Interesting that the Lent challenge is challenging us to more than living on less.
To Quote Garmon "Hmm, God really isn’t going to be let this purely be a game or an interesting academic exercise. I would like not just to get by on £50 a week but also to try and live the experience more."
I want to get to grips with the purpose behind Jesus teaching on simplicity & money. Its purpose is surely bring liberty and peace "You are truly blessed because you do not have the cares of this world". To allow us to live for Gods Kingdom, instead of the cares of this world, and to discover the fulness of life that comes from relationship with God. It is the manna principle - that God provides for the daily needs of the birds, and how much more does he care for us, so stop worrying about those things.
Perhaps the main reason for our lack of real intimacy & knowledge of God is our lukewarm attitude to possessions and wealth.
What can we do to better live the simple life, and find real life?
1 comment:
Some great issues raised Steve and Mark. To follow on some of your points:
a) The simple life.
I’m sure that a choice to follow a simple life with Jesus our focus could be more satisfying than one devoted to filling our lives with possessions and wealth and worries about our status. Yet it must be more than just living a simple life – money and material wealth somehow needs to become a non-issue, rather than something we worry about whether we have loads or whether we have little (I think Chris’ point on Sunday about the rich perhaps being spiritually handicapped is good and very relevant – but being poor can equally be a handicap. You can be worried about what you DON’T have as much as worried about what you do have! I don’t know – would a poor widow have reacted any differently to the rich young ruler when asked to give up everything?, Everything is everything, whether you have a lot or a little).
I think what I’m discovering more acutely is that I don’t really, truly, trust God’s promises. He will provide; Knowing Him is better than living in luxury; I should focus on treasures that moths and thieves cannot destroy. Yes, yes, I know that. But do I KNOW it so that I actually live it? Harsh, difficult lessons. But I guess as the rich young ruler discovered, Jesus isn’t interested in easy and painless choices. How can I start trusting God’s promises more?
b) Steve’s point about practical actions eg lobbying for fairer interest rates:
Church Action on Poverty have been trying to raise the issue of fair interest rates – there is a bill going through parliament (I think) next week concerning debt and interest rate issues. Most other European countries have an interest rate cap, which Church Action of Poverty have been lobbying for here. Unfortunately the government doesn’t seem to want to introduce one, and so companies prowling on the most vulnerable in society will still be able to charge interest rates 400% (!!!!) and above.
"Speak up and judge fairly, defend the rights of the poor and the needy," Proverbs 31:9.
Additionally, Church Action on Poverty have a couple of other campaigns. One is the Living Wage Pledge. I think everyone doing this challenge would welcome that at the moment – living on £6.00 per hour rather than the £4.85 we’re doing at the moment (http://www.church-poverty.org.uk/_html/_livingwagepledge.htm).
They also have a booklet “22 ways to tackle debt and financial exclusion” (http://www.church-poverty.org.uk/PDF/22waystotackledebtApril%2003.pdf). Would be interested to know what people think we could do regarding these as a church or as individuals.
c) Doing things that don’t cost money:
There are loads of good things to do for free/cheap. www.londonfreelist.com/home.asp for really cheap stuff, or www.dolke.co.uk/events.htm for a mixture of cheap and expensive. And invite me if you’re thinking of going to anything. Please.
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