Oh my, I still have a week left of my spending fast and some thoughts on it.  But I think we’re ready for Jen’s wrap up on her experiences with 7.  She will make you wanna bust it.

– – – – – – – – – – – –

Jen describes an adoption fund race she and some friends ran…but didn’t train for. 

It didn’t go well.

She says, “This is the best metaphor to explain what 7 was to me: training.  It wasn’t even the race.  It definitely wasn’t the finish line.  It was simply the very, very necessary work required in advance if I have any hope of running a good race…

As I slowly (and sometimes begrudgingly) dropped a few extravagances on the shoulder, something happened: not only did the pace pick up, but I suddenly noticed other weary, hungry, beautiful people littered along the course…

I’m not the only runner in this human race.  Because we live in a broken, sinful, depleted world, we who are strong are required to bear with those who are weak…

A great task and vision is set before the church…

The Enemy uses a whole bag of lies to keep us safely distanced from this discussion, whether through justification, apathy, or shame. 

[But] Jesus took all our shame.  All of it.  There is none left.  You cannot attach condemnation to your life if you are a Christ-follower anymore.  You just can’t.  There isn’t any left to give you…

We were once guilty, but now we are simply convicted, because we are children of the Spirit…

I’ve heard whispers of life throughout 7.  I’ve felt my heart crackle and flash to life, confirming that yes, this, this is living.  I was forfeiting my soul to gain the world, but Jesus is winning it back…

[I don’t know who you are, but] I’m guessing you’ve cried over orphans or refugees or starvation or child prostitutes, heartbroken by the depravity of this world.  It’s not OK that your kids get school and birthday parties while Third World children get abandoned and trafficked. 

You’re wondering if your lifestyle is connected to these discrepancies, and you have a nagging suspicion that less is more, but it’s a muddy concept…Sometimes you’re a full-blown mess over it.

Hear this: I don’t think God wants you at war with yourself.

Guilt is not Jesus’ medium.  He is battling for global redemption right now; His objective hardly includes huddling in the corner with us, rehashing our shame again.  He finished that discussion on the cross. 

Plus, there’s no time for that.

He is staging a rally, gathering the troops…Something marvelous is happening in the church.  The Bride is awakening and the Spirit is rushing.  It is everywhere.  This movement is not contained within a denomination or demographic, not limited to a region or country…

So while we’re mistakenly warring with ourselves, Jesus is waging war on injustice and calling us to join Him.

This is way more fun than self-condemnation, no?

If your stuff and spending and waste and stress are causing you tension like mine is, just do the next right thing…Take a little baby step.  Tomorrow, you can take another.  Offer yourself the same grace Jesus has given you.  We’re no good to Him stuck in paralysis.

Honestly, we’re not sure what is next for the Hatmakers.  Whatever God has done or is doing in our family is certainly not a template, and I don’t want it to be.  Our life looks like it does because we are the Hatmakers, and God is dealing with us the way He’s dealing with us.  We have history and sin issues and circumstances and geography that God takes into account as He stakes our place in His kingdom.

You have an entirely different set of factors.  I have no idea what this might look like in your life, nor do I want that job.  Your story is God’s to write, not mine…

Here is our baseline as a faith community:

Love God most.  Love your neighbor as yourself.  This is everything.

If we say we love God, then we will care about the poor.

This earth is God’s and everything in it.  We should live like we believe this.

What we treasure reveals what we love.

Money and stuff have the power to ruin us.

Act justly, love mercy, walk humbly with God.  This is what is required.

My sharp son asked [the other day], “God is big enough.  Why doesn’t he just make everything in this world fair?”

I’ll tell him the same thing I’ll tell you:

Because of the earth’s suffering, God said:

Here is what I’ll do.  I’ll give my sons and daughters the Word.  In it, I’ll tell them everything I love.  I’ll tell them to care for orphans and widows and prisoners and sick people.  I’ll send them to the poor, the outcast, the lost and lonely.  My people will be hope-bearers.  My church will welcome the forgotten, intercede for the forsaken.  My Spirit will conform them into the image of Jesus, who rescued the whole earth.

Life is not fair…but My people will bring justice in My name.

They will make it fairer.”

https://www.intentionalkingdomliving.com/288/

Yippee! 

We’ve finally arrived at some down-to-earth things we can do with all. that. info. 

But since we’re dealing with specifics, we’ve gotta remind ourselves about “precision without legalism.”

So let’s review:

1.  Who is our Master?  (hint: it is not each other)

2.  If, in moving in our lives and hearts, we find Him leading us into some of these activities, should we feel prideful and self-righteous?  (hint: no, never, not ever, ever, ever, ever…)

3.  If our neighbor isn’t doing one or two or all of these things, should we look down our noses at them?  (If you need a hint on that, you’re on your own!)

4.  If we start to do some of these things and end up stopping for some reason…or we wish we could do some of these things, but it just can’t happen right now…should we feel guilty, embarrassed or ashamed?  (hint: God already saw perfection in Jesus.  He is not looking for that in us.  He is looking for willing obedience.  And glory through our imperfections.)

Okay, are we ready? 

Some ideas as you seek to create new spending habits and have a Kingdom-friendly budget:

Sponsor a child through Compassion International.  This can develop into a life-long relationship.

Set aside a percentage from every paycheck for Giving – for whatever spontaneous needs arise

Seek to give a minimum of $100 for any mission support letter received

Plan ahead so you don’t overspend on treats, meals, etc.  Entitlements can be small, but they add up!

Have cash on hand for when you see someone on the street.  Look them in the eyes.  Pray for them.  See what kind of feelings that action sows in your heart.  Teach your children how to love others and give.

Do a 6-month fast from any spending category that owns you – clothes, eating out, home accessories, home improvements, hobbies, etc.  Or maybe fast from a particular store for 6 months (Target jumps to my mind!).  Channel that money toward those who need it.

Are there services you could cut back or cut down on?  Phone, cable, hair cuts, electric or gas usage in our homes, entertainment?  Get creative for family entertainment, date nights, community times. Create new rituals of nonconsumption.

Weed through your bank statements so you really know how much you’re spending where.

Give up your coffee or soda for a month and give away that money. 

Research charitable organizations.  We need to know who is helping those who need it – teaching them to fish for a lifetime – not doing more harm than good. 

Some reputable organizations I’ve heard good things about:

 www.kiva.org

www.compassion.com

www.imb.org 

www.ijm.org

www.samaritanspurse.org

www.habitat.org

www.namb.net

www.omf.org

www.navigators.org

www.focusinternationalinc.org

www.christar.org

www.iamatreasure.com

www.truckersagainsttrafficking.org

www.mercyministries.org

www.wch.org

www.youthville.org

www.davethomasfoundation.org

www.pccwichita.org

 www.youthhorizons.net

www.tenthousandvillages.com

(As with anything, I am quite certain I’ve missed something fabulous.  Feel free to comment with other organizations!)

Jen suggests, “Commit to buying from retailers making a difference, corporations with a conscious who employ underresourced workers or cycle profits into vulnerable communities.  Your dollar can be powerful.” 

Some ideas:

www.free2work.org  This gives vendors a grade (A – F) based on how careful they are in not being involved in slave labor/human trafficking in the making of their products worldwide.  Warning: Once you know, you can never not know.

www.madeinafreeworld.com  (including the Call + Response documentary)

Read this book

Host a Clothing Swap with friends and neighbors.  Have everyone bring things they no longer wear and swap.  New stuff; no money spent!

Same deal with Kids’ Clothes.  A Hand-Me-Down Swap with friends.

Open your home to orphans and foster kids.

Cut up some credit cards, a la Dave Ramsey.

Research refugee populations in your city.  Is there something you could do with your money or possessions to help?

Wanna go really crazy?  Downsize!  Commit to living much smaller and give away the excess.

Constantly check your entitlements.  Do you feel like you deserve certain things? 

Check out of social media – or media in general – more often.  Sometimes we can get lured into the consumer mentality just by going with the flow of our cultural tide.

Slow your schedule down.  Sometimes we’re not unkind or uncaring.  We’re just busy.

One last one from Jen:

“Do ‘places I already owe’ have an inordinate amount of power over your financial freedom to be generous?  Have some hard conversations:

– Could we do with a cheaper house?

– Could we do with fewer (or cheaper) cars?

– Are there services we could cut back or cut down on?

– What must we do to get out of debt?  (Off you go to Dave Ramsey.  He’ll get you out of debt then I’ll show you how to spend all your extra money on poor people.)”

(Lots of these are adapted from Jen’s ideas in The 7 Experiment, pg. 142)

Do you have some other ideas?  We need each other’s help and support in this.  And pretty much all these things are more fun done in community.

Oh!  On that note, I want to address something from Matthew 6:1. 

Jesus said,

“Be careful not to do your ‘acts of righteousness’ before men, to be seen by them.  If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven.”

I’ve been thinking about sharing our giving stories with others.  I think in trying to live out this verse and seek humility, we sometimes rob each other of the encouragement that can come from sharing how God is using us and changing us as we seek to give to His Kingdom. 

In fact, Alcorn says:

“Should giving always be kept a secret?  I have no desire to lose my…reward from God by calling attention to myself…  Nevertheless, Scripture does show there is encouragement in believers seeing God at work in the giving of other believers (1 Chron. 29:6-9, 2 Cor. 8:1-7). 

I’ve been encouraged and stimulated to give as I’ve heard the giving testimonies of others.

For this reason I sometimes tell our giving story…hoping it will benefit others.

If the reason for my giving is in order to get the readers’ approval, however, I will forfeit my reward.”

Maybe we don’t announce it to everyone, but I think we can share with our people.  And ask each other hard questions about whether we’re getting greedy, robbing God, becoming entitled, etc. 

“Let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds…” (Heb. 10:24)

Isn’t this fun?!

Let’s keep going with 7 and the spending/generosity theme.

Here’s Jen:

“So, what if we addressed spending, since every new day is a blank check, and according to Jesus, potential for sanctification? 

Yes, we may need to address the corner we’ve painted ourselves into, as mortgages, credit card payments, and bills are fairly inflexible.  There is one category for the things we owe, and it may or may not be in need of reform.  Your house, your cars, your bills, your debt; we have to lie in the beds we’ve made or consider downsizing to a twin.

But what about the second category involving expendable income, especially if the first category is trimmed…I recognize two easy shifts we could make, starting today.

One, nonconsumption.  This is the simplest and hardest.  It takes true courage to rage against this machine.  Could we be countercultural enough to say,

“We’re not buying that.  We don’t need that.  We’ll make do with what we have.  We’ll use the stuff we already own.”

We could wisely discern needs from wants, and frankly, at least half of those line items are misfiled.  We can simply stop spending so much, use what we have, borrow what we need, repurpose possessions instead of replacing them, and – the kicker – live with less.

What are your top categories of spending?

What might ‘nonconsumption’ look like in those categories?  Any habits need to be altered? 

Two, redirect money saved.  Humor me: what if we lived on 75 percent of our income and gave the rest away strategically?  Or what if we downsized to 50 percent, bringing fresh meaning to Jesus’ command to ‘love our neighbor as ourselves’?

Your giving can affect extraordinary change.  Pick a need, country, people group, an organization focused on empowerment and sustainable independence.  You could be an answer to countless prayers.

Are you drawn to a need or people group?  What might radical generosity look like here?

While it is easy to become paralyzed by the world’s suffering and inequalities created by corruption and greed, we actually hold immense power for change, simply by virtue of our wealth and economic independence.  Because we decide where our dollars go.  Never has so much wealth been so concentrated; our prosperity is unprecedented.  If enough of us decided to share, we would unleash a torrent of justice…

And let’s not miss the personal healing extreme generosity catalyzes:

‘Give from what is within to the poor, and then everything is clean for you.’

Wouldn’t it be just like Jesus to heal the giver and the receiver through the same act of generosity? 

Doesn’t it sound just like Him to finally mend our insides once we love on the outside?

That to save our lives we must lose them, and the saving part doesn’t happen until the losing part?

Maybe the secret has been in front of our eyes all this time, but it was disguised as generosity, which seems an unlikely way to battle our own demons.

Perhaps we don’t need another sermon or a deeper Bible study or a different mentor or a better church to heal what is broken inside us…Maybe in the crazy giving, the reckless sharing, the dangerous releasing, Jesus finally burrows into our hearts, piecing back the shards and lifting the shroud.

Maybe everything He ever said was true.

These Scriptures, this conversation, these ideas…it’s a lot.  Almost every good turn begins with tension, so if you have it, God is moving.  He loves you.  He loves us.  How are you responding?  What is God showing you?  Where are you struggling?”

The 7 Experiment, pgs. 138-141

Lots of love!

https://www.intentionalkingdomliving.com/290/

Good Morning!

If reading last night’s entry left you anxious, let’s remember something together:

We seek to align ourselves with the King.

The King has plans and purposes in this world and He moves in us to figure out how our lives align with those plans and purposes.

When we love Him above all else, we are freed from lesser loves and open to joining Him in what He’s doing – namely drawing all people on the whole earth to the joy of worshipping Him.

We do this for His glory, our good, and for love of our neighbor.  No matter who that neighbor is or where that neighbor is from.

When we do this out of joy for what He’s done in our lives – and when our ‘doing’ is centered in joining Him rather than rushing out in pride – we seek His kingdom come and His will done on earth as it is in heaven.

One practical way we ‘do’ this is by aligning ourselves with Him every morning.  Asking Him to change our hearts.  Inquiring Him to give us eyes to see what He’s up to.  Requesting He strengthen us to obey.  And begging Him to make us disciples who are willing to give up anything for love of Him.

More to come.  But must wait until nap time.  Smile.

https://www.intentionalkingdomliving.com/291/

Oh my.  My three guys spoiled me all weekend.  Well, except Saturday night from midnight to 4 am when both the little guys were sick out both ends.  Poor babies.

But they sent me away for alone time.  (Chose Barnes & Noble for that, of course.)  Made me such such such special cards.  They plan to take me out when no one is puking and no one is on a spending fast.  And I had a lovely dance with my man in our garage last night as the rain rushed down a few feet away on our driveway.  Such contentment.

Anyway, want to get right back into it.  I’m afraid this evening’s topic will be a bit…unpopular.  Giving to God’s Kingdom versus just padding for our own kingdoms or queendoms.

I know.  But we’ll press on anyway.  Because we’re friends.

“Someone once told me, ‘God says not to give if you can’t give cheerfully, so I don’t give!’

God wants us to be cheerful, yes, but He also wants us to be obedient.  The path of cheerfulness is not by abstaining from giving even when we don’t feel like it.  If we’re not cheerful, the problem is our heart, and the solution is redirecting our heart, not withholding our giving.  Our heart follows our treasure (Matt. 6:21).  Put your treasure in God’s kingdom and a cheerful heart will eventually follow. 

Questions to ask about your giving:

– What am I holding on to that is robbing me of present joy and future reward?

– What am I clinging to that makes me feel like I don’t have to depend on You to provide, like I used to before I had this much?

– Is there anything I’m treating as untouchable, as if it were mine and not yours?  Do my retirement funds belong to you, too?

– Once they’ve finished college or are working on their own, would inheriting wealth help my children’s eternal perspective and walk with God?  Or would it have a corrupting influence on their character, lifestyle, work ethic, or marriage?

– Am I hanging on to money excessively as a backup plan in case You fail me?  Is my fear of dire health catastrophes and old-age scenarios creating an inertia in my giving, because I imagine I must provide everything for myself if something goes wrong? 

– Considering that the vast majority of people in history and most in the world today have nothing stored up for retirement, am I preoccupied with putting too many treasures in retirement funds?  Are you calling me to work without a net – or with less of a net – trusting you’ll catch me in case of a fall?

Saving is a means of not presuming on God.  Hoarding is a means of replacing God.  When I save, I lay something aside for future need.  If I sense God’s leading, I will give it away to meet greater needs.

When I hoard, I’m unwilling to part with what I’ve saved to meet others’ needs, because my possible future needs outweigh their actual present needs.  Hence, I fail to love my neighbor.

I agree with Larry Burkett’s assessment of the saving-for-retirement obsession:

Retirement planning so dominates the thinking of Christians who have sizeable incomes that they overkill in this area enormously.  The fear of doing without in the future causes many Christians to rob God’s work of the very funds he has provided…God’s Word does not prohibit but rather encourages saving for the future, including retirement (Prov 6:6-11; 21:20) but the example of the rich fool, given by the Lord in Luke 12:16-20, should be a clear direction that God’s balance is ‘when in doubt – give; don’t hoard.’

We are to love our neighbors as ourselves.  If we or our children were hungry, would we take something out of retirement to feed them?  If so, why wouldn’t we consider doing this for our neighbor’s children?  Are we truly obeying the command to love our neighbor as ourselves if we’re storing up money for potential future needs when our neighbor is laboring today under actual present needs?

If we don’t have savings or retirement funds or insurance, is it because we’re consciously trusting God and giving substantially to meet others’ needs?  Or is it because we’re lazy, undisciplined, and irresponsible?  God honors the sacrificial pilgrim of faith, but he does not honor the lazy fool…

We may choose to have savings accounts, retirement funds, and insurance policies.  But if we do, let’s be careful to have only enough to avoid presuming on God but never enough to avoid trusting him.”

Money, Possessions & Eternity, whole bunch of pages

How are you?  That’s a lot for one night.  Remember how much He loves us and the big plans He has for His Bride in our generation.  He is faithful and beautiful and worth it.

https://www.intentionalkingdomliving.com/292/

So much heavy.

I need some lightness.  Do you, too?

Here are some beautiful things:

1.  My boys.  Sometimes they astound me at their thoughtfulness.  I pray (almost) every day for God to keep their hearts tender to Him and to people.  He is answering that prayer.  Except for when they’re fighting mad at each other.  Ah, well.

2.  My man.  Oh my word, can we drive each other crazy.  But, oh my goodness, how I love him!  The way he thinks of little things for us all the time humbles me.  We’ve had a rough year, but he’s always been right there.  Sometimes being a jerk.  Sometimes being amazing.  (I, on the other hand, am pretty much always a brat.)  He works so hard for us in so many ways.  I’m grateful.

3.  Our community.  This includes so many people.  When I think of who I get to share my life with, I am honored to realize I could never deserve them.  I can only hope to be back to them what they are to me.  And Jesus, thank You.

4.  This spending fast.  It’s been difficult, but not in the ways I would’ve thought.  He’s, like, right there the second I ask for strength or help in times I wanna cheat.  And those haven’t been as often as I thought they would’ve been.  (It doesn’t help that our wonderful friends spoil us with love…and treats.  Stinkers.)

5.  Brennan Manning.  He’s been speaking to my soul lately.  I’m grateful for authenticity.

6.  Hair clips.  I really need a hair cut, but must wait until the fast is over.  That is in the category of “Beauty Products.”  Tell that to my roots, yo.

7.  Coffee.  It is ever faithful.

8.  Sleeping with the windows open.  So refreshing.  Don’t you love this weather?!

9.  Forgiveness.  I am so overwhelmed at what He daily forgives in my sinful heart.  Though I so wish I was perfect “for Him” He reminds me regularly how that’s not at all the point. 

10.  Nerf guns.  Caden’s little friend is here, along with the neighbor boy.  They have been shooting each other for a solid 20 minutes.  And no fighting.  Real fighting.

11.  Cole slaw.  Ate a lot of that this week for some reason.  Weird.

12.  Hand-me-down jeans from a friend.  Score!

13.  My seniors.  One of them gave me some flower seeds this week, just cause I’d never heard of that particular kind. 

14.  Books.  They invite me to wonder and ponder and dream. 

15.  Longer daylight hours.  Playing outside makes me happy.

What are you feeling light about these days?

https://www.intentionalkingdomliving.com/293/

“I have felt tender breathings in my soul after God…and strong desires have attended me that his family, who are acquainted with the moving of the Holy Spirit, may be so redeemed from the love of money and from that spirit in which men seek honor one of another, that in all business, by sea or land, they may constantly keep in view the coming of His Kingdom on earth as it is in heaven.”  John Woolman

“While individual effort is good, it is always limited.  There are things we can do together that we cannot possibly do alone.  God has so arranged human life that we are dependent upon one another to come into all that he desires of us.  We need each other’s help in order to know how to love God.  We need each other’s help in order to know how to love our neighbor…

In the twelfth chapter of Romans, Paul sets forth a lovely picture of a community of people living in simplicity.  Placed in the context of teaching on the gifts of the Holy Spirit, this passage provides a profoundly practical understanding of how we are to live. 

We are to give freely to the needs of the saints and to practice ordinary hospitality.

We are to enter into the needs of one another, rejoicing with those who rejoice and weeping with those who weep.

We are to deal with class and status distinction to the extent that we can freely be among the lowly.

We are to surrender the need to have our own way, and instead concern ourselves with what will build the fellowship.

We are to live in peace and harmony, never avenging ourselves, always trusting in God.

What an inviting paradigm of simplicity by which to conjugate our lives!”

Freedom of Simplicity, pgs. 174 -175

Spring is busy.  I’ve been wanting to get to some of the more practical aspects of all this, but alas I am still hanging out in the “why?” part.  Here is some more eternal perspective from Randy Alcorn:

“‘To the Lord your God belong the heavens, even the highest heavens, the earth and everything in it.’ (Deut. 10:14)

‘Yours, O Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the majesty and the splendor, for everything in heaven and earth is yours.  Yours, O Lord, is the kingdom; you are exalted as head over all.  Wealth and honor come from you; you are the ruler of all things.’ (1 Chron 29:11-12)

‘Who has a claim against me that I must pay?  Everything under heaven belongs to me’ (Job 41:11).

‘For every animal of the forest is mine, and the cattle on a thousand hills.  I know every bird in the mountains, and the creatures of the field are mine.  If I were hungry I would not tell you, for the world is mine, and all that is in it’ (Psalm 50:10-12).

‘The silver is mine and the gold is mine,’ declares the Lord Almighty’ (Haggai 2:8).

‘You are not your own; you were bought at a price’ (1 Cor. 6:19-20).

How we handle money and possessions demonstrates who we really believe is their owner – God or us.

If we really believe he is the owner of all that has been entrusted to us, shouldn’t we regularly be asking him,

‘What do you want me to do with Your money and possessions?’

And shouldn’t we be open to the possibility that he may want us to share large portions of his assets with those whose needs are greater than ours?

Suppose you have something important you want to get to someone who needs it.  You wrap it up and hand it over to the FedEx delivery person.  What would you think if, instead of delivering the package, the driver took it home, opened it, and kept it?

When you confront him he says, ‘If you didn’t want me to keep it, why’d you give it to me in the first place?’

You’d say, ‘You don’t get it.  The package doesn’t belong to you.  You’re just the middleman.  Your job is to get the package from me and deliver it to those I want to have it.’

Likewise, just because God puts money in our hands doesn’t mean he intends for us to keep it!”

Money, Possessions and Eternity pgs. 148-152, 155, 206, 212

Okay, stick with me!  Remember, we’re staying in a motivation of love.  But one way we love the King is to remember that He entrusts us with work of the Kingdom.  Think of all the exhilaration and joy we miss out on when we believe this life, “our” money, and the main purpose is about us.

One of the most loving things He does for us is pry open our eyes to His work.  It keeps us from wasting our lives and gives us transcendent purpose. 

He really is worth everything.

https://www.intentionalkingdomliving.com/294/

Okay, here it is for today.  I know I’ve quoted this on here before, but it bears repeating…and it is in order of how Jen writes it in 7.

“Give from what is within you to the poor, and then everything is clean for you.”  Luke 11:41

“I’m starting to wonder if Jesus actually meant that.  Was He serious about sanctification through extreme generosity?  Is He really advocating giving our goods to those without?  I don’t know if He knows this, but this would mean completely retooling the way we live and spend….

What if we’re buying a bag of tricks?  What if wealth and indulgence is creating a polished people rotting from the inside out, without even knowing it? 

Is there a reason Jesus called the rich:

Blind, Deaf, Unseeing, Unhearing, and Foolish?

And, dear readers, shall we stop imagining these sad, sorry, rich people belong to a different demographic?  A brave believer admits,

‘He’s talking about me.’

Look at our houses, cars, closets, our luxuries; if we are not rich, then no one is.

If we aren’t swept up in entitlement, indulgence, and extravagance, then Jesus is a fool and let’s get back to living. 

If tithing the minimum and consuming the rest is OK, then we can dismiss Jesus’ ideas and act obsessed about other stuff He said.

But what if?

What if we are actually called to a radical life? 

What if Jesus knew our Christian culture would design a lovely life template complete with all the privileges and exemptions we want, but even with that widespread approval, He still expected radical simplicity, radical generosity, radical obedience from those with ears to hear, eyes to see?

How could Jesus suggest that giving to the poor would make ‘everything clean’? 

Everything?

These Pharisees [in the previous verses in Luke 11] were a spiritual mess.  What does this passage communicate about the relationship between extreme generosity and everything else Jesus then called out

(Injustice, Pride, Spiritual Abuse, Unrepentant Hearts)?

Evidently just as money has the power to ruin, generosity has the power to heal.

This is big.”

The 7 Experiment pgs. 137-138

I know it’s a kick in the teeth.  Sometimes we need that.  I know when I’m starting to feel stingy or anxious, giving to others always helps.  It gets my mind off myself and – without excusing or minimizing my own issues – helps me focus on other peoples’ needs.

Have you found that to be true, too?

https://www.intentionalkingdomliving.com/295/

Regarding Zion, I can’t keep my mouth shut,

    regarding Jerusalem, I can’t hold my tongue,

Until her righteousness blazes down like the sun

    and her salvation flames up like a torch.

Foreign countries will see your righteousness,

    and world leaders your glory.

You’ll get a brand-new name

    straight from the mouth of God.

You’ll be a stunning crown in the palm of God’s hand,

    a jeweled gold cup held high in the hand of your God.

No more will anyone call you Rejected,

    and your country will no more be called Ruined.

You’ll be called Hephzibah (My Delight),

    and your land Beulah (Married),

Because God delights in you

    and your land will be like a wedding celebration.

For as a young man marries his virgin bride,

    so your builder marries you,

And as a bridegroom is happy in his bride,

    so your God is happy with you.

Sought-Out,

https://www.intentionalkingdomliving.com/296/

Here we go for today.  Remember, we’re friends, right?  Smile.

“Don’t imagine I’m advocating for no savings.  The Bible has several instructive nuggets on maintaining a cushion, saving for seasons of drought and hardship.  Wisdom plans ahead (that is, if she has the luxury of expendable income; this is a First World extravagance).

But the numbers are so tipped in our favor, I wonder if God doesn’t expect more from the top 20 percent (and most of us are in the top 5 percent) than simply buying 86 percent of the stuff and harboring savings accounts with the rest.  I wonder if there is a graded option somewhere below our means.

As with any healthy conversation, we must look at the whole of Scripture rather than proof texting ones we like.  I took an intricate view of the Bible for so long, I missed the high view, the one where God’s big story comes into focus and the parts become the whole. 

The one where God’s heart for the oppressed is in every single book.

So when it comes to managing money, we must take a holistic approach and ask,

“What is God mostly saying in Scripture?”

Luke tells us a man wanted Jesus to tell his brother to split their inheritance.  Jesus wasn’t dealing with a crooked lawsuit or a spat between enemies.  These were brothers with a rightful claim.

‘Someone in the crowd said to him, ‘Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.’

Jesus replied, ‘Man, who appointed me a judge or an arbiter between you?’

Then he said to them,

‘Watch out!  Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.’

And he told them this parable:

‘The ground of a certain rich man produced a good crop.  He thought to himself, ‘What shall I do?  I have no place to store my crops.’

Then he said, ‘This is what I’ll do.  I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods.  And I’ll say to myself, ‘You have plenty of good things laid up for many years.  Take life easy; eat, drink, and be merry.’

But God said to him, ‘You fool!  This very night your life will be demanded from you.  Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?’

This is how it will be with anyone who stores up things for himself but is not rich toward God.’

(Luke 12:12-21)

This is me now.  I just want to say I know it could be easy to look at this passage and completely dismiss retirement.  I know and have heard of so many people who use retirement to bless others and serve Jesus even more full-time.  I do not think this is an indictment against retirement.  But let’s lean into what it does mean…

Jen now:

“Why do you think Jesus answered the man like He did rather than offer a practical solution [to the inheritance issue]?

What connection do you see between the ‘rightful entitlement’ of these brothers and our attitude toward our wealth and advantages?

Again, Jesus took a swipe at stored possessions, which He understood to be the inevitable end of this argument.  He interpreted this high level of angst correctly; it was for more stuff; this inheritance wasn’t going to land in the hands of the poor.

Nothing can turn humans into thrashing, clawing, desperate enemies quicker than money. 

With precision, Jesus identified why they were fighting (greed) and what the end result would be (hoarded wealth) without asking a single question.

Money makes us super predictable.

What sticks out to you [in the story of the man with a good crop and bigger barns]?

What false assumptions did the man embrace?

Is this like selling perfectly lovely houses for bigger ones because our stuff outpaced our square footage?

Has it become standard protocol to go bigger than live smaller?

I believe we are liquid consumers, able to till any container we pour ourselves into, no matter how spacious it feels at first.

I find Jesus’ take on savings so practical. 

Evidently, there is a limit to what we sock away, ensuring our ease and merriment later.

This flies squarely in the face of the American Dream, but Jesus apparently doesn’t give one whit.

I wish He would’ve given us a clearer formula or income-to-savings ratio, but He did give us clues to check our temperature:

                             Relational distress, specifically among family

     Greed               Abundance                Excessive Wealth                   Upsizing

    Hoarding                       Selfishness                            Spiritual Poverty

                         Striving toward ease and merriment (“Take life easy…”)

How do you need to respond to Jesus’ difficult teaching?”

https://www.intentionalkingdomliving.com/297/