Recently in Worry Category

Money seems to be on everyone's mind these days. There are fears and concerns about the economy that are constant topics of talk radio and cable news. Your children will undoubtedly hear some of these concerns as they listen to adults who listen to television, radio and the search the internet.  In the midst of all the concerns about money and wealth it is a good idea to help your kids develop a biblical worldview about these subjects. One good place to start to do this is Chapter 12  of Luke's gospel. Here is an excerpt:

A new decade has arrived. What will the next ten years bring for your life? These questions are prominent in our thoughts as the new year begins. If you are a parent, these considerations have, no doubt, crossed your mind in the last few days. What kind of a parent will you be in this decade? What are the new issues that your children will face in the next ten years? As the decade begins, it is not uncommon for your thoughts to vacillate between hope and worry. There are new opportunities, but also new dangers to face. At the end of the day, when you are left alone with your thoughts, what do you think about?

Today is September 11, 2009.  "Are you safe?" seems like a good question to consider on the 8^th anniversary of the Al Qaeda attack. I remember the morning of September 11, 2001. I left the house early to follow my son to the mechanic's shop where he was to have some work done on his car. I was listening to the radio as we drove through the countryside. The local talk station was playing on my car radio.  About half way to the mechanic's, the morning talk show host interrupted his discussion of some local topic to report that apparently a small plane had just flown into one of the towers of the World Trade Center in New York. The host was more amused than alarmed at that point.  However, a few minutes later his tone was much more than alarmed. As reports began to spread through the various network wire services, an unsettling picture emerged of an unknown number of planes crashing into an unknown number of locations. My son and I returned home to view our first TV images of the attack.  Within minutes of our arrival, the second tower of the World Trade Center collapsed.  We also heard reports of a bomb or a plane hitting the Pentagon. Numerous other unconfirmed reports were still being assessed. It was time to ask - are we safe?

Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. I Timothy 6:17

Then he said to them, "Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions." Luke 12:15

Some of you may remember the post from last May about “God and gas prices.” Now, six months later, the price for a barrel of oil has dropped to below $70 for the first time in fourteen months. The price for gasoline is once again below $3 per gallon in many areas of the country. Last spring folks were worried about how to pay for gas; now that oil has dropped over 50% in value from its high this summer, that worry seems a distant memory. But in the meantime, something else also dropped in value: the world’s financial markets.

So now there are bigger worries—or are there? Watching the markets go up and down is a little bit like watching your kids on a see-saw. Our western culture has trusted the conventional wisdom of this world. We have been told security rests in financial well being, in the American Dream. But God has much to say about the wealth of this world, and it is a different wisdom than the world’s wisdom. It is important that you, as parents, view wealth and the acquisition of wealth from a biblical perspective.
God has particular advice for those who are rich in this world. Currently, there is much debate about who is rich. Are you rich if you earn more than $250,000 a year? Are you rich if your net worth is more than 5 million dollars? Are you rich if you have a roof that does not leak and food to eat for the next meal? Are you rich if you have hot, running water? Are you rich if you have more roots to eat than your neighbor? ”Rich” depends a little upon whom you are talking to. But regardless, Paul says to Timothy to tell those who are rich, whatever that may mean, not to put their hope in wealth. This means that whether you are Bill Gates, Warren Buffett, Joe the Plumber, or a tribal herdsman—you are not to hope in wealth. Wealth is uncertain. Really? Yes, really. The focus of this world is to urge people to trust in things which are uncertain.

Christian, has God’s faithfulness to you and your family changed in any way in the last several months? God’s care for you is certain. The riches of this world are not. While trillions of dollars may have disappeared in the markets, God care is constant. This financial downturn may result in lost homes, lost jobs and lost savings. This brings difficult challenges. But these sorts of downturns are to be expected from wealth. This is what Paul is saying to Timothy. Jesus taught the same thing in the Luke passage listed above. Life does not consist in the abundance of possessions. Of course you should work and plan for the future and attempt to make wise investments. But through all of this, you must remember that wealth is not something to build your hope upon, for it is uncertain.

What is certain is the care of God. Circumstances will change. God will not. Think about these things with your children. Help them to focus on what is certain in life, so that they will not trust in wealth, which is not certain at all. More on this in the next post. Let me know your thoughts.

28"And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29 Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30 If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? 31So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' 32 For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

— Matthew 6:28-34

Last week we examined the exhortation in Proverbs that we should not wear ourselves out to become rich. Rather, as leaders of our homes, we should invest ourselves in the things that producing lasting treasure. In response, some might say, “I am not trying to get rich; I just want to put food on the table for my family, put clothes on our backs and a roof over our heads.”