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Greed and isolation
I was talkin' to some dudes about Ephesians 4 and 5 yesterday and we got on the topic of greed. God is really calling us to be a family that is marked by generosity. Somewhere along the line that distinction has been really blurred in the church. When the church is really living out its call in the world it is always subverting the predominant trends in culture. When the culture is calloused and immoral sexually, the church should be showing the world through our relationships and marriages what God is like. When the culture is angry and hates and demeaning towards segments of society we should be a refuge of reconciliation and love. I think the one that's really hard for us is greed. When the culture around us is bent on more and is never satisfied we should be sharing our stuff, balancing injustice, bringing people into our homes, not living in excess, and living out of contentment.
I gave the example of the goal of our living situations in the US.
If you're poor and living in the ghetto you are most likely living in an apartment. More than likely you've got some extended family living with you to lower the bills. People are always around and in your business because of the close proximity. The goal is to move out of that situation and get into a house and to lose the extra family or friends living with you. Preferably a house with a garage that's attached to the house so you can pull in and not have to deal with neighbors. The goal after the first house is the second house that is bigger and further away from neighbors because you need your space. Then you're looking for the huge house in the gated community and now someone needs to know 4 digits to come see you and a guard gives you the "once over" if you look a little shady.
Greed breeds isolation. Our desire for more drives us further away from people. The American Dream is a joke and has nothing to do with living in the way of Jesus. Jesus said he's going to prepare a place for us in his fathers house. (John 14:1-4) That is wedding language talking of a groom that goes to add a room onto his fathers house to bring his bride back to. Only the Father can tell the son when the room is ready. Then the son goes and brings the wife to live with him and his family. Living in real community is what eternity is going to be like. I have a feeling "mansions" are going to have no place in the new heavens and new earth. I'm pretty sure we'll know our neighbors and be close to each other. Wouldn't it make sense for us to start practicing for eternity now? Just some thoughts. What do you think?
11 comments:
oh snap. i love this post dan. the only way i'd ever have a big house is if the rooms were actually being used.. ya know? Like people knew they could come over and have a place to sleep for however long they needed it... I just think it's ridiculous that we have spare bedrooms just sitting there... with a bunch of crap we maybe use once a year. strange people we are. i don't ever want to live in a gated community. how ridiculous are those? seriously. what are we trying to protect ourselves from? ... the people that we're supposed to be loving on? awesome way to show it, eh? great post dan. always inspiring.
I recommend living in an enormous double wide trailer with a lot of other people. Throw in some kooky charasmatic theology and viola- you have instant community...or not.
Dan,
You got to check out "Everything must change" by McClaren. I'm not down with everything in it, but he definantly hits hard on this subject of the American Dream actually being a nightmare that runs contrary to the way of the Kingdom (coming under). Check it out. If you don't get it by middle of Aug, i'll be down that way and you can have my copy.
viva la Vida
Just a quick thought....I know many wealthy Christians but they are so generous and use their "earthly" mansions and treasure to bless their fellow believers and to fund various ministries.
I don't think having money is bad. I don't think acquiring wealth is bad. (I wouldn't know from personal experience or anything!)I think it is easy to say that we should "give it all away" or to look down at Christians who have money. Money can also be an avenue for influence just as much as living in an impoverished area can give way to Christian influence.
God cares about all aspects culture. I think He desires to have Christians in every socio-economic state. God needs a faithful witness at the country club as well as at the rescue mission.
This is another topic for another day...but, I think it is biblical to leave your children an inheretance. The less encumbered they are by debt and money worries the freer they are to change culture. Just a thought.....
In the attempt to love the poor it seems like there is a growing disdain within the church for those who have money (even though, in reality, any of us commenting on this thing are the ones with money). I think it's unfair and, dare I say, unchristian, if I'm caring more about any particular group more than another,and all together awful if I'm caring more about myself than others. That doesn't have a whole lot to do with whether or not I have or don't have a big house and lots of money. If the heart of the wealthy businessman is pure, with a desire to be a blessing to others and be a good steward of what he's given, I think God is pleased with him. If the grandma living off of Social Security is desiring to be a blessing to others, I think God is pleased with that, too. No more. No less. I agree that greed can breed isolation, but so can anger and pride and jealousy and ungratefulness.
I'm with ya Leslie. God needs all kinds of people with all different incomes. I'm just talking about the tendency towards isolation that comes with money. I think people with money that follow Jesus have an extremely hard task in keeping Jesus Lord. I'm glad God hasn't given me that responsibility...I'd blow it!
There are some people bringing a sense of community...check this out.
http://www.cohousing.org/what_is_cohousing
Great thoughts Dan.
Blessings.
So does this mean we're splitting your new three bedroom? I get the big room...
just need more of these. problem solved?
I just watched the new Hulk movie.... to no offense to anyone... but when the display of Rio De Janeiro hit the screen I couldn't help but picture that as to what it would look like to live in close community....
I'll pass...
Just a thought.... Here in America, we are very "Family" oriented.. at least more than most other countries.. We have parks for kids... outing type places... Restaurants that cater to "families".... Houses are built around this idea... that is why most that are married that have no children will have a home that accommodates a little more than what they really need.... We build homes to encourage families.... That is what we do in America...
I saw the link with the really cool looking buildings made out of old rusted storage containers.... Not a bad idea if you want to isolate yourself some more...... I couldn't imagine that being really practical... I want to get a good size piece of land.. with a good size house on it... plant a nice good size garden that my Church family can even enjoy... Show my children what it is like to run around and build tree forts... Shoot BB Guns, build crazy bike jumps.. get a good idea what nature is like... this is what my American dream looks like... I can't see the point in scratching off a square i the dirt that accommodates the least of "our" needs. and if that's the idea... shouldn't we just cut to the chase and live in caves? I mean really... we only really need food and water... some sort of shelter and fire to keep warm...
another thought..
What about people who have been employed at a job for 20+ years? and have worked their way up successfully.. is the idea that they are "required" or "should" live within a "certain" amount and then give the rest away? I think of Julie's father who has been with a company for 30 years... he started at the very bottom, right after he graduated from a state university. He put his fam in a small 2 bedroom home... later built a more fitting home.. (he actually built it) they then sold that home and now reside in a bigger home, with a pool by the way..... But are they this example of what not to do? Seriously someone help me out here....
any thoughts??
Can we admit that we are being "greedy" because we are looking upon someone else's income?
Is generosity learning to budget so you can give? or living below your means so you can be generous?
Is generosity marginalized? Do you live by much and give the rest away?
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