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1 Timothy 6:6-19 Over the past few weeks, our world has felt the shocks of the terrorist attacks in New York and Washington. We've felt sadness and grief over the loss of thousands of lives. We've experienced anger and pain about our lost sense of security. We've known the hurt and sorrow that comes with the possibility of war. Soon after the attacks, we began experiencing another loss - a financial loss. It began with the airline industry as flight schedules were curtailed dramatically. The airline service workers were among the first to be laid off. Here in Tucson, skycaps are no longer allowed to perform curbside luggage check-in. They've been assigned to other jobs and are losing the tips that they are accustomed to receiving. But the financial losses began to ripple out into other areas. Airport retailers and the businesses that serve them are recording huge losses because of the decline in travel. According to yesterday's New York Times, "Hawaii has become a forlorn and eerily quiet place. The famed beaches are almost deserted. About the only busy place, it seems, is the unemployment office, where the freshly furloughed wait in line up to four hours..." And, although the Dow Jones industrial average rose over 166 points on Friday, the recent gains have erased less than half of the loss recorded since the terrorist attacks on September 11th. Most of us with money in the stock market have seen a significant decline in our investments since that time. Of course, the economy was teetering on the edge of a recession even before the attacks on our country. But the recent events have added another concern besides our sadness about the tragic loss of life and the possibility of war. We find ourselves asking about financial security. Senior adults who live on fixed incomes or rely on investment earnings are beginning to ask how secure their future is. Those whose incomes are stretched to the limit are asking about the stability of their jobs. In the face of such uncertainty, what does our faith have to say about money? In the Contemporary Worship Service, during the last two weeks we've thought about God's message to us about true security and healing during this difficult time. This morning, let's turn our attention to the role of money in our lives. Today's scripture is found in the first letter to Timothy. It's one of the pastoral letters that Paul wrote to provide guidance and encouragement for the early church. Paul had asked Timothy to care for the church at Ephesus while he went on to do work in Macedonia. When he realized that he might not return to Ephesus for some time, he wrote Timothy with guidance about some specific problems in the church. This passage encourages us to show moderation in our desire for money and the pursuit of material goods. Paul is encouraging Timothy and the Ephesian church to have a balanced view of material possessions. Just as Jesus taught that we should be free from anxiety about material things, Paul is teaching us that anxiety about money is unnecessary. First, the scripture teaches us that:
If you read the scripture closely, you'll notice that there is no condemnation of wealth. Paul didn't teach that "money is a root of all kinds of evil." No, he said that "the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil." There's a big difference. In a similar way, there is no judgment against those who have money. While the rich are taught not to be arrogant or put their hope in wealth, there is no condemnation of the wealthy. Paul says that "those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap." The message is that an unhealthy desire for wealth can lead us to make the wrong choices in life. One day in Harvard chapel, Francis Peabody told Ruskin's story about a man who tried to swim to safety from a wrecked ship. The ship was sinking and, as it was going down, he looked around at his possessions. He couldn't bear to leave behind his money, so he tied a belt around his waist. The belt contained two hundred pounds of gold. He dove into the water and began struggling to reach the shore. Of course, he couldn't swim very far with all that weight. Eventually he sank and drowned with his gold. Ruskin asked the question, "As he was sinking, did he have the gold, or did the gold have him?" That's the question Paul is asking us today. Do you control your money? Do you respect its power? Do you manage it? Do you keep it in balance? Or, does money control you? Does money, or the desire for it, cause you to make choices that are harmful or destructive? Money is not evil. It's a necessary resource and a blessing in our lives. It's normal to feel concern about the economic uncertainty facing our nation right now. But, the scripture reminds us that we should stay in balance. We need to remember that a love of money, for money's sake, can lead us away from the truths of life. That's the next thing about our scripture this morning:
Did any of you attend the University of Arizona football game last night? Did you notice what happened before the game began? There was a huge inflatable football helmet on the sidelines. The helmet was decorated with Arizona colors and logos. Inside this helmet the team and their coaches gathered. There, the team captain roused his fellow players to give their all to beat Washington State. Sometimes a pep talk works, sometimes it doesn't. Unfortunately, it didn't work for Arizona last night. In this scripture passage, Paul is giving us a pep talk to live life in a way that leads to victory. It's the kind of victory that's never in doubt because of God's power in our lives. When Paul teaches to "fight the good fight of the faith," he borrows the language of a wrestling match. When he says to "take hold of the eternal life," he implies winning the championship trophy. When he encourages Timothy to "pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance, and gentleness," Paul evokes the relentless energy of a long-distance runner. As Christians, we understand that our faith and our security is not based on wealth. It's firmly rooted in God's love for us. Paul asks us to also understand that a rich, full spiritual life also requires commitment. All churches have the experience of having someone join and attend for a while. Then they gradually fade away, losing connection with the worship and work of the church. Why does this happen? Well, sometimes we need to admit that the church isn't meeting the spiritual needs of that person. But, sometimes it's because we fail to keep up the connection with God that gives us power in our spiritual beings. Paul encourages us to find our root strength and endurance in our spiritual foundation. He doesn't dismiss the need for money to function in our lives. He doesn't judge those who have a lot of money. But, he reminds us that the true source of love, happiness, and security is in God's love. Finally, Paul reminds us that:
The last part of the scripture is directed toward those who are rich. Do you know anybody like that? Anybody who has a lot of money? Before you answer that question, let's stop and think about where we stand in the world. America is the richest nation in the world and, as her citizens, we enjoy a standard of living that much of the world has trouble imagining. So, when Paul talks about the rich, we shouldn't just think of some billionaire who lives up in the foothills. Among the world's citizens, we are the richest. So, what does Paul have to say to us? Well, he warns us not to be arrogant or to put our hope in our wealth. The tragic events of the past few weeks have reminded us of the true wealth of our nation. It's not found in the Dow Jones average. It's not based on the Gross National Product. It's not the number of new jobs created. No, we've suddenly remembered that the true wealth of our country is found in the common commitment to freedom. It's found in our ability to come together in time of crisis. Our true wealth is the wonderful diversity of talents and skills of our citizens. America's true wealth is found in the resiliency and hope of those who call this place home. Paul urges us to remember the same thing about our personal lives. Our true worth, our measure of success, is not based on material things. That's easy to forget when we're bombarded with advertising that urges us to buy the latest car, the biggest house, the most fashionable clothes. It's easy to forget when we watch others judge people based on what they have. The scripture reminds us that we should put our hope in God who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. In our hearts we all know that money cannot buy the most precious things in our lives. It can't buy an affectionate hug from a child. It can't buy a loving look from your beloved. It can't buy the pride and satisfaction of work that is well done. Money can buy things that make our lives more comfortable and more pleasurable, but it can never meet the most urgent hunger of our hearts.
In my work at Primavera, I walk in an interesting world. Each day I have contact with those who are living at the very margins of society. We work with people who aren't always sure where they're going to sleep that night. Sometimes they don't know if they'll have enough money for their next meal. On the other hand, I also come into contact with some very wealthy people. They support the work of Primavera, and other helping agencies, with their generosity. Many of them have been richly blessed with money and material goods. And many of them give from a sense of abundance and joy to benefit others. As I talk with the poor and the rich, it sometimes strikes me how very similar they are. How they are both concerned with the health of a distant family member. How they both noticed the gorgeous sunset the night before. How they both thirst for love and meaning in their lives. In the closing verses of this passage, we are encouraged to be rich in good deeds, to be generous and willing to share. We're told that doing so will build up a firm foundation for our lives. And that's true, isn't it. The more giving and sharing we are with the gifts that God has given us, the more we are blessed.
Over the next few months we're sure to see the stock markets gyrate and the job market fluctuate. In the midst of this uncertainty, we can rest assured in the continuous unconditional love of our God. Today, we can claim the victory of a "life that is life." And, we can remember that God is the source of all our truest and dearest riches.
Amen. |