a continuation from Matt's talk Monday

Some exciting things happened at the Gathering Monday. I'll be posting about that soon. In the meanwhile, here's something I typed up for students, as I reflected on the message I shared Monday night:
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At the Gathering on Monday, I talked about faith. Sole fide: only by faith can we be pleasing to God; only by faith do we have meaning, because God alone can make our lives worthwhile.

I struggled toward the end of the talk to bring the point of it all home to the everyday. I challenged everyone there to do everything by faith: go to class by faith, to work, to sleep, to prayer… Yet, I still felt I was missing the tangible examples to make the point real, not merely abstract. This bothered me, because I’m a firm believer that the material world of our everydayness (eating, sleeping, working, playing, relating, and mating) is the place for true spirituality to work out: “Faith without deeds is dead.¹”

Yesterday, while talking with a student, I got what I was looking for.

“Seek first the Kingdom of God and [everything] will be added to you.²” --Jesus

In our lives, we have goals, dreams, and ambitions. Some of these come from ourselves, some from our families or society at large, some even come from God. We make plans, and work those plans to accomplish these exciting possibilities. We get seriously happy when they are realized. We are devastated when it all goes to pieces.

“Now listen, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.” Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.³”

Good ol’ James knows how to lay it down.

The point is: our work will not accomplish the dreams of God, the only dreams that really matter. The dreams we make, the ambitions of our world and our friends and our families are all too narrow, lack justice, and fail the test of eternity.

It’s a great goal to hope to graduate with a 4.0gpa, but whose goal is that, and at what expense will you pursue it?
It’s a great goal to be respected by your co-workers, known as the one who always puts in extra time, but whose goal is that, and who will suffer as you prioritize work over others?
It’s a great goal to build a sweet resume in college, but, again, whose goal are you pursuing? What opportunities will you miss, God-devised opportunities, because you’ve over-committed yourself? The list goes on and on.

“Apart from faith, no one can please God.⁴” This is where we are. I believe with all my being that God’s economy works. God instituted the practice of tithing: the first 10% of our income belongs to God. No one will ever live as well on 95% or 98% or 100% of their income as the one living on 90% devoting the first ten to God. This principle applies in every area of our lives.

Say we dream of attending a prestigious law school after undergrad, so we work to build a stellar resume and a perfect gpa. Kudos to you, my friend, but the person who has prioritized the Kingdom of God (seeking to know God and obey His commands), and missed a few resume builders, and got a few B’s will find realization to her heart’s desires first.

Delight yourself in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart.⁵

Better is a little with the fear of the Lord than great treasure and turmoil with it.⁶

Better is a little with righteousness than great income with injustice.⁷

Notes

1. James 2:17

2. Matthew 6:33

3. James 4:13,14

4. Hebrews 11:6

5. Psalm 37:4

6. Proverbs 15:16

7. Proverbs 16:8