Your money or your life #1: Whose money is it, anyway?

"What is money? And whose is it?" I've been mulling the philosophy of money for years.

The courtyard in summer

W and I grew up in a little ethic church. One strange tradition was that our church treasurer printed and distributed an annual giving report, listing every member and their donations toward tithes, missions, and other gifts. The list was handed out each December 31when the congregation assembled. We'd spend the final hours of the current year and the first hour of the New Year sharing scripture, prayer, and personal testimonies. We also eagerly looked forward to the report to see how much we'd given - and how much others had put into God's work.

Can you imagine that? In the US, people shudder when we mention that financial list. "What? Give others access to what I give to my church? NEVER! That's between me and God." (I haven't heard anyone say, "between God and me." Interesting.) In this culture, many church boards refuse permission for their pastor to see who is tithing or giving. Never mind everyone sitting in the pews!

Why? What's the big secret, I wonder. Why are we afraid to let others know what we earn and how we spend our money? Are we over-giving and humble? Or would we feel shamed that we do so little?

One of the biggest cultural differences between our upbringing and where we live now is this idea of ownership of money and resources. So I've been asking myself,

• Whose money is it, anyway? If God owns the cattle on a thousand hills (Psalm 50:10), what do we own? Isn't the money we earn or inherit ours, to do with as we please? (Cattle represented the wealth of biblical people.)

But IS ANY OF THIS really ours?

"I work hard for my money," we may say. "I can do with it as I please." Is that true or an illusion? By Whose hand do we have health and strength to work, think, and earn the exchange of goods and services? 

If God gives us life and breath, isn't our income all His? He can give in abundance or take everything away in a heartbeat. It's all His. So why do we wrap ourselves around secret greed, possessions, and acquisition?

The courtyard, from the front steps

One of our neighbors is a landscaper. On my walks, we'd chatted briefly about God and church: he mentioned he was a member of a good church just down the road. Eventually, I hired him to work on our yard and he did a good job. When I paid him, I asked if he'd keep the yard and driveway weeded that summer.

"Sure, that would be appreciated. I need the work," he said.

I gave him a check for another $400 in advance. "I'm in a doctoral program. I don't have time to prune or weed. So please keep track of your hours. Let me know when you run out and I'll give you the next installment." We shook hands and he took the money.

He never came again. After a few months, I went to ask about our untended yard. (Thank God we live away from the street!) "Are you planning to do the work? I understand if you've been busy. But if you don't want to do it, may we have our money back to hire someone else, please?"

He looked at me angrily and stalked into the house. I waited a few weeks and came back with a photocopy of the check I'd give him. "Here's the money we paid you. We'd love for you to do the work - which is what we really need. Or please return the money."

Instead, he sent me a check in the mail a few weeks later. $99. What?

I could never find him to ask about it. I'd see him disappear into the house when I'd walk. I didn't want to stalk him. Finally I ran into him when he couldn't flee. "Hey, we gave you $400 and you gave us $99 back. Are you intending to work off the other $301 or ...?" He just glared at me and left me standing.

I was livid. This man had stolen "my hard-earned money." Should I sue him for it? Nah, I came to my senses. We're Canadian. Not big on lawsuits. I'd spend life and energy stirring strife and trouble and never get the piddly amount if he lied about his services. However, just in case, I took pictures of the yard. And discarded them. I weeded my own yard, mumbling hardships and deprivation down on him.

I'll miss our little hideaway ... 

The guy advertised his services on a sign in his yard: "Years of Experience in the Northwest." I wanted to write, "But don't pay me in advance" under his phone number, with my number as a reference. (Yup, I was bugged about it.)

Then I heard the Voice I love: "Is this your money? Isn't everything you have Mine? If so, he's stolen from Me. I know how to get back what belongs to Me." Because the landscaper claimed to be a believer, it felt easier to release him to God's accounting. That doesn't mean I didn't feel upset for the first month when he or his truck went by.

I never got the money. But here's God's grace to me - a favor unasked for @ a mere $300. I am reminded each time I pass the neighbor's yard that everything is God's. And justice and mercy (which I need every day) are His. That lesson is worth much more than my investment, don't you think?

More money perspective from my POV next time!

Your thoughts?

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The mighty God, the Lord, has summoned all mankind from east to west!

God’s glory-light shines from the beautiful Temple on Mount Zion. He comes with the noise of thunder, surrounded by devastating fire; a great storm rages round about him. He has come to judge his people. To heaven and earth he shouts, “Gather together my own people who by their sacrifice upon my altar have promised to obey me.” God will judge them with complete fairness, for all heaven declares that he is just.

O my people, listen! For I am your God. Listen! Here are my charges against you: I have no complaint about the sacrifices you bring to my altar, for you bring them regularly. But it isn’t sacrificial bullocks and goats that I really want from you. For all the animals of field and forest are mine! The cattle on a thousand hills! And all the birds upon the mountains! If I were hungry, I would not mention it to you—for all the world is mine and everything in it. No, I don’t need your sacrifices of flesh and blood. What I want from you is your true thanks; I want your promises fulfilled. I want you to trust me in your times of trouble, so I can rescue you and you can give me glory.

But God says to evil men: Recite my laws no longer and stop claiming my promises, for you have refused my discipline, disregarding my laws. You see a thief and help him, and spend your time with evil and immoral men. You curse and lie, and vile language streams from your mouths. You slander your own brother. I remained silent—you thought I didn’t care—but now your time of punishment has come, and I list all the above charges against you. This is the last chance for all of you who have forgotten God, before I tear you apart—and no one can help you then.

But true praise is a worthy sacrifice; this really honors me. Those who walk my paths will receive salvation from the Lord. Psalm 50 LB

The hard conversations

Have you ever had to confront the past in order to move forward? It can be scary.

I had two difficult conversations this week. Both brought up memories of failure and uncompleted tasks. However, I laid to rest my obligations to be honest about the past with leaders. Thankfully, now it's time to move on.

When we fail, watch a collapse or dissolution despite our hard efforts, get fired from a job, or are prevented from fully using our gifts at work or church, we feel frustrated. Afraid. We may be hurt or disappointed. Grief may overwhelm us when we touch the wounded place.

But slapping a bandage on instead of doing a biopsy may allow the cancer to embitter us against future effectiveness.

Each experience of success or defeat can be a lesson. Wiping the brow and walking away with, "Oh well, glad that's over. Let's move on," doesn't help us. Without a careful examination of the failure, we are no wiser. We remain vulnerable to similar mistakes and blind to our own gifts and weaknesses.

Some of us make assumptions about our strengths. We're not as good at some things as we thought, and a wipe-out shows us that a different ministry or job would be a better fit. Or we're too aggressive in a gifting, overwhelming others and defeating teamwork. We ignore the choppy waves in our wake or blame others.

Some of us make assumptions about our weaknesses. We assume responsibility for failure when someone else may have blocked us from using our gifts. We fear that we are not enough to fulfill God's purposes.

And we're too afraid to ask others to confront us and hold us accountable for failures and successes.

Hey, here's good news. God likes you. He likes me. He actually made us as we are so that we can carry out his own plans. When we fall flat, we must ask others to help us scrutinize what happened. People of integrity are not ashamed to tell the truth about my part in failure ... or yours. I love friends who will honestly point our weaknesses as well as praise and nurture strengths.

Once we know about where we've come from, we can jump into the future with confidence and the release of the past. God's forgiveness and the accumulation of wisdom makes it possible.

What hard conversations do you have to have with yourself and others before you are released into full bloom in the future?

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*Can mortals be righteous before God? Can human beings be pure before
their Maker? Job 4:17

*The teaching of your word gives light, so even the simple can understand." Psalm 119:130

*The LORD is righteous in all his ways and loving toward all he has made. The LORD is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth. He fulfills the desires of those who fear him; he hears their cry and saves them. The LORD watches over all who love him, but all the wicked he will destroy. My mouth will speak in praise of the LORD. Let every creature praise his holy name for ever and ever. Psalm 145:17-21 NIV

*Jesus Christ gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all iniquity and purify for himself a people of his own who are zealous for good deeds. Titus 2:14

Moravian Prayer: Gracious Savior, refresh and purify our hearts and minds to lead us to service in your name. Remind us gently that humility, not hubris is the path to serving you. In Jesus' name, Amen.

A good reputation

Be more concerned with your character than your reputation, because your character is what you really are, while your reputation is merely what others think you are.

~ John Wooden

USA culture used to be based on a man or woman's word, and a handshake as a firm promise in business or personal life. In a BBC article, all kinds of factors were cited decrying the demise of the United States as a nation that other countries admired. There was banking failure, overspending and military interference, and all the usual hot buttons pressed by international peers.

But I was struck more by the positive things that made this nation great. A belief in opportunity, the value of the person next door as a friend and brother, and legal and moral systems built on Judao-Christian faiths. As those eroded through moral devaluation, corruption, political maneuvering, and wealth disbursement back to the rich, new values emerged: "free" love, looking out for #1, and the one with the most toys wins, among others. Others lost their respect for us as we became selfish and self-centered.

Christians build character by looking always to Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith. We compare ourselves to him, not to the world around us. It's hard to stay focused in a materialistic world, where getting brings more prestige than being.

But we stand out among our friends and acquaintances with good reputations, not by being slightly better than others, but by being different. Honest. Kind. Loving. Even when telling the truth is to our detriment. Or when kindness costs us ease. Or when love demands sacrifice. In other words, our reputation must be built on sound character.

That's the kind of reputation I'm interested in having. How about you?

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*And a highway will be there; it will be called the Way of Holiness. The unclean will not journey on it; it will be for those who walk in that Way; wicked fools will not go about on it. No lion will be there nor will any ferocious beast get up on it they will not be found there.

But only the redeemed will walk there, and the ransomed of the LORD will return.They will enter Zion with singing; everlasting joy will crown their heads. Gladness and joy will overtake them, and sorrow and sighing will flee away. Isaiah 35:8-10 NIV 


*Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. Romans 5:1-2 NIV