The year 2012 is one in which I wrestled with several things spiritually. One of those things was the matter of excess in our culture, and my own life specifically. I have asked a lot of questions and am seeking to make decisions that honor God in this area. Our world teaches us to always have more, better, newer and bigger. God teaches us to care for the least of these, the downtrodden, the orphans. To do that takes money, and if I spend all my money on better, newer and bigger for me and my family, I don't have much left to take care of others.
When I say I've wrestled, I mean it. I have struggled with my own desires, one day deciding I am not going to buy and more new clothes for at least a year and the next, I go out and by some great boots and skinny jeans that I've been wanting for a long while. When I got home, I felt the weight of my failure and left the tags on both the boots and the jeans for several days. I could still return them and redeem myself! Until I finally succumbed to my desire to look cute and the tags came off.
Now, I've worn those boots a lot and the jeans are making the rounds as well, and I didn't pay very much for them, so I'm getting my moneys worth out of them. But, at what cost? Did God have different plans for that money? Could He have multiplied that money into something greater? Or even if He didn't, could it have fed or clothed or housed someone who didn't even have those basic necessities? Because I sure have other jeans and shoes I could wear just as easily; I didn't need those things. And really, I believe it's HIS money, so does He feel He got His moneys worth out of the purchase?
I'm continuing to wrestle with the kind of giving God is calling me to achieve. Generosity (in ways the complete opposite of materialism) has also been a major theme for me the last eight or so months. Scripture tells us that God calls us to live generous lives, with our money, our things, our love, our time; to be generous to the point of sacrifice. On this first day of 2013, I want to commit to stepping out in faith, trusting God, as our family chooses generosity. I plan also to share some of the things I've learned as I've read books, studied Scripture and prayed about my own life, so if you're interested in delving more into a life generously lived, check back here. It is my desire and my goal that we would give more, buy more wisely and invest in things that have eternal value. Because we all know, I don't need more great boots or skinny jeans!
When I say I've wrestled, I mean it. I have struggled with my own desires, one day deciding I am not going to buy and more new clothes for at least a year and the next, I go out and by some great boots and skinny jeans that I've been wanting for a long while. When I got home, I felt the weight of my failure and left the tags on both the boots and the jeans for several days. I could still return them and redeem myself! Until I finally succumbed to my desire to look cute and the tags came off.
Now, I've worn those boots a lot and the jeans are making the rounds as well, and I didn't pay very much for them, so I'm getting my moneys worth out of them. But, at what cost? Did God have different plans for that money? Could He have multiplied that money into something greater? Or even if He didn't, could it have fed or clothed or housed someone who didn't even have those basic necessities? Because I sure have other jeans and shoes I could wear just as easily; I didn't need those things. And really, I believe it's HIS money, so does He feel He got His moneys worth out of the purchase?
I'm continuing to wrestle with the kind of giving God is calling me to achieve. Generosity (in ways the complete opposite of materialism) has also been a major theme for me the last eight or so months. Scripture tells us that God calls us to live generous lives, with our money, our things, our love, our time; to be generous to the point of sacrifice. On this first day of 2013, I want to commit to stepping out in faith, trusting God, as our family chooses generosity. I plan also to share some of the things I've learned as I've read books, studied Scripture and prayed about my own life, so if you're interested in delving more into a life generously lived, check back here. It is my desire and my goal that we would give more, buy more wisely and invest in things that have eternal value. Because we all know, I don't need more great boots or skinny jeans!
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