And as i read the below comment part of me went "yeh, i guess", but then thinking about it...
i don't have a right to sit here in my nice kooshy house, in a nice kooshy suburb, in a relatively kooshy country, and write about my judgements on other people. I don't have a right to MAKE judgements on people (not that that stops me, or you i'd assume, from doing that). I don't believe that God wants us all living in poverty. I believe He can use poverty in huge ways to grow people and challenge them about what's important. I believe that the accmuluation of material wealth for selfish reason is wrong. And i struggle to see the accumulation of material wealth as being a non-selfish thing. Notice the word accumulation. I think that's the crux. Gathering more and more stuff. This isn't an attack on people who are the "have's". I'm just saying that if God provides you with money, perhaps there are better things to spend it on that a car that's top class. I'm not saying you have to walk, or buy a bomb to be right with God (and i choose my words and thoughts carefully after my parents have just bought me a second hand, but quality car). But simplicity is an important godly discipline. I liked what Kevin said about praying that peoples heart stay guarded. Coz that's important. Worldly wealth, amongst many other things, is dangerous because we let our guard down as we become comfortable. No longer relying on the provision of God, we rely on our own abilities and capabilities to provide for ourselves. Using the word 'we', i don't like doing that. Its like using the word 'you' - when really meaning 'me'. anyway. i digress.
I'm also not one for arguments. We all have a right to believe what we believe, not meaning we're always right. There will be different perspectives and convictions. We all have different life experiences. I think in my line of work too, I can't afford (excuse the pun) to be aiming to accumulate wealth, coz i'm never going to be able too. I don't think God thinks us better coz of the material sacrifices my workmates and i make, and sometimes it won't even stop the focus on money matters, as we stress about cashflow and resourcing, but i think that for some people, material wealth brings about weakness.
But anyway, there are much more significant issues than this in life. But I did want to just say something about all that. Maybe I'll just go read my Bible for a bit, and ask God what He thinks I should think.
And blessings don't always have to mean material. I think I'd rather other kinds of blessings anyway!
Kevin's comment:
"I just find it hilarious that a number of Christians think that God
wants his people broke and busted. Jesus said "the love of money" is
evil. If a person has a heart for the things of God and doing His work,
there will be blessings that follow. It's a natural law. It's because of
the poverty mentality that there are people around the world still
hungry because the church has made people belive that it's wrong to
accumulate wealth. We as believers shouldn't have to ask the world for
anything. If a christian leader had purchased a broken down vehicle would that
have made him more "Godly" in the eyes of Christ? Why don't celebrate
what God is doing in his life and pray that his heart stay guarded.... Let's pray for him to continue to be
blessed financially because it's when we are blessed that we can help
ministries further the message of salvation around the world.
kevin"