As you can see by the pictures posted above this is another rant on how we waste our money. The words have been toned down and edited so as not to be expelled from blogspot.
What the hell is this world coming to. Back to the pet rant yet again. Was listening to a sermon online by Tony Compolo and he was using an illustration about overweight dogs that people have. They would just as soon feed their fat pet than people who are starving. Take a look at this website http://www.petcomfort.com and see how ridiculous things have gotten for a freaking pet. (see pictures above) You can buy them luxury furniture, designer clothes, rhinestone collars, strollers (and you wonder why these things are fat), jewelry and even stupid steps for your pets to get on the couch or into the van. PICK THE STUPID THING UP. How freaking lazy are people. What's next...maybe we can hire someone to walk with us when we walk our dog to pick up after them so we don't have to, or attach a bag to their butts!!!!!!!!!!!!!
It's not just the pet &^%^$. Do we really need to have these brand new freaking churches that we spend millions of dollars on or to go into debt to build. Church is not a case of "If you build it they will come." If that is why people are coming then stay home. Church is not about prestige. God does not dwell in our building.
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=acts%2017:24;&version=31; He is so much "bigger" than that. He dwells within us. I guess I am looking at the waste of money spent on new fancy churches, while the poor suffer day after day. We have sooooo much and we give soooooo little to those who need. I would love to challenge you but I need to first be challenged myself to make a difference here. If we are not making a difference in this life and in the lives of people then what the "hell" are we doing here?
Just to move slightly away from this topic and I mean slightly, after reading the first few chapters of Ecclesiastes and how pleasures are meaningless, as is work ( I knew that), wisdom and folly and riches all have no meaning without God. Isn't life more than getting up, going to work, coming home and going to bed. Hell yeah. Without God everything we do, though good as we may see it, is just meaningless. If I could get the dream job I wanted (I know you thought I had it now) or won the lottery (hmmm, hmmmm, hmmmmm) and had millions of dollars what good is that to me if I don't do "thing one" for those in need with all that I have. If I were to die without God, (then literally - the hell with me) all I have done, and accomplished means squat. If I were the greatest golfer in the world, winning more than anyone else and died without God, will people remember me. Yeah, but what will I care, I am dead and gone, and without God, I am in hell. Life is more than the work we do and the time we waste doing things that don't mean $#!*. Let's extend grace and love to that person we can't stand and help to those who are in need (there are many). Feel free to challenge me. I don't want to be just that bump on a log, I want to make a difference in someones life
14 comments:
Amen, Blog Preacher Mike.
We do waste a lot of money - don't we. We as a society are pouring money monuments and buildings and all sorts of that we don't need and children are going without food. We lavish our children with gifts on holidays and there are children in other countries that don't have one gift or our spending the money we send them at Christmas on a goat and shoes.
I especially think of how the world was in shock on Sept 11 by how many people died in those attacks - there are more children dying of hunger each and every day but the world doesn't seem to be in shock about that!!!!!!!
This is a burning issue in our home. And it is a constant battle as we challenge each other to constantly be thinking outside our self and realize how very blessed we are.
We still waste money - but hopefully as time goes on we are getting better and using our finances to make the world a little better for a few people anyway. One step at a time.
I read Ecc. too and it really made me think of all the meaningless things in my life that upset me or hog my time and found I have a lot of re-evaluating to do.
Amanda
p.s. How can I listen to Tony online??????
A few weeks ago while flicking the channels I noticed myself criticizing Paris Hilton and male friend Brandon Davis[the son of a rich oil tycoon]. It went something along the lines of "Look at these people. They are horrible. Some of the worst. If I had the billions of dollars that this guy has... etc etc" claiming how I would be such a humanitarian. And then it dawned on me... winning the lottery would not spur such action from me. It does not matter how much money you have[looking at the world's population we probably fall into the upper fifth percentile when it comes to wealth], but it comes from within. And yet... now that I realize this... I still do nothing about it.
I think I will continue on this topic tomorrow, maybe not as strong as I came across today.
To listen to Tony online just copy and paste the following http://www.tonycampolo.org/media_archive.php and then click on stream on whichever topic you want.
You bring up some excellent points Amanda, especially about Christmas, and the gifts we lavish on each other that in essence will be gone tomorrow.
I know what you are saying anonymous. If we are not giving even now out of the little that we think we have, we will not likely give out of the lottery abundance we wish we had.
WOW, Again I am not the first to comment. Sorry, friends, My heart & mind is in Calgary today with a friend coping with a new Cancer diagnosis.
You are so right on, Mike. I waste a lot of money, with the justification that I work hard, often more than one full time job, so I hsould be able to spend it how I want. I don't hoard money, I do enjoy spending it on and with friends. But I don't really often look beyond my own circles of friends. I don't hold tightly to my money, i am not frugal. But am I wise, as we are called to be in the bible? I guess perhaps we can justify ourselves by using excuses such as "how do we know that this homeless person will spend the money wisely? How do we know they will buy milk for their children." But .... Jesus calls us to surrender. Jesus calls us to look out for the poor, the widow, the oprhan. He doesn't call us to judge whehter they will spend the money wisely. Surrender vs. door mat? How tightly do we hold our money when it comes to giving up control of where it might be spent?
Thots anyone?
sr
I hope things are well with your friend. What is the new diagnosis? I know too well the feeling of people diagnosed with cancer after losing my sister and brother to it.
I struggle too with the guy with the hand out, knowing or thinking surely you can work like the rest of us. But that verse comes up "....when did I see you hungry and feed you or naked and clothe you or etc". These are all only words...action is still required. After all is said and done there is more said than done.
i too have a stuggle with giving to some on the street corners and such and then a couple of weeks ago i read a passage in luke that says to "give to everyone who asks you...." it's hard to remember that they will be the ones to answer if they are taking advantage and that it is not up to us to judge.
we also have to remember that we are also responsible to be good stewards of what God has given us. Where is the balance?????
Thanks for the link to Tony!!!!
Amanda
I am really not sure where the balance is when we are not quite sure about that guy on the street corner. Matthew 25 talks about when I was a stranger, hungry, naked etc and in verse 40 says 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'
Yes we are to be good stewards and also shrewd (Luke 16:1-15). So many questions. Are we making the Christian life more complicated than need be???
nope mike, we aren't making it harder. in learning comes growth, in probing together comes friendship,and in questioning comes greater awareness, greater understanding. And perhaps greater passion. And perhaps greater compassion. All good things. We won't have all the answers, we won't agree on everything we discuss here. But it is awesome to have a place to discuss together, to question together, to share uninhibited, and to get to know each other. You guys are awesome to blog with.
sr
Well said SA. I can't tell you how helpful this has been for me, hearing your responses and inter acting this way. Well I guess I just did tell you how helpful it was :)
i too really appreciate this blog. it has really challenged me to be more about action than knowledge. i think with questions come growth and maturity. other than with bob, i don't have the opportunity to sit down and have theological discussion and i have really been hungering for it lately. thanks so much for feeding me. and thanks for the new friendships that are developing here.
Amanda
ditto to what amanda said!!! AND I DON'T HAVE BOB... in fact, I don't have anyone up here.. the most fellowship I get is on the phone.. and LL is BUSY this week. So I have grown to love and cherish this blog together! Can hardly wait for our BBQ together!
sr
Your blog has got me to thinking about how open and closed fisted one can be with not just money but anything one considers to be 'theirs'. there are times i have struggled with giving to others who squander what i have worked so hard for. but i agree with what has been stated that it is up to God to judge that and up to me to judge not others but only my own heart. i have always realized that for many of us a couple of lost paychecks and lousy circumstances could put us on the other side so to speak. emerson drive puts words and emotion to that concept in a beautiful song entitled 'moments'.
it really brings perspective. i have included the lyrics but mike i wonder if you could add a link to the song. [i don't know how to do that]
stay warm and dry,
deb
Moments - Emerson Drive
I was coming to the end of a long long walk
When a man crawled out of a cardboard box
Under the E. Street Bridge
Followed me on to it
I went out halfway across
With that homeless shadow tagging along
So I dug for some change
Wouldn't need it anyway
He took it lookin' just a bit ashamed
He said, You know, I haven't always been this way
I've had my moments, chasing the sun
Moments I was second to none
Moments when I knew I did what I thought I couldn't do
Like that plane ride coming home from the war
That summer my son was born
And memories like a coat so warm
A cold wind can't get through
Lookin' at me now you might not know it
But I've had my moments
I stood there tryin' to find my nerve
Wondering if a single soul on Earth
Would care at all
Miss me when I'm gone
That old man just kept hanging around
Lookin' at me, lookin' down
I think he recognized
That look in my eyes
Standing with him there I felt ashamed
I said, You know, I haven't always been this way
I've had my moments, chasing the sun
Moments I was second to none
Moments when I knew I did what I thought I couldn't do
Like the day I walked away from the wine
For a woman who became my wife
And a love that, when it was right,
Could always see me through
Lookin' at me now you might not know it
But I've had my moments
I know somewhere 'round a trash can fire tonight
That old man tells his story one more time
He says
I've had my moments, chasing the sun
Moments I was second to none
Moments when I knew I did what I thought I couldn't do
Like that cool night on the E. Street Bridge
When a young man almost ended it
I was right there, wasn't scared a bit
And I helped to pull him through
Lookin' at me now you might not know it
Oh, lookin' at me now you might not know it
But I've had my moments x4
Hey Deb, it is tough when it comes to giving money to those who we are pretty sure will just go out and squander what we give them. I posted an answer to Amanda's question on the other blog that talks about this same stuff.
Also, I found the video for the song Moments. It is under Videos of the week.
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