme and unreasonable. However, Proverbs also warns us, “Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord, and turn away from evil.” (3:7) There are many justifiable reasons for Christians to work, but working merely to accumulate as much money as possible for its own sake will lead to all kinds of trouble. As Proverbs 28 states, it is better to be in need with integrity than to be rich with “crooked ways.”

In the Bible, there are two paths we can take, the straight way or the crooked way. God’s way or path is the straight one, leading to wisdom with discernment. Proverbs calls on us to use our discretion to resist the temptation to seek money for money’s sake. Those of us who are workaholics know how easy it is to fall into the pattern of working too much while neglecting our families, church, communities, and other vital relationships. Why do we do it? What excuse do we offer for our over-work? Being a lover of work is closely related to being a lover of money and should serve as a warning against focusing on a singular aspect of life without regard for other matters and relationships.

How will you spend your time today? Will it be work or ministry for more than seven or eight hours? How can you wisely portion out your time to attend to those whom God has brought into your life? Will you heed this warning about becoming so absorbed by work that you have stopped enjoying your life and those in it?

June 17

“The plans of the diligent lead surely to abundance, but everyone who is hasty comes only to poverty… A faithful man will abound with blessings, but whoever hastens to be rich will not go unpunished.” (Proverbs 21:5; 28:20)

Many of our local Christian churches will offer sermons about God’s love, mercy, and grace. Unfortunately, many preachers are neglecting to provide us with the helpful warnings that abound in Scripture, and instead offer those that will further their own and others’ careers, popularity, and followings. In 2013 the Huffington Post, which seeks to keep power accountable, featured an article about Joel Osteen and Joyce Meyer which is remarkable since it’s a secular magazine. * Other preachers who also have large TV, book, and internet followings would do well to heed the warnings in Proverbs 21 and 28.

These verses commend those who are diligent and faithful, promising abundance and blessings for them. However, those who want to get rich quickly will only procure poverty and punishment. These warnings are parallel to that of Proverbs 16:5 “Everyone who is arrogant in heart is an abomination to the Lord; be assured, he will not go unpunished.” Proud, egotistical people are usually the ones who promote get-rich-quick-schemes. They mislead the naïve and weak, abusing their power for their own benefit. I sincerely hope that the preachers at your local church do not follow their examples or try to promote themselves or their own teaching.

When we attend church services on the Sabbath, our goal should be to honor Jesus Christ, our Savior, by our diligence and faithfulness, through our worship, prayers, fellowship, and Bible study. Our financial giving is to be an act of worship in faith, to return to the Lord a small portion of what he has given us, in thanksgiving. If we put money in the collection plate because we are looking for a return, we are abusing God’s generosity. If you’ve ever had a child who believes that she should be paid to do all her chores, you have some appreciation of God’s viewpoint. You work, cook, shop, and do everything to provide for your children, and yet they only want more, refusing to acknowledge the blessing of your generosity by pitching in. We must teach our children what Scripture teaches us, that we owe the one who provides for us, returning a debt of love, which sometimes takes the form of a financial contribution (Romans 13:7-8).

Consider for a moment everything that Jesus Christ gave for us—his humble birth, perfect life, insults, mocking, physical and emotional abuse, betrayal by his followers, his atoning, sacrificial death, his time on earth before ascending into heaven, and his continual intercession for us. Should we not give him a small portion of our material resources? Wouldn’t we do well to plan for our church giving, so that it’s not something we do impulsively or emotionally, but diligently and faithfully? Is it unreasonable to think that we should spend a time examining the amount of our giving and the ministries which are supported by it? How much does your church spend on administration and salaries, compared to missions and outreach? How does your church’s budget reflect its mission and priorities?

Will you invest in your church’s work by wisely knowing how much to contribute, and where your money is going? Will you worship the Lord with your finances, as you do with your heart, mind, and voice?

* https://www.huffingtonpost.com/pastor-rick-henderson/osteen-meyer-prosperity-gospel_b_3790384.html

“A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest, and poverty will come upon you like a robber, and want like an armed man.” (Proverbs 6:10-11; 24:33-34)

Repetition in Scripture is a mark of a significant event, doctrine, or truth. The fact that the history of Israel in Kings is recounted in Chronicles should impress us to pay attention to the events as markers of God’s purposes and intentions for his people. In Proverbs, there are many repeated sayings, but we must be careful when interpreting them since it would be easy to either over-spiritualize them or take them too literally. Proverbs 6:10-11 is repeated word-for-word in 24:33-34; both teach us to avoid slothfulness in our handling of spiritual wisdom, instruction from the Bible, and material resources. The sluggard will receive what he earned—poverty. As I have pointed out repeatedly because the Bible does so, God graciously gives us the resources we need for this life and it is up to us to use them knowledgeably. We should work on our sanctification with God’s help, invest in others materially and spiritually, and labor to glorify God. A believer who thinks he is only taking a little break or getting a little sleep has developed a lifestyle of slothfulness.

The parable of the nobleman and the minas in Luke 19 contrasts the responses of three servants who are given various amounts by their master to invest while he is away (Luke 19:11-27). Let’s not take the following notes as the main lesson from this parable. Every parable in the Bible has one central point, and the teaching of this one summarized broadly is that Jesus will return after being away and hold believers accountable for their handling of spiritual truths, gospel, and knowledge of Christ while he has been away. What you and I know and believe is not to be hidden or hoarded but shared, like a lamp that lights the darkness for others, witnessing for Christ.

Yet, being tenacious about the importance of our biblical worldview, I repeat that all we do in this life should reflect our faith in Jesus Christ and the fact that God is the Creator and source of all truth and life, both physical and spiritual. Therefore, what we do with our money and possessions that he provides witnesses to our agreement with his sovereignty, goodness, and generosity. In the parable of the minas, two of the servants invested their master’s funds to make a profit while the third did nothing with his. “Lord, here is your mina, which I kept laid away in a handkerchief; for I was afraid of you because you are a severe man. You take what you did not deposit, and reap what you did not sow.’ He said to him, ‘I will condemn you with your own words, you wicked servant! You knew that I was a severe man, taking what I did not deposit and reaping what I did not sow? Why then did you not put my money in the bank, and at my coming I might have collected it with interest?’” (Luke 19:19-23)

The third servant was slothful, not willing even to take his master’s money to the bank. Why he did this, we do not know, but his behavior should cause us to examine our negligence of the purposeful use of our material resources. Was he jealous and covetous of the greater funds given to the other two servants? Did he think his master was withholding his rightful due? Was he so full of self-pity from comparing his gift to the others that he was frozen and couldn’t act wisely? Do any of these feelings affect the handling of our finances?

Let’s examine our attitudes toward God about what we have been given to make the best use of our finances. We act on what we believe to be true about him. When we are fully convinced that God is good and generous, we will use our resources wisely.