Being a Christian is about being a servant. It is putting others’ interests first, not exalting yourself above others. Philippians 2:3-4 says, “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but to the interests of others.” We are to put others ahead of ourselves. That is the essence of the Christian life, and it is how our Lord Jesus himself lived when He was here on Earth.
The pursuit of wealth or prominence in this country has consumed most of the American church. The evidence lies in the teachings of pastors such as Joel Osteen, or Joyce Meyer, who often advise people that the power to do or get what you want lies within you. Their book sales are in the millions and they seem to be everywhere on TV and the internet. But their large ministries are a factor of telling people what they want to hear, and slick (and expensive) advertising.
Getting what you want is not in the Christian playbook, nor has it ever been. Nowhere in the Bible does it say that we deserve more possessions, a bigger house, or a high paying job. In fact, the Bible says that those worldly things are meaningless in the Kingdom of God. The pursuit of wealth has no place in the pursuit of Christ.
Just as with anything in life, a Christian must make a choice and stick with it. Contemporary wisdom says to pursue your own interests. God says to pursue Him. We must make a daily choice to follow Christ and extract ourselves from the pursuits of the world.
July 12, 2008
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