From time to time I suspect people review their finances. In those reviews, they may take a moment to calculate their net worth. Our financial net worth is the value of all assets, minus the total of all liabilities. Put another way, net worth is what is owned minus what is owed.
The value of doing this is to make any necessary adjustments to accomplish any future goals we might have. It is both a looking at where we are now (how are we doing) and a looking forward (where do we need to improve).
This morning I would like us to consider a different kind of value. I would say an even more important measurement of worth. Our spiritual net worth.
On the financial side, I think we have an idea of where to begin. Bank balances, retirement accounts, mortgages all of these have to be considered in the equation. But where would begin to measure our spiritual net worth?
Of course, we are prone to like easy ways to measure. A bank balance is easy to arrive at and it is accurate. So at first we may measure our spiritual net worth by looking at some easily definable signs. How often do I attend church? How often do I read the bible? How often do I pray? Well, these things certainly tell us something. I happen to think they are not the whole picture or even best picture. Going to the doctor does not make us healthy, and coming to church does not make us spiritual. Going to the bank does not make us wealthy, and reading the bible daily will not make us spiritual.
The reason being, we can go to church for the wrong reasons and we can read the bible with less than the best intentions. These measuring devices do not reveal much about our spirit, only about the way we use time. Someone might say why don’t you use the Golden Rule as your measuring device. Not a bad idea. How we treat others must say something about our spirit? It does. Yet I suspect this is not a wide enough matrix. It is an important factor but it does not appear to be the only factor in our spiritual development. A good credit score is a good thing to have and it says something about us, but finances are more complicated than credit score and spiritual development is more involved than loving our neighbor.
So how can we get the full picture? How can we have a spiritual CAT scan so that nothing is missing? I’m going to suggest the best way to measure our spiritual health is by the fruit of the spirit. How are these qualities integrated into our life? We need a “spiritual exam” and this is it. It is both a looking at where we are now (how are we doing) and a looking forward (where do we need to improve).
In case we need a reminder the fruit of the spirit are---
love,
joy,
peace,
forbearance,
kindness,
goodness,
faithfulness,
gentleness
self-control.
These attitudes and actions = fruit, are supposed to be evident, according to Paul, in our lives. Like financial assets they may not be ours at 18 but in time we hope to accumulate them. So as the spirit has more control of us, more influence on us we should see more of these fruits.
But every net worth sheet has not only assets but liabilities.
So here are the liabilities---
Selfishness
misery
anxiety
intolerance
hostility
immorality
infidelity
apathy
undisciplined
So let’s take a moment to measure our spiritual net worth.
When it comes to the love/selfishness index where do we come in? One question should suffice, does your time belong to you or are you willing to share it with others who need it? Willing may need some clarification. If you give your time to others but you are always complaining about giving your time to others, “I’ll be glad to help, but yall are wearing me out,” then you may be selfish, just unable to say “no.” So give yourself a score, 1 means you are selfish, 10 means you love deeply and truly. After you give yourself a numerical grade, write an arrow beside it. If you are better now than you were a year ago let the arrow point up. If, however, you are heading in the opposite direction then be honest and place the arrow facing down.
Moving on to the joy/misery index. Joy is not happiness. Happiness comes from the word “happenings” so when certain things happen we are happy. Joy is different. If peace and contentment had a baby it would be named Joy. Joy is inside our soul. It is not about having smiles and laughter, it is about spreading smiles and laughter.
When you leave a room if people are glad that is over then you are spreading misery, if however, they wish you would stay longer, you are spreading joy. Again give yourself a score 1 means you export misery, 10 means you export joy all the time. After you give yourself a numerical grade, write an arrow beside it. If you are better now than you were a year ago let the arrow point up. If, however, you are heading in the opposite direction then be honest a place the arrow facing down.
Now to the peace/anxiety index. I know some are going to say----you know “I’m a worrier.” Yea and some are born impatience and others with unmanageable hair, that does not mean we can use it as an excuse. Worry and anxiety are hidden deep within us. When our parents first tell us “be careful” when we leave the house we are made aware that the world is dangerous, be afraid. So maybe more than any other trait, this one is buried deep within us. So this is why peace is such a gift. To rest in God, knowing that His peace is more valuable than our ability to control the outcome.
Peace gives us the chance to live out our belief that our God is a loving God. If you are learning to surrender to God and are experiencing peace this is a spiritual asset, if however, you continue to hold on to your life then anxiety will prevail. Again give yourself a score, 1 means you are perpetually anxious, 10 means you are experiencing God’s peace. After you give yourself a numerical grade, write an arrow beside it. Are you improving this year or not.
How are you doing so far? Does anyone want to show their work? Ok, we will continue with the fruits that are more practices than attitudes.
Patience or intolerance. Often when we think of patience we think of it in regards to things (technology) or people. I suspect Paul is speaking of patience with people and God. Allowing people to be themselves, grow at their own pace, and waiting on God to move requires patience. While impatience would certainly be considered an opposite trait I think intolerance is a more fitting liability. In this world where we live with imperfect, broken people patience is a real asset. It allows us to forgive others, wait on others, and even wait on God. Intolerance is more than a flaw, it is a liability, it keeps us angry, it fuels our distrust of God and in the end separates us from God and others.
If you are patient with God and others this is a spiritual asset, if however, you are intolerant of others or impatient with God you are only hurting yourself. Again give yourself a score 1 means you are intolerant of others, a 10 means you are practicing Christian patience with those around you. After you give yourself a numerical grade, write an arrow beside it. Are you improving this year or not.
Moving on to kindness or hostility. Kindness is NOT southern niceness. The Greek word here is described by William Barclay as, “the sympathetic kindness of temper which puts others at ease and shrinks from giving pain.” As a spiritual asset kindness is when we can identify with the other, care for the other, and work diligently to do no harm. Hostility barely needs a sentence. We understand that hostility is to bring pain, promote pain, and if we are doing this to others then our circle of friends is shrinking and our phone is not ringing. Hostility is a liability because it shows that in the most obvious of ways we are not being “transformed” by our faith.
Give yourself a grade, don’t look on anyone else’s paper. If you find that you are not spreading pain and giving genuine care to others then give yourself a 10. However, if you are more hostile than kind then factor that in as well. Remember to also judge whether or not this is an improvement from last year.
Now for Goodness or Immorality. Maybe we need to be clear here. Goodness is transparent to all, others tell us we are good. Immorality is secretive, we do it in the shadows, we don’t want others to know what we are up to. People may even mistake us for good because our immorality has been done behind closed doors.
Don’t confuse something which is legal with something that is good. To evaluate ask what would Jesus think of your tax strategy? Giving record? How do you behave when no one is watching? If you emphasize reputation chances are you are immoral. If you emphasize character chances are you are practicing goodness.
If you would be ashamed if Jesus was aware of you tax strategy then you might be more immoral than you imagine. However, if you could hold your head high then give yourself a 10. Remember to also judge whether or not this is an improvement from last year.
The next measurement of our spiritual new worth is faithfulness or infidelity. I could use the word unfaithful, but infidelity sounds so much more BAD.
As we spiritually mature we understand the value of fidelity. To relationships, to friends, to the places we find nourishment. Treachery is to turn against, to turn our back, on a promise, on a spouse, on family, on anything. Being faithful is such a little thing. But it is the hardest little thing we will ever do. Being faithful is to walk in the same direction for a long time. This is why it is a measurement of our spiritual net worth. Our faithfulness testifies to what we are committed to.
You know the drill infideity (1) or faithful (10).
Now to the gentleness/apathy index. Sometimes this Greek word is translated meekness, at times strength, and as it is here gentleness. If it helps this word is used to describe Jesus three times. But it may help us understand the spiritual nature of this word to recognize that Moses was described with this word. So consider it the ability to have strength without being dominant, strength without intimidation. It’s the ability to lead without bullying. The willingness to stand for something when everyone else is worshipping a golden calf. Now that’s gentleness.
Apathy, of course, is giving up on a cause, believing that no one cares. This is the rare index where this not much middle ground. You are not apathetic on Monday and gentle on Tuesday. I would imagine most of us are either 9 or 10 or 1 and 2.
Don’t look at your neighbor but do examine yourself. What is your spiritual net worth concerning gentleness?
Finally, we arrive at the self-control or without discipline scale. Are we a slave to our desires or are we free in Christ? We have appetites, we are born with them. For food, for intimacy, for success, and for money. If we control the appetite, we are spiritually strong, but if the appetite controls us, you get the picture.
As I prepared this sermon something was exposed. Many of our social/personal issues are misdiagnosed. They are really spiritual issues
Racism is intolerance.
Lying is not being good but being immoral.
Talking about women like they are property to be inspected is hostility and an absence of kindness.
Finally, our fretting society is the result of not resting in our God, but trusting in our own hands.
The foundation to our current issues is a spiritual shallowness. One that confuses spirituality with coming to church. One that equates being orthodox to being saved. A belief that when can be successful without being good. A spirituality that thinks God is about us prospering instead of us serving. A spirituality that thinks taking notes makes for a better Christian.
So how did you do? Total possible score is 90. If you’ve got above 80 it is time to be fitted for your wings and halo. If we are below 80 we still have work to do. We are not ready to retire yet.
The value of spiritual strength is not nearly as easy to recognize at 50 as it is at 70. We are going to need a strong spirit, sometimes we need it when tragedy comes, other times we need it when disappointment prevails, but as we age we will certainly need a strong spirit to weather failing physical health, longer nights, and unwanted changes. The time to get in shape spiritually is not when your 70 but when you are younger. We will need the spiritual strength one day, in the meantime, we need to be building spiritual strength and increasing our spiritual new worth.
