Dead Spouses Give Perspective

Tuesday, August 16th, 2005 at 4:02 pm | Posted in Kingdom Bits.

I’ve got a friend who is looking for a job now. He was telling me about how he had met with an older man in his church that is known for being a good “business man”. My friend was sharing with him how he was interested in working for a non-profit ministry — something he could get behind as doing the work of Christ. The man’s advice was something to the effect of, “There’s no money in that. Serve in the children’s ministry on Sundays if you want but you’ve got to get out there and make money for your family.”

It seems that this man has lost sight of why we as Christians are to work in the first place. Yes, it is to provide for our family but it is also to support the work of the Kingdom — caring for widows and orphans at least (James 1:27). I think of what “make money for your family” really means. It probably requires a lot less than what we think of in North Atlanta. It probably doesn’t include the finest of homes, giant TVs, luxury cars, piles of clothes, huge portions of food, extravagant vacations, or even a comfortable retirement.

Not that all the items in this list are inherently evil. But are you using them for God’s glory or is it just another feather in your personal pleasure/social status hat? For example, I’ve got another friend who struggled whether to spend his birthday money on an iPod or a Class A guitar amp. He wanted to make the best decision based on which one would benefit the music ministry at his church the most. I admire both my friends for having a Kingdom perspective.

I find the last half of verse 27 most interesting. We are all spoiled rotten and have been stained by the world because we aren’t doing our job and have lost perspective. It’s time to fall on our faces, give God thanks, and give our time and resources back to Him.

How are you directly or indirectly caring for widows & orphans?

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2 Responses to “Dead Spouses Give Perspective”

  1. David says:
    August 16th, 2005 at 11:27 pm

    Here is a bit of news from a home across the highway from us…

    I (the author of the email update) was with Ida today until 4:00pm. Her breathing was heavy today. After she was cleaned up by the nurse’s aid which involved quite a bit of moving around, we noticed a change in her breathing. She had a crackling sound that people with pneumonia get when their lungs have fluid. That went away for a while after a breathing medicine was administered. Later on she began somewhat groaning with each breath. After I left, Wayne said her breathing got louder and louder and all of a sudden, she got quiet. He looked at her and she had the most peaceful look on her face. Her eyes were open and she looked from left to right and gently closed her eyes. That was it. I think it was so special that no one was there but the family. Last night Jeremy and Misty got there. Josh and Macy were home from school. Wayne, her faithful, loving husband was by her side.

    All of a sudden the list mentioned above doesn’t seem to matter much anymore.

  2. benissocool says:
    August 17th, 2005 at 2:44 pm

    I once knew a guy who was a surgeon. He left his practice for the ministry, which is his family’s business/legacy. You’d all know them if I said the name. He was a sincere man and I never doubted his motivations or desire to leave medicine for Ministry. Most people who knew him said he was already doing both, and darn well.

    But as a college-grad at the time who was struggling to find a decent job, the irony was not lost on me: if I had his investment portfolio, it would be a much easier “struggle” to choose whether to give it up and go serve.

    So many years later the irony of my own choices are not lost on me, or others I would guess. Talk is cheap, and we all know where the well paved road of good intentions is leading…..

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