When good goes to your head...

Today: Ezekiel 28-30

Have you ever had too much of a good thing? Like too much ice cream...only to get a nasty ice cream headache? Or too much exercise...to the point where you could barely walk the next day? (Okay, so I realize those are polar opposite "good things," but the people reading this could have different perspectives.) :)

In today's passage, God has some conversations with people who let good things go to their heads. Let's review His message here:

You used your head well,

worked good deals,

made a lot of money.

But the money has gone to your head,

swelled your head—

what a big head!...

Or here:

Your beauty went to your head.

You corrupted wisdom

by using it to get worldly fame...

Maybe you read these verses and thought, "Well, I'm not like that person. I don't let money, wisdom or beauty go to my head." Perhaps. But take a look at this part of the passage:

You,
a mere mortal,
not even close to being a god,
A mere mortal
trying to be a god...

Okay, so perhaps now you're thinking, "I know I'm not a god. I'm not THAT cocky!" However, I think sometimes even humble humans try to be god-like when they try to take total control over their lives, when they act as if they don't want or need the real God at all.

It's a common human tendency since the beginning of time (just ask Adam and Eve!), but that doesn't make it right. God gives all of us the gift of free will...which means we are as free to choose stupidity as we are to choose wisdom. The good gift of free will is something that can go to our heads just as much as money, wisdom or beauty can.

Instead, let's choose to be thankful for the gifts God gives us, but recognize the goodness in our lives comes from Him. Let's choose to acknowledge God as God...which means understanding we are not. And to be perfectly honest, there is great freedom--a gift actually--in that recognition itself.

Tomorrow: Ezekiel 31-33

Tripping up on money

Today: Ezekiel 5-8

There are a lot of TV shows that celebrate people who are rich, famous, or just want to be--everything from "Cribs" to "The Real Housewives of...(well, a bunch of different cities now!)" to entertainment news shows that talk about celebrities buying new homes, cars and the latest designer fashions.

Despite their shiny exteriors and wealth, it's interesting to see that many people who chase after fame and fortune are...well...pretty miserable. In today's passage, God is prophesying to Ezekiel about His people (before their eventual captivity). These verses about money and sin were interesting to me:

'They throw their money into the gutters.

Their hard-earned cash stinks like garbage.

They find that it won't buy a thing

they either want or need on Judgment Day.

They tripped on money

and fell into sin...

Interesting, right? In their love of money, God's people fell into sin. They chased after things instead of pursuing God and His purpose for their lives. And ultimately, He prophesied, they realized that the things that matter most in life aren't really things at all.

Is it wrong to have money? Of course not--we all need it not only to survive, but to help others by supporting churches and non-profit organizations. It's not wrong to have wealth, but it's wrong to allow wealth to have you--to run after wealth, trip up on it, and to fall into sin.

Tomorrow: Ezekiel 9-12

Builders and bullies

Today: Jeremiah 18-22

What are you building?

You may think this is a bizarre question if you're not handy with tools (personally, I haven't ever built anything...unless you count a gingerbread house). But I assure you--this question applies to us.

Every day we're building something--perhaps we're building the people around us, businesses, churches, savings, political causes, knowledge--you name it. Building any of these things can be positive, but as we've discussed in other posts, order matters to God.

In today's passage, He continued His discussion with Jeremiah and the people of Israel about their bad behavior. Let's review God's words here:

Doom to him who builds palaces but bullies people,

who makes a fine house but destroys lives,

Who cheats his workers and won't pay them for their work,

Who says, 'I'll build me an elaborate mansion with spacious rooms and fancy windows.

I'll bring in rare and expensive woods and the latest in interior decor.'

So, that makes you a king—living in a fancy palace?

Your father got along just fine, didn't he?

He did what was right and treated people fairly,

And things went well with him.

He stuck up for the down-and-out,

And things went well for Judah.

Isn't this what it means to know me?"

God's Decree!"

But you're blind and brainless.

All you think about is yourself,

Taking advantage of the weak,

bulldozing your way, bullying victims."

Yikes--these people seriously messed up. They thought they were building wealth and financial security, but they were doing it in a way that bulldozed over something much more important--other people.

It's important to point out that in this passage, God doesn't necessarily criticize wealth. When He talks about past leaders who lived correctly and treated people fairly, He said, "And things went well with him." I don't think God would have necessarily made that blanket statement about leaders who struggled financially, dealt with constant conflict, etc. Other parts of the Bible point to leaders God loved and blessed who were extremely wealthy (e.g. David, Solomon, Abraham).

However, when we are driven by greed and a self-promoting thirst for wealth or power, it's out of line with God's order. We become bullies--builders of own designs instead of building according to God's plans.

Consider what you're building, the order you're following and your motivation. If it's out of whack, the solution is simple: Go after God first with all you've got. The other stuff can follow that (see Matthew 6:33).

Tomorrow: Jeremiah 23-25

Creating opportunities for the poor

Today: Leviticus 19-21

Last night I saw my church's annual production Scrooge the Musical for about the billionth time (no lie--I've probably seen it annually since I was about four--back when my family didn't even attend the church that produced it!). Like many of Charles Dickens' works, "A Christmas Carol" tackles issues like poverty, greed and the exploitation of the poor (in Dickens' writing, it's often children--ala Tiny Tim).

Have you ever thought about how the poor are exploited today?

I realize that's a big, loaded question. But I think that, like in Dickens' time, it's because of greed. It's greed that causes companies to think so much about the bottom line that they outsource labor to people (sometimes children) in developing countries, paying pennies on the dollar for hard work. It's greed that keeps people saying, "I don't have enough to give" to non-profits (and the people who benefit from their donations), while simultaneously filling their homes with more "stuff" they don't need. And it's greed that keeps many of us from thinking about how we can really help the poor...not just through donations, but by creating jobs for those who are able to work.

I thought this part of today's reading was interesting:

When you harvest your land,

don't harvest right up to the edges of your field

or gather the gleanings from the harvest.

Don't strip your vineyard bare

or go back and pick up the fallen grapes.

Leave them for the poor and the foreigner.

I am God, your God.

This idea is interesting for a few reasons--God was teaching His people to be unselfish, to leave a portion of their crops (their wealth) for the poor to harvest. However, the poor weren't given the grain that the owners had already harvested. They had to go out and glean the fields themselves.

If you own a business or work for one, think about what the "gleanings" from your organization could be. What's a task or an untapped revenue source that could be an opportunity for the poor? I believe that if you (or your company) think creatively about what you can do to innovate and build opportunities for others, you will reap some rewards. The rewards might come from God in eternity or in other areas of your life. But once you start thinking creatively, I think our Creator is big enough to give you other ideas to build your business...

Tomorrow: Leviticus 22-23