There is a commercial that asks the question “What’s in your wallet?” I think a lot can be discovered about an individual based on that question. As I thought about the answer to this question concerning my own wallet, I pondered what items found there reflected on my relationship with God.
Although everyone’s wallet could contain different items I want to teach on 6 common things that might be found.
1) Driver’s License
When I was 17 I went for my first road test to get my driver’s license. In order to receive this privilege to drive an officer accompanied me to observe my skills. As part of the test I was required to make a 3 point road turn on a narrow road. I pulled forward, turned my wheel, and proceeded to back into a ditch. It had rained the previous day so the car was mired in the mud. The officer reluctantly proceeded to assist me in getting the stuck car back on the road.
“I am going to push the car. When I say go, gently push on the gas pedal.” He then walked to the back of the car and said “Go!” I heard the sound of spinning tires and a resounding “Stop! Stop! Stop!”
It is forever seared into my mind the image of a police officer, covered in mud, leaning into my car window with a single drop of muddy water hanging from the end of his nose as he said through clenched teeth “I said ‘gently’ son, ‘gently’.”
After another driver trying for their license came along, we were assisted in getting on our way. Back at the station I was told to wait while the officer ‘cleaned up’ and renewed my learners permit. One year later I got the nerve to try again. And I passed and now part of my job includes me driving.
A driver’s license gives you the legal right to operate a motorized vehicle. It is also used as an identification document.
In fact it is the most common accepted document for that purpose.
God has given us a license also. That license identifies us his child (1 John 5:1). We were not required to take any test; we just needed to believe that Jesus was the Son of God. And when we are found mired in the mud, Jesus doesn’t leave us there. We can be assured that He will rescue us without getting any mud on himself.
We realize that if we are stopped by a police officer, he will ask to see our license. When satan and his demonic forces are attacking you with temptations and doubt, show them your license and watch them scatter. Rely on 1 John 5:4 “For every child of God defeats this evil world, and we achieve this victory through our faith.”
2) Business card
When someone sees an acquaintance that they haven’t seen in some time the first question is usually “How have you been?” The second question usually varies. For ladies it’s usually “How’s the family?” For guys it’s usually “So what have you been up to?”
For guys it’s about accomplishments. We are asking “What have you done lately? Are you doing better than me? Can I brag or have you accomplished more than me?”
A business card says I have an identity. But sometimes it can backfire and send the wrong message.
Clairol introduced the "Mist Stick", a curling iron, into German only to find out that "mist" is slang for manure. Not too many people had use for the "manure stick."
When Gerber started selling baby food in Africa, they used the same packaging as in the US, with a beautiful Caucasian baby on the label. Later they learned that in Africa, companies prefer to put pictures on the label of what's inside, since most people can't read.
Colgate introduced a toothpaste in France called Cue, the name of a notorious porno magazine.
Pepsi's "Come alive with the Pepsi Generation" translated into "Pepsi brings your ancestors back from the grave", in Chinese.
The Coca-Cola name in China was first read as "Ke-kou-ke-la", meaning "Bite the wax tadpole" or "female horse stuffed with wax", depending on the dialect. Coke then researched 40,000 characters to find a phonetic equivalent "ko-kou-ko-le", translating into "happiness in the mouth."
Business cards do not really identify people. They can mislead you. Anyone can purchase them to relay any message they want. As a follower of Jesus your business card is your actions (Matt 7:20). Your business card should reflect your life in truth. “So stop telling lies. Let us tell our neighbors the truth, for we are all parts of the same body. And “don’t sin by letting anger control you” Don’t let the sun go down while you are still angry, for anger gives a foothold to the devil. If you are a thief, quit stealing. Instead, use your hands for good hard work, and then give generously to others in need. Don’t use foul or abusive language. Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them. Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior. Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you.” (Ephesians 4:25-29)
3) Insurance card
You might have two types of insurance cards; a health insurance card and an auto insurance card. The purpose of the cards is to give the provider of a service a guarantee that any services provided will be covered.
A Charlotte, North Carolina man, having purchased a case of rare, very expensive cigars, insured them against fire. Within a month, having smoked his entire stockpile of fabulous cigars, and having yet to make a single premium payment on the policy, the man filed a claim against the insurance company.
In his claim, the man stated that he had lost the cigars in "a series of small fires." The insurance company refused to pay, citing the obvious reason that the man had consumed the cigars in a normal fashion. The man sued and won!!
In delivering his ruling, the judge stated that since the man held a policy from the company in which it had warranted that the cigars were insurable, and also guaranteed that it would insure the cigars against fire, without defining what it considered to be "unacceptable fire," it was obligated to compensate the insured for his loss.
Rather than endure a lengthy and costly appeal process, the insurance company accepted the judge's ruling and paid the man $15,000 for the rare cigars he lost in "the fires."
After the man cashed his check, however, the insurance company had him arrested... on 24 counts of arson! With his own insurance claim and testimony from the previous case being used as evidence against him, the man was convicted of intentionally burning the rare cigars and sentenced to 24 consecutive one year sentences.
We also have a guarantee. It is the guarantee of the Holy Spirit. And do not bring sorrow to God’s Holy Spirit by the way you live. Remember, he has identified you as his own, guaranteeing that you will be saved on the day of redemption. (Eph 4:30)
The Holy Spirit has identified us with his seal. He has identified us as a follower of Jesus, paid for by his blood at Calvary. And He holds the guarantee that we have been covered with that blood and reflects the Son of God in the eyes of the Father.
4) Credit Card
When my son was 3 years old we won a trip to Orlando, Fla and one day at Disney World. Of course you can’t do everything at Disney World in one day, so we bought a 3 day pass using a credit card. That vacation was finally paid for 12 years later. I can not fathom how much it actually cost me.
So for this sermon I did some research on credit cards. I discovered compound interest. Einstein put it best when he said, "Compounding interest is the greatest mathematical discovery of all time".
Credit Card Interest Rates are Compounded. The interest you pay on your credit card balances are compounded, which means that you pay interest on the interest from the month before. A simple example would be that if you were being charged an interest rate of 2% per month, you would not be paying 24% per year. In reality, you would be paying 26.82%. A neat little trick that credit card companies use to pick up an additional point or two of interest is to calculate interest on a monthly rather than on a yearly basis. You pay more but you don't know you're paying more. Credit Card Companies make money in a number of ways.
1. Fees (annual fee, overlimit, past due, etc)
2. Interest on the revolving loan if a credit card balance is not paid in full each month.
Honestly, I don’t know much more than I did before. But is shines the light clearly on Proverbs 22:7 “Just as the rich rule the poor, so the borrower is servant to the lender.”
When we find ourselves in debt we become enslaved to the one in whom we are in debt. We look for ways to pay these lenders and ultimately we stop giving to the church under the guise of not having enough money to “go around”. We cease being a servant to God when it comes to stewardship and become a servant to the world. Then by doing so we cheat God of what is due him (Mal 3:8) and we have pockets filled with holes (Hag 1:6). It is a vicious circle that keeps us indebt. We must stop this circle by not enslaving ourselves any more than we have already and buying our freedom back from those in which we are enslaved.
5) Money
Like credit cards, money can be an evil influence if we let it. There are 197 references to the subject of money in the Bible. God’s word teaches us to be satisfied with what we have (Heb 13:5). God’s word teaches to not trust in our money but to trust in the one who has promised to “never fail you or abandon you.” (Heb 13:5, 1 Tim 6:17) We are to trust in God who richly gives us all we need for our enjoyment. (1Tim 6:17) We are warned about the love of money being the root of all kinds of evil, causing people to lose their faith and create many sorrows for themselves. (1 Tim 6:10) And this truth can not be displayed any better than on the inter-net at a new web-site called GreedyPeople.com
GreedyPeople.com is a very unique Social Network/Services Community where members can buy and sell services in a fun, often humorous, interactive entertainment environment. The site can be used to negotiate serious service-related needs and/or unique challenges between members. The site encourages transaction creativity within the limits of the law and makes every effort to provide a safe and secure experience for its members.
We are so foolish with the gift of finances that God gives us. He enables to have opportunities and health for employment and gives these instructions; “On the first day of each week, you should each put aside a portion of the money you have earned. --- (1 Cor 16:2)” Give a portion back to God.
6) Lottery Tickets
This scheme has been sold to us as the quickest way to riches while helping the welfare of our school systems in North Carolina.
Nationwide over $50 billion dollars was spent on lottery tickets with only $11.4 billion actually going to the schools. A person’s chances of winning the lottery are 18 million to 1. We stand a better chance of getting hit by lightning (3 million to 1), becoming the President (10 million to 1), getting killed by falling parts of an airplane (10 million to 1), or viewing a UFO (3 million to 1).
Some people pray that God would let them win the lottery. They promise him a lot of things that they would do with the winnings.
Billy Bob Harrell Jr. was such a man. He won $31 million in the Texas Lottery. He was a Pentecostal preacher working as a stock boy at Home Depot when he hit the $31 million jackpot back in 1997. At first, life was good with Billy Bob buying a ranch, six other homes, and some new cars. Like many others who win the lottery, he was unable to simply say "NO!" when people asked him for a handout. Later in life he divorced his wife and eventually committed suicide, the stress apparently too much to handle.
In all honesty I must ask myself this question; “How would winning millions of dollars change me?” I would give 10% to the church without question. But would I continue to pastor? Perhaps the lure of world travel would be so great that I would decide to take sometime away from the pulpit, and in doing so, walk away from my calling. I would imagine the temptations to mismanage this wealth would be staggering. And God knows this.
I think we all should apply Proverbs 30:7-9 to our lives.
O God, I beg two favors from you; let me have them before I die.
First, help me never to tell a lie.
Second, give me neither poverty nor riches! Give me just enough to satisfy my needs. For if I grow rich, I may deny you and say, “Who is the Lord?” And if I am too poor, I may steal and thus insult God’s holy name.
So what’s in your Spiritual wallet? Does it honor God or reflect the fact that you rely on your own abilities and the things offered by the world? God’s guidance; “Don’t leave home without it!”
