Needy? Or Greedy?

 

Yesterday at our church brunch a woman came to the table where I was chatting with our pastor. She started to interrupt but he stopped her and said he would talk to her later. He told me she came with a different story each week but always asking for money.

A man, often with his wife, comes into our building after the service is over and lines up for food. They bring containers and take enough for a week, hiding it until they can leave. When anyone talks to them, they claim they cannot speak English.

The leadership in our church believes in taking care of the poor, yet these behaviors make that task a bit of a puzzle. We are commanded to be gracious yet not to behave as they are behaving. So what do we do when people greedily take advantage of us?

First, the NT offers some clear commands:

For if a man wearing a gold ring and fine clothing comes into your assembly, and a poor man in shabby clothing also comes in, and if you pay attention to the one who wears the fine clothing and say, “You sit here in a good place,” while you say to the poor man, “You stand over there,” or, “Sit down at my feet,” have you not then made distinctions among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts? (James 2:2–4)

From the very beginning, the church has prioritized ministering to the poor. “And all who believed were together and had all things in common. And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need.” (Acts 2:44–45) Notice, this is for the needy who are believers, as is the following description of Paul organizing a relief fund in Jerusalem:

Now concerning the collection for the saints: as I directed the churches of Galatia, so you also are to do. On the first day of every week, each of you is to put something aside and store it up, as he may prosper, so that there will be no collecting when I come. And when I arrive, I will send those whom you accredit by letter to carry your gift to Jerusalem . . . . (1 Corinthians 16:1–4)

It is the same in another situation: “So the disciples determined, every one according to his ability, to send relief to the brothers living in Judea. And they did so, sending it to the elders by the hand of Barnabas and Saul.” (Acts 11:29–30) The church is to consider the poor among them. Nothing is said about those living in poverty outside the church. However, God has plans for some of them:

Listen, my beloved brothers, has not God chosen those who are poor in the world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom, which he has promised to those who love him? But you have dishonored the poor man. Are not the rich the ones who oppress you, and the ones who drag you into court? Are they not the ones who blaspheme the honorable name by which you were called? (James 2:5–7)

The NT forbids Christians to be greedy. We have no excuse; God takes care of our needs and beyond that, we are to be content and help others. However, it also says this:

Now this I say and testify in the Lord, that you must no longer walk as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their minds. They are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, due to their hardness of heart. They have become callous and have given themselves up to sensuality, greedy to practice every kind of impurity. (Ephesians 4:17–19)

According to this, greedy, self-serving people are hard of heart, even unaware of their sin. While some who are false teachers “in their greed they will exploit you with false words” (2 Peter 2:1–3) this is not about that kind of greed. Nor is the NT written for them. This passage separates how we treat greed in the church and what we need to do (or not do) with greedy people who are not believers:

But now I am writing to you not to associate with anyone who bears the name of brother if he is guilty of sexual immorality or greed, or is an idolater, reviler, drunkard, or swindler—not even to eat with such a one. For what have I to do with judging outsiders? Is it not those inside the church whom you are to judge? God judges those outside. “Purge the evil person from among you.” (1 Corinthians 5:11–13)

PRAY: Lord, You are saying to discipline believers who fall into sin, but leave the judgment of those outside the church to You. I also read 1 Corinthians 6:9-11 and realize that some who are saved were once “greedy” and guilty of other sins, but are now “washed, sanctified, justified” so this woman and that man could one day be part of Your Body. Give us wisdom in how we treat them.

PONDER: Why not find out what that woman needs and take her shopping? Why not sit with that man and eat with him, thanking him for filling a plate for us? Can I be sacrificially creative concerning these poor who seem exploitive? Jesus was — He died for them.

 

 

His idol was silver . . .

 

Depending on the employment and where the work is done, a month’s salary can range from minimum wage to much higher. The average wage in the city where I live is $5000 per month, with entry levels lower and experienced workers making at least $10,000 per month.

Judas sold out Jesus for 30 pieces of silver. That may not seem a huge amount, but for that time it was about four months wages, and a great deal of money indeed. Interesting that a simple Internet search shows the price of a hit man is about the same amount.

What is God saying to me with this information? It isn’t about the love of money. I might feel differently if I didn’t have any, but probably not. Way back more than fifty years ago, I was very poor when God taught me to trust Him regarding my finances. I had a bill for $100 and could barely buy groceries, never mind come up with the funds to pay it. I prayed. Then an order for a dog portrait came in the mail from someone I had never met. She sent me $105 in advance — enough to pay that bill and buy a canvas to paint a picture on of her dog.

I’ve never felt a need to do anything other than honest work and trusting God to take care of my finances. For this reason, greed for money has not been a problem for me. I love the saying, “Some people are so poor; all they have is money.”

However, I see what greed does for others. Some become workaholics or thieves. Some abandon care of their families trying to get rich. Some gamble for the same reason. On an emotional level, greed comes with stress, fatigue, worry, depression, and despair. It sidetracks the soul from trusting God to making an idol that can ruin their lives, even to making a Judas out of them.

Imagine walking with Jesus for three years and putting money ahead of His Messiah’s life. But that thought stops me. It may not be money, but what do I prioritize? What is more important to me than honoring and obeying God?

There are so many things that clamor for attention and devotion: jobs, kids, spouses, hobbies—the demands and distractions of life. Putting God first is the first Commandment:

You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is on the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. You shall not bow down to them or serve them; for I the LORD your God am a jealous God . . . . (Deuteronomy 5:8–9)

The list could be long. I could ‘worship’ my feelings if I allow them to control me. Or my family, or my church, or friends, or human ‘wisdom’ instead of trusting God, but He says:

Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord, and turn away from evil. (Proverbs 3:5–7)

Faith in Christ is a gift. Gifts are never meant to be hidden on a shelf or as Jesus said, put under a bushel. Fear of rejection could be an idol that takes precedence over telling others about Him.

I’m also to honor Him with my wealth, appreciate His discipline, and seek His wisdom. To live any other way means trusting something other than Him and that is as much idolatry and greed as seeking gold and silver rather than God. Of all the folly ascribed to Judas, his root problem was not giving Jesus first place in his heart.

PRAY: The ability to put You first, Jesus, is learned. From infancy, I bawled to get my way. As legitimate as eating, drinking, and being dry might be, I was not thinking about You. How much of my day is involved in doing things and talking about personal interests and selfish stuff without You being my priority? Yet You are so patient. You called Judas “friend” yet also said, “You are my friends if you do what I command you.” (John 15:14) You endured the pain of betrayal and never stopped loving this one who did far worse than mere disobedience. I’m humbled that my sin does not ruin or block Your incredible love. How could I every want anything more than You? But at times, I have . . . and You always forgive and restore me. Thank You.

THOTS: Greg Beale wrote “We Become What We Worship” and says: “What people revere, they resemble, either for ruin or for restoration.” How can my focus change my life?