What You Have

What you have
(a brief Lectionary reflection by Steve Orr)

"Is it OK for God's people to have stuff?"

That's the question, in one form or another, I get from time to time. The questioner is concerned about materialism. And more specifically, they are concerned about the conflicting messages they are receiving from well-meaning believers and spiritual leaders.

On the one hand, we are bombarded with messages that say, in effect, if we DON'T have stuff, it's because we don't have enough faith, or enough of the right kind of faith. The message: your lack of stuff is a direct measure of your lack of faith. Simultaneously, we are bombarded from the complete opposite direction with messages telling us that we must NOT have stuff (or only have very little stuff) because stuff gets between us and God. The message: the less stuff you have, the closer to God you are.

To say the messages are confusing is somewhat of an understatement. As a result, it is quite common for us to just PICK A SIDE rather than remain confused . . . even though we are often unable to fully explain the Biblical basis for our choice.

Part of the confusion comes from the fact that we are not asking the right question. Behind the question, "Is it OK for God's people to have stuff?", is what we really want to know: "Is it OK for ME to have stuff?" As it turns out, that is a much better question, and one we can address through scripture.

Throughout the Bible there are many people depicted as having stuff; all the kings, for example. Also, there are many large land owners in scripture---including Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob---who have large households, thousands of head of cattle and/or sheep, productive farming operations with many employees to perform the many tasks that attend such estates. These would be the equivalent of today's super-rich.

There are good kings and bad kings, good wealthy people and bad wealthy people. In fact, it is quite rare that the reader of scripture encounters a person who is lauded for their wealth or their lack of wealth. We read of Joseph, who comes from a wealthy background, gets sold into slavery, goes to prison, and then rises to the highest position under Pharaoh. We read of David, also from a well-off family, who goes from shepherd to soldier to sovereign.

Moses had it all and gave it all up to flee a murder charge, but ends up leading a nation. Job had it all only to see it all taken from him, and then, eventually, received even more than he had to begin with. The Prophet Elijah lives for a while on just what God gives him to eat and drink, but later has a servant and a residence. Then there is the Prophet Obadiah who worked for an evil king, lived in relative luxury during the famine, but served God honorably. Rahab is a prostitute who becomes a princess. Ruth is a widow who marries a wealthy land owner. Esther, a slave, enters a beauty contest and becomes the queen of a nation.

And then there's Solomon, someone who never knew anything but wealth. When pressed for a definitive answer, this week's scripture about Solomon is where I point people. Is it OK for you to have stuff? Personally, I don't think the answer lies with the stuff; it lies with you.

What you have
Has you.
Neither bad nor good;
Just true.

What is your relationship to the stuff? I ask that because this question about whether it's OK to have stuff is a "first world" question. It's not a "third world" question. We only ask the question because we live in a place where there is plenty. In undeveloped or underdeveloped countries, they're asking much more fundamental questions. There is not a surfeit of stuff with which to be concerned.

If God asked you, as he did of Solomon, what you want, what would your answer be? Solomon's answer perfectly reflects the idea of "Seek first the Kingdom of God and all these things will be added to you."

Do you have questions about materials things? or about ANY thing? Do as Solomon did: ask God for wisdom. He will give it, and more. The question then becomes, not WHETHER you may have stuff---you live in the first world; there's a LOT of stuff here---but rather what does your God-given wisdom tell you to do with it?

###############################
READINGS FOR THE COMING WEEK
http://lectionary.library.vanderbilt

Proper 15 (20) (August 19, 2012)
1 Kings 2:10-12; 3:3-14
Psalm 111
Proverbs 9:1-6
Psalm 34:9-14
Ephesians 5:15-20
John 6:51-58

Lots of great selections this week on wisdom. Soak it up! :-)

We will be enjoying each other's company and some great food this Friday morning at Cafe Cappuccino (downtown Waco, on 6th near the Courthouse). Join us at 8:00 if you are in town.

Enjoy the week!
Steve