Our desire is not that others might be relieved while you are hard pressed, but that there might be equality. At the present time your plenty will supply what they need, so that in turn their plenty will supply what you need. Then there will be equality, as it is written: "He who gathered much did not have too much, and he who gathered little did not have too little." (2 Corinthians 8:13-15)
As I've been wrestling through my life over the past months and especially weeks, I've been challenged to see where I really give my heart, my knees and my resources. Well... challenged is an understatement.
My heart is often at work or on my bike. My knees are hardly broken and rarely kneel before God. And my resources - I give when it's convenient and timely, and I feel pretty good about myself, but the reality is my resources are still mine. Me. Me. Me.
And yet my heart longs for so much more. It longs for a richness and fullness that can only be found in the generosity of allowing the gifts of God to pass through me. And my knees are made to bend and fall before God - I can feel it as if feeling the ache of your bones on a rainy day. I numb myself to the ache of prayer by popping pills of self-reliance and self-help. And the resources at my disposal are so often just that, my resources. The reality is so far from my reality. My soul yearns for more.
Give me neither poverty nor riches. But give me only my daily bread. Otherwise, I may have too much and disown you and say, ‘Who is the LORD?’ Or I may become poor and steal, and so dishonor the name of my God. (Proverbs 30:8-9)
I'm helpless.
I'm a product of greed.
I'm a slave to want.
Scripture explains something else. And I'm being challenged to break the chains of selfishness and the cycle of self-indulgence to instead rely upon God, to trust in God, to seek hard after God, to commune with God, to be generous like God, to love like Jesus. I'm so far away.
Equality. Everyone has enough, so nobody needs and nobody wants.
Generosity. Give and given to.
Love. Take care and be taken care of.
It's funny because things seem to be falling into place around me. My friends are moved by similar thoughts and ideas. Brian is investigating the Harvest Farm. Joe wants to meet with me about communal living. Todd is preaching of Generosity in Community. Seth is dreaming of urban farming solutions. Lee wants redemption via house communities. Drew is learning to lead through fatherhood. Maybe you have amazing stories...
Revolution is everywhere. Redemption is on the move. Revitalization is around the corner.
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