Blogotional: Being Hopeful

Wednesday, March 11, 2009

Being Hopeful

I was genuinely enthused when I read the title to a Ben Witherington post linked by Mark Daniels:

RESTORING HOPE IN A CRASHING ECONOMY

When I got there, what I found was a mixed bag. The reason is less informational and more tonal. Witherington begins his post with some shots at free market capitalism that are reasonably valid, but to my mind unnecessary. Any economic system is corruptible. It is not the system that matters, it is the people using it. He then offers four principles on being a Christian with money:

THE EARTH IS THE LORD’S AND ALL THAT IS THEREIN
DAILY BREAD IS NOT DAILY BLING
A WORKMAN IS WORTHY OF HIS HIRE AND LET HIM WHO WILL NOT WORK, NOT EAT
THE PURPOSE OF HARD WORK IS TO SAVE ALL WE CAN, SO WE CAN ALSO GIVE ALL WE CAN

While I cannot disagree with those points at all, I wonder if those points at this time produce hope? The answer, of course, depends on how they are presented. And frankly, presenting them in this fairly legalistic fashion does not, to my eye, build hope.

I don't think I am alone in this either. Most of the people I know handle their money well and in a Christian fashion. Granted, there are exceptions, but most of the people I know are still employed (statistically that has to be true), still make a good living (again, statistically genuine poverty, even is this climate is the exception, not the rule), still handle their money within reason, and have no reason, other than a constant barrage of bad news, about others, from sources ranging from the news to the pulpit, to believe that their future holds otherwise. And yet, fear rules the day for them.

I personally have had to fight such fear at moments in the last months. At one point I had to break out all the statements, take a sober look at what I had and remind myself that things were just fine. And then I was ashamed....

And here is why - Hope, my hope, your hope, the hope of any Christian, does not lie in what I have - it lies in Jesus Christ, Him alone and Him only. And THAT dear friends is the message that we need to preach right now to "restore hope in a crashing economy." Many preachers follow the lectionary - more power to them. But if you do not, there are some texts that I repeat to myself daily that I would love to hear preached upon

Matt 6:34 - Therefore do not be anxious for tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

1Thes 5:18 - in everything give thanks; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.

Ps 121:1-2 - I will lift up my eyes to the mountains; from whence shall my help come? My help comes from the LORD, who made heaven and earth.

And more than just hear these passages preached, I want to hear them preached in a cheerful fashion! I want to hear from the tone in the pulpit and I want to see in the life of those around me - including my own - the reality of the hope that is in those passages. For scripture also reminds us:

Prov 15:13-15 - A joyful heart makes a cheerful face, but when the heart is sad, the spirit is broken. The mind of the intelligent seeks knowledge, but the mouth of fools feeds on folly. All the days of the afflicted are bad, but a cheerful heart has a continual feast.

Eccl 9:7 - Go then, eat your bread in happiness, and drink your wine with a cheerful heart; for God has already approved your works.

2 Cor 9:7 - Let each one do just as he has purposed in his heart; not grudgingly or under compulsion; for God loves a cheerful giver.

As Christians we have hope, and we need to act like it! And that means be confident, be cheerful, and spread the cheer.

To that end, I am going to suspend normal blogging here at Blogotional next week, during the week. All five days, Monday-Friday, are going to be "Friday Humor" days. That's right - I'm just going to tell jokes all week. I hope they bring a smile to your face. Some of them may be a bit off color - I hope you can suspend your concerns for taste and decorum and simply enjoy. I hope and pray they give you cheer, and that you spread that cheer. Such cheer is a mark of the Gospel that we all claim to hold dear.

Such cheer is of the Lord.

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