Would Jesus drive a BMW? That question has floated around in the Christian community and even in an environmentalist ad campaign. Regardless of what you think about Jesus’ supposed motor vehicle of choice, the root issue is this: “What should Christians do with their money?” No doubt, money—either the lack of it or its abundance—conditions our lifestyle choices. The temptation is to think that we’re not successful until we have a large home, drive a nice car, put our kids in the best private schools and take exciting vacations to Aruba. Sadly, many of us are willing to risk our future well-being and financial freedom in order to be happy today, at any price. The Bible says the world clamors and “runs” after all it can grab in this life (see Luke 12:29–30). Women who are committed to Jesus have to make counter-cultural choices in their lifestyles. Emulating Jesus’ lifestyle does not necessarily mean pursuing poverty (as if by it one is inherently more spiritual). It means internally identifying with the overarching themes of his life. Consider the themes of Jesus’ life: Contentment Outrageous generosity Impenetrable joy Unselfishness These characteristics, not dollar signs, are the primary distinctions between Jesus’ lifestyle versus the way the world lives. Deciding you’re not going to live like the rest of the world—even if you can afford it—is that much more difficult when you realize that Jesus is talking about a change of heart. Trading in a new BMW for a used Honda is much easier than taking a realistic look behind what is driving your lifestyle choices. Your attitude toward money, not what’s in your garage, is one of the quickest external indicators of your inward commitment. “[In our media-saturated culture,] people can see, in agonizing detail, all the expensive things they will never possess. This may make what a typical person possesses seem insufficient, even if the person is one of the tens of millions of Americans living, by the standards of history, in unprecedented comfort and freedom.” —Gregg Easterbrook “Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, ‘Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.’” Hebrews 13:5 From Biblegateway
Posted on: Mon, 10 Jun 2013 22:39:22 +0000