“The brother in humble circumstances ought to take pride in his high position. But the one who is rich should take pride in his low position, because he will pass away like a wild flower. For the sun rises with scorching heat and withers the plant; its blossom falls and its beauty is destroyed. In the same way, the rich man will fade away even while he goes about his business.” –James 1:9-11
You could ask every little kid on the face of the planet what he wants to do when he grows up, and I doubt any of them would say, “I want to live in poverty. I want to never know where my next meal is coming from. I don’t even want a roof over my head.” I know I’ve never said that. I’m sure the people whom James was writing too didn’t have that attitude either. Yet, probably about 90% of them were living in poverty. Having been recently scattered from Jerusalem as a result of persecution, many of them left with nothing but the clothes on their backs.
In the midst of it all, I bet their hearts were more in tune with God’s heart than they would have been if they still were living in comfort. One of my greatest weaknesses is that I love comfort way too much. I love this spot on my couch where I am sitting now. It is practically molded to the shape of my rear end. No one else can sit here. I love my big screen TV, my high speed wireless internet, and my reliable car. While these things can be of great service to me, they really don’t help me to desire God any more.
This week I was hit with the thought, “What are you seeking God about right now?” Maybe another way to put it is to say, “What are you praying towards right now?” It hit me because Kristen and I have started praying more specifically about some certain things. But I had to ask the question, “I am involved in a church staff. How are we seeking God together in a specific manner?” Or, “I am involved with our church Elders who are responsible for leading an entire church. Where are we showing our dependence upon God by seeking him together in a specific area?”
It doesn’t take absolute poverty to have an absolute dependence on God—at least I hope not. But, let’s hear it. How are you seeking God right now in a specific manner? What life circumstance has you seeking him in this way?
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2 comments:
I also love my comforts and take them for granted WAAAY too often. Therefore this prayer has become a regular mediation for me; "I find my peace, my hope, my strength and my identity not in the fact that my cars run well, they're paid off, I have A/C, my job is secure, etc. (because all of that will fail) but instead I find those things in Jesus."
Specifically? I'm seeking God to find my place in the Cars ministry which will be soaring to new heights very soon, not on my understanding but on God's.
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