Just leaves me with the question, why are we still pursuing the "American Dream"?
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Thus says the Lord: “Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches,but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the Lord who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight, declares the Lord.” - Jeremiah 9:23-24
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1 comments:
Agreed.
Mostly.
Be careful, though, to note that in His discussion with the rich young ruler, Jesus was pointing out the fact that the young ruler had actually not kept the 1st commmandment and was showing him what his god really is. If you go back and read it closely, Jesus had pointed out to the young man that his self-righteousness (All these I have kept, what more do I need to do?) was false and that he did indeed have a god above the God of heaven and earth, and He revealed it to the young man. Note that the young ruler had also come to follow the popular teaching of the day, and since he had everything else, he just wanted to know what he needed to have eternal life - i.e., something for himself. Be careful that the meaning of the text isn't ripped out of context. It's not about necessarily giving up our families and our jobs, it's about not holding onto them so tightly that we place their value above Him and that we will be willing to give them up if the sake of His name requires it. To eat and drink and marry and give in marriage as if not eating and drinking and marrying and giving in marriage. Don't give yourself up to the American Dream. Go on mission. Give your life for the glory of name of the One who is worthy to receive the reward of His suffering.
But be careful with driving people down with that as with any other text. Their possessions might not be their gods. There may be something else, or they may be using the possessions they've been given to serve the people of God here - because America - however churched it may be, is still starved for the Gospel too, because it's heard everything watered down for several generations. We wear the Gospel on our feet wherever we go, as we go, living it out and proclaiming it among those whom we live as well.
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