Invaluable Values
Tony Campolo was an American minister and author who devoted his life to mission work in the world’s poorest countries. He once told an audience about a homeless man who offered to share his coffee. Seeing the condition in which this man lived, Tony said the coffee must have been swimming with filth, but he took a drink anyway. He then said to the homeless man, "That’s very generous of you to share your coffee with me." And the homeless man replied, "I believe that when God gives you something extra special, you should share it."
The Greek philosopher Diogenes gave away his wealth and lived in a clay pot outside the city-state of Corinth, sharing his company with wild dogs for his closest friends. He was the original Cynic, believing that men and women led lives dictated by rules and taboos, rendering them incapable of being truthful or honest. Under the cover of darkness, he would venture out, swinging his lantern into the faces of those he encountered in the streets. When asked what he was doing, he responded that he was searching for one honest person.
There is a real sense in which Jesus was homeless. When a man asked to follow Him as a disciple, Jesus said (Luke 9:58, NKJV), “Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head.” The cost of following Jesus is high and requires the Lord’s kind of faith that trusts God to take care of us from day to day. It’s one thing to give up wealth to follow Jesus; it is another to waste it cynically. We can also mistake genuine wealth for counterfeit.
America has been prosperous over the years. When the French historian Alexis De Tocqueville visited America, he found the source. He said:
I sought for the greatness and genius of America in her commodious harbors and her ample rivers, and it was not there. In the fertile fields and boundless prairies, and it was not there. In her rich mines and her vast world commerce, and it was not there. Not until I went into the churches of America and heard her pulpits, aflame with righteousness, did I understand the secret of her genius and power.
Consider the wealth America has renounced, not in seeking Christ or honesty, but rather the idol of pleasure. In the entertainment industry, we find individuals who are more celebrated for their depravity than their acting skills, men and women who flaunt their moral decay as if it were commendable to praise. Those who disclose their addiction to sexual sins on talk shows are lauded for their so-called bravery. The true courage lies with the few men and women who urge them to embrace purity, modesty, and chaste behavior. The political arena is composed of those who bow before the false god of political correctness and raise their fists against the God of perfect love and justice. How can these politicians take pride in what they have done to our nation? How can anyone take pride in sinning and encouraging others to sin? Yet our country is rampant with ungodliness.
Our forefathers and mothers understood the sacrifice of wealth for a noble cause in following Christ. The fifty-six signers of the Declaration of Independence pledged all that God had given them in their “lives, fortunes, and sacred honor.” Their biblical worldview formed the foundation for their determination and firm reliance on divine providence to protect God-given unalienable rights. Among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. The fifty-six signers endured hardships during the American War of Independence. Some lost their fortunes and lived in poverty. Others lost their families, and even their lives. But they were free.
Diogenes missed knowing the authentic God. Many Americans have as well. Too many Christians live their lives missing out on the abundant life Jesus offers (John 10:10) and live in a spiritual squalor.
Historian David Barton states that the Founders and Framers prioritized life in this order: first, God; then the nation; and finally, the family. While we may resist putting the country before our families, Barton argues that by placing family above the state, we fail to act in the best interests of our families. If the republic remains whole, our families will be safe. If we disregard the nation, our families are in jeopardy. Look at the disarray of our general welfare in the last fifty years as evidence.
God is not opposed to wealth, but it can be a trap if it is not used properly as a tool. Using it correctly is rewarding. One way is to take care of the financially impoverished who are always with us (Matthew 26:11). Proverbs 19:17 (ESV) reads, “Whoever is generous to the poor lends to the Lord, and he will repay him for his deed.”
We can also address spiritual poverty by sharing God's word. All of life hinges on it, and too many ignore it. The “out-of-place” prophet Amos declared:
“Behold, the days are coming,” says the Lord God, “That I will send a famine on the land, Not a famine of bread, Nor a thirst for water, But of hearing the words of the Lord.
We can easily be sidetracked by the sparkling baubles and forget the genuine wealth. In 1626, the Dutch purchased Manhattan Island from the Lenape tribe for "60 guilders worth of trade," which would amount to approximately $1200 today. We know that money was a pittance in the potential value of the NY district. We also know that a person’s soul is priceless, and too many sell theirs for a bowl of beans and a moment’s pleasure. Encourage a neighbor or friend to find the genuine treasure God has provided in His Son and word. Jesus is the key to unlocking the abundant life. He values each of us and sets standards that fit our best interests.
Until next time, let’s …
Keep The Light of Prioritizing God’s Values Burning!
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