June 23, 2006
(Part three)
In attempting to sum up the past two weeks’ columns, let’s simply say that the question of our experiencing real and lasting peace in our lives can only be answered by whether or not Jesus sits at the center of our ambitions and desires. Furthermore, the only real measure by which we may know if Christ is Lord of our lives is whether or not He rules our decisions, our habits, and our attitudes.
While I’m not suggesting that we can achieve what could be called perfection per se (e.g., as in our never again making a mistake or having a selfish thought, etc.), we CAN conclude from His Bible that He deeply desires and even requires our intentional surrender to His loving authority in the living of our lives. Inasmuch as we place ourselves at His feet, under His banner of lordship, we can then know that we are giving to Him “the one thing needed” – which is our complete and utter devotion.
“Jesus replied: ‘“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.” This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments’” (Matthew 22:34-40 NIV).
Having said all that, the practical application of these truths often proves elusive. One might say, “That’s all very well and good, but HOW do I put that into practice? If I find myself lacking in this kind of peace and see that I’m not loving God with all my heart, soul, and strength, HOW do I move my heart from where it is in its bondage to things, to where it ought to be, which is freedom in Christ?”
To begin with, just know that God understands our character and that His Holy Spirit can work in the heart of a person who is actively seeking to please Him through faith in Christ Jesus. Next, consider the disciplines that our Heavenly Father has granted us so that we might be lifted out of the muddled bog that compulsion, instinct, and social pressure create for us.
If your reaction to the word “discipline” is one of loathing and your perception of it is that of punishment, I’m not using the word that way. In the way that the word should be used, “discipline” refers to an activity that puts our priorities in their proper place and gives us control over our physical, mental, and spiritual faculties, making them our servants in the pursuit of our high calling in Christ. Disciplines (such as worship, prayer, fasting, service, etc.) can be either personal and/or private or instead be corporate and part of a shared experience among Christians in community.
There is by no means enough space to thoroughly talk about all the various disciplines (worthy though they are), but one example of a practical discipline that the Lord prescribed was that of “tithing”. Tithing was (and is) the act of giving up to God a tenth of our income. Specifically ordained by God in Leviticus 27:30-32 and Deuteronomy 14:22, as He leads His people out of their Egyptian slavery into the new life that awaits them, it is also referred to in Genesis 14:18-20 long before their bondage, and then much later in Malachi 3, long after they had been established as a kingdom. Tithing, particularly when it involves our “first fruits” (and not merely our “leftovers”), reflects the Lord’s position of “first love” in our lives. It is a discipline that helps to cultivate Christ-like character within us.
This kingdom principle naturally doesn’t end with money or physical resources (lest we think that this is really about money). We do what is right when we give God the first tenth of our paychecks but we do even better when we broaden that idea and give Him the first fruits of our time and energy as well. Just as it is pleasing to God for you to not just reserve some money for Him after you’ve used up your monthly income but to start with what is due Him before attending to anything else, take care that you don’t give Him the leftovers of your energy and attention at the end of the day. Although it is likely that with the majority of other Americans you face a very hectic and busy schedule and have very little left to give as you crash into your bed at night, give Him instead the “first fruits” of your time, even if it means getting up a little bit earlier in the day to pray and read His Word.
Keep in mind that tithing is not intended to be slavery (although we usually treat it as such) nor is it a theological legality meant to diminish our joy in life. It is a tool given to us by a kind and loving Father Who understands that we are easy prey to obsessing over money, possessions, fame, and power. God’s call for us to tithe is a gift that aids us in prying from our hearts potential idols and encourages us to trust God. And in addition to the power it puts in our hands to break the spell of materialism, it is also an invitation to please God as a vehicle of expressing our thanksgiving… at least if we give to Him with an open and cheerful attitude.
But tithing, of course, is only just the beginning. One of the hardest things we face today is the idea that everything we have and everything we are belongs to Him: the fact that His right to our devotion and service for being our Creator is accented exponentially in that through Jesus He is also our Redeemer. Consequently, the Christian discipline of stewardship goes beyond the first step of tithing by being the means by which we manage what belongs to God. As such, we are compelled to then use our resources as He Himself would use them (at least to the extent that we can determine He would use them as we make our decisions). Even once we’ve given God our tithe, it should be unthinkable for us to deliberately use what is left of our money, possessions, time, relationships, and our physical bodies in ways that would bring reproach to His name or might harm others. Selfishly using our resources or our using them destructively is not a matter of freedom but is a declaration that we prefer “a bondage to things” than relationship to God.
Instead, let our use of what we have and what we are be devoted to bring praise to Him and to the helping of others. The Lord intends for you, of course, to use what He has given you to provide for your needs, but please allow Him to bless you and set you free from the power of “things” by choosing to direct what is at your command towards what would please Him the most. Watch out for the crafty snare of entitlement, too. As long as you feel that you are entitled to all sorts of comforts, perks, and privileges, you dance dangerously close to the brink of falling in love with “things” and setting up as your lord and master something other than the One Who died for you.
(Thom Mollohan and his family have ministered in southern Ohio the past eleven years. He is the pastor of Pathway Community Church, which meets on Sunday mornings at the Ariel Theatre. He may be reached for comments or questions by email at pastorthom@pathwaygallipolis.com).
