"Rundle thinks we've gotten away from that now, and instead we turn to the government or ourselves for security. It's a mentality found in churches too, said Rundle, where there are often financial seminars that emphasize how to manage a nest egg and learn to be financially self-sufficient.
"'There's an underlying emphasis in many of these seminars on becoming totally independent and not needing anybody--including God,' said Rundle. 'And I think this (economic) crisis is showing us the folly of all that.'"
(Biola Magazine, summer '09, p. 22)
Would love to hear anyone's thoughts on this...
6 comments:
A further thought might be that we are lead to believe that we are entitled to retirement when we really never see that in the Bible. Part of the reason social security is in trouble is because we are healthier and live longer and yet we stop working when we are able to continue. I think it's like anything else - it starts out good (financial classes to prevent indebtedness to allow the freedom to give to God's work)and we twist it when we get our hands on it into being independent and free of the need for anyone - God included.
Wow.
You know if we all followed the WORD....
It would be hard but simple.
No debt.
and families taking care of each other.
Trusting God for our daily bread.
At my sister's, who died suddenly in her sleep, funeral I talked about James 4:13-15
Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will[a] go to such and such a city, spend a year there, whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away. 15 Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we shall live and do this or that.”
What happened to families taking care of their elderly parents? Too many choose too quickly to place them in "homes" so they can conviently continue their own lifestyle.
There are over 20 grandchildren on my mom's side, but somehow only three or four of us can find the time to help out with the care of my grandmother, who is a godly women.
I think we will be held accountable for even choices such as these.
I've never thought about the underlying thoughts for seminars that we've attended or heard of to be freedom from God...I'm not sure I agree from what we've experienced or heard about. It seems to me, we all have little control over money, especially "nest eggs" and if anyone thought they could teach a class on how to be financially free from the rest of the world, including God, I would doubt the wisdom of the teacher. Maybe we're just naive...but I thought most seminars were about doing the best you can to manage what you've been given in ways that are pleasing to God.
I think that retirement is not really a biblically sound goal. So, the idea of saving for a rainy day - of course, that seems prudent. But saving for our 'golden years' is a completely different concept. We can call it what we want, but ultimately it comes down to our desire for financial security and self-reliance. Neither of which hold much water in God's economy. Our days on earth are numbered and we should use each and every one of them to HIS glory. Whether we are working for a paycheck or not, we all have work to do for the kingdom, and that work should continue as long as we are breathing.
I was JUST talking along these same lines to The Prez tonight. It seems EVERY WEEK lately we hear a message at church about how we need to turn to God for all of our money/job loss woes. How "times are tough" but God will provide. Really? Provide what? Another six-figure salary job? Enough money to keep that 3,000 square-foot house that isn't quite large enough? I don't know. Is it just me or does anyone else think God may be the VERY reason our country is where it is, in this economic Slump? I mean, maybe He wants us to get back to the basics of life--to quit overindulging and feeling entitled to more and to share some of the wealth with our brothers and sisters all over the world in REAL NEED. If you think of it, we are all brothers and sisters b/c He is our Father, our Creator, whether all of those people know Him or not as Lord, we are still their brothers and sisters I think.
I really pray sometimes for God to call us to Africa or Ch*na or anywhere but here in ME, ME, ME land. (pointing the fingers back at myself too).
Post a comment (6)