Today's post is by guest writer Keith Ward.
How do you measure? For most of the world the answer is by the metric system. Where I wish that America had switched to that simpler system in my Dad’s time, I do not want to learn a new system. Even if done when I was in High School, my lifetime would have been one of confusion between English and Metric.
Sometimes, I measure biblically. Strings I need regularly for tying things in the garden need to be about a cubit and a handspan—the latter eyeballed. It is so much easier to stretch the cord along my forearm than to carry about a ruler. Rows are so many heel-to-toe feet apart. If I set my mind, I can fall into the drill-field pattern of pacing and measure longer distances very closely—each pace is 2 ½ feet.
So, then, how do your measure your Christianity? I am so many feet and inches tall? But, how can I look at my life and determine how I measure up? We know that we are to give all. “It may not take much of a man to be a Christian, but it takes all there is of him.” How should one assess where he stands?
The saying is, “Put your money where your mouth is.” So then, how do you spend your money? Jesus said, "And I tell you, make friends for yourselves by how you use worldly wealth, so that when it runs out you will be welcomed into the eternal homes." (Luke 16:9 NET). So, how are you doing according to this measure at making heavenly friends? Certain amounts of everyone’s income are needed for food clothing and shelter. Certainly we can over-commit in these areas with oversize houses and expensive clothing so that we cannot serve God to the extent we ought. But, let's keep it simpler. Out of the money not spent on necessities last year, how much went for pleasure and how much went to God (the latter is not limited to the collection basket on Sundays)? Pro-rate big items like the TV in relation to their expected lifetime, cable TV bill, movies, vacations, fishing boats, game boys, eating out, etc. Then add up all you gave on Sunday, all that you spent on Bibles, commentaries and other books to strengthen faith, all money given to the needy or to preachers. Probably, for many churchgoers, this is not a happy assessment.
Or, we could look at it from the viewpoint of how we spend our time. So much is given to sleep and so much to work. If one works “as unto the Lord” this is God time. But, what about the rest of our time? Truly, time is all we have to give. Even money is a function of how we spend our time. So, again, after the necessaries, how much time was spent in pleasure, watching sports or movies, playing video games, vacations, relaxing with a best seller, etc? Then, how much was spent in prayer, Bible study, reaching out to a co-worker or neighbor with a view to beginning a study, helping the poor, visiting the sick, reading to build our own faith, working to become a teacher, or better teacher, of the Bible?
God wants all of us. Not just church time, all our time. Certainly, godly fun is part of a godly life, but not only has much of fun become morally corrupting, we have lost all balance and give our pleasure too much of our time.
When do we make the time for these:
"Then the king will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me.’ Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or naked and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ And the king will answer them, ‘I tell you the truth, just as you did it for one of the least of these brothers or sisters of mine, you did it for me.’ " (Matt 25:34-40).
Keith Ward
How do you measure? For most of the world the answer is by the metric system. Where I wish that America had switched to that simpler system in my Dad’s time, I do not want to learn a new system. Even if done when I was in High School, my lifetime would have been one of confusion between English and Metric.
Sometimes, I measure biblically. Strings I need regularly for tying things in the garden need to be about a cubit and a handspan—the latter eyeballed. It is so much easier to stretch the cord along my forearm than to carry about a ruler. Rows are so many heel-to-toe feet apart. If I set my mind, I can fall into the drill-field pattern of pacing and measure longer distances very closely—each pace is 2 ½ feet.
So, then, how do your measure your Christianity? I am so many feet and inches tall? But, how can I look at my life and determine how I measure up? We know that we are to give all. “It may not take much of a man to be a Christian, but it takes all there is of him.” How should one assess where he stands?
The saying is, “Put your money where your mouth is.” So then, how do you spend your money? Jesus said, "And I tell you, make friends for yourselves by how you use worldly wealth, so that when it runs out you will be welcomed into the eternal homes." (Luke 16:9 NET). So, how are you doing according to this measure at making heavenly friends? Certain amounts of everyone’s income are needed for food clothing and shelter. Certainly we can over-commit in these areas with oversize houses and expensive clothing so that we cannot serve God to the extent we ought. But, let's keep it simpler. Out of the money not spent on necessities last year, how much went for pleasure and how much went to God (the latter is not limited to the collection basket on Sundays)? Pro-rate big items like the TV in relation to their expected lifetime, cable TV bill, movies, vacations, fishing boats, game boys, eating out, etc. Then add up all you gave on Sunday, all that you spent on Bibles, commentaries and other books to strengthen faith, all money given to the needy or to preachers. Probably, for many churchgoers, this is not a happy assessment.
Or, we could look at it from the viewpoint of how we spend our time. So much is given to sleep and so much to work. If one works “as unto the Lord” this is God time. But, what about the rest of our time? Truly, time is all we have to give. Even money is a function of how we spend our time. So, again, after the necessaries, how much time was spent in pleasure, watching sports or movies, playing video games, vacations, relaxing with a best seller, etc? Then, how much was spent in prayer, Bible study, reaching out to a co-worker or neighbor with a view to beginning a study, helping the poor, visiting the sick, reading to build our own faith, working to become a teacher, or better teacher, of the Bible?
God wants all of us. Not just church time, all our time. Certainly, godly fun is part of a godly life, but not only has much of fun become morally corrupting, we have lost all balance and give our pleasure too much of our time.
When do we make the time for these:
"Then the king will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me.’ Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or naked and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ And the king will answer them, ‘I tell you the truth, just as you did it for one of the least of these brothers or sisters of mine, you did it for me.’ " (Matt 25:34-40).
Keith Ward
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