This is a typewriter. It is how Uncle Luther composes his blog posts.
Occasionally, I’ll have some poor misguided soul come to me for advice or answers to the questions that plague them. Why anyone would want to do such a thing is beyond me, but I figured as long as folks keep coming to me, I might as well blog their concerns and my answer. So, brace yourself folks for the first edition of “Dear Uncle Luther.”
Dear Uncle Luther,
Is being poor a sin? I attend a church that teaches weekly about God’s desire for us to prosper financially, yet I’m not seeing any results. Am I doing something wrong? Is my faith too weak to earn the type of money the other members of the congregation are blessed with?
Thanks for your help,
Bankrupt in Birmingham
Dear Bankrupt,
Let me assure you, being poor is not a sin. Whoever it is that makes you think that has a pitifully small view of God.
God is not an ATM machine. You don’t put your good works in and get financial wealth out. The philosophy being taught at your church is not Biblical— it is called Karma— which is a Hindu concept. It is actually a form of hedonism, where the highest goal is pleasure and happiness.
True Biblical teaching on wealth is as follows:
God owns it all.
We are given money so that we can be good stewards of that money.
Our true riches are found in Heaven.
We are to give all we have to the service of God’s Kingdom and to the poor.
It is almost impossible for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of Heaven. In fact, Christ taught that it was easier for a camel to squeeze through the eye of a needle than for the wealthy to inherit eternal life.
The love of money is the root of all kinds of evil.
If you are in a church that is not teaching these Biblically sound economic principles, please find a new church.
I know you can’t judge a book by its cover, but this one is both strange and disturbing. Any ideas what it is? Anyone? I’m looking for some sort of explanation here. It doesn’t even have to be a particularly good explanation.
When they aren’t too cheesy—and even sometimes when they are—I like to watch vignettes from churches. This one, from Central Christian Church in Las Vegas, shows church members’ testimonies of their experiences at other churches where they felt judged when they should have been loved. Take a look:
These stories are a far cry from what followers of Christ are supposed to be known for. We are supposed to be known by our love for one another, not our judgment and condemnation of others. What’s your story? Positive or negative, I’d love to hear what you have to say about your experience with churches. Were you judged when you should have been loved? Did you ever find a church where you were loved and welcomed as part of a family?
If your week is shaping up at all like mine, you might need to kick back a little and watch this little comedy clip. I promise I’m not trying to make a point with this one. I saw it two weeks ago and it has brought me numerous laughs.
For the uninitiated, (which I was when I first saw this) “the Beeb” is apparently the nickname the British have given the BBC.
Fish Oil pills. Not a bad idea, just not a miracle cure for everything from gas to Cancer.
If James 5:14 were written today…
“Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the local naturopath and let them employ a holistic approach. Partake of the fish oils and shun the gluten and the hydrogenated oils. Let no unclean preservative enter your body and purge the toxins out with the Chiropractor’s footbath. Trust neither the doctors nor the FDA, as they are the devil’s spokesmen. Conduct your grocery shopping only at Whole Foods and Trader Joe’s, for in these places healing begins. Forsake all common sense and reason, for these represent the wisdom of this world. Scoff loudly and passionately at all doctors, proven medical treatments and legitimate research. It is only by becoming a complete whackjob that one can dispense of earthly toxins and achieve a glorified body here on Earth.”
Sometimes we act like we have all the answers— or at least like asking questions is wrong or a sign of weak faith. Some questions don’t have good answers and it is in those questions that often draw us closer to God.
If you’re like me, it happened one innocent Saturday while attempting to assemble a piece of furniture. Before your conscience has a chance to stop it, your tongue has already condemned a piece of wood to eternal damnation. Then, the realization hits and the guilt rushes in as you realize, “I’ve just broken one of the ten commandments. I’ve used the name of God in vain.”
Maybe not. Maybe you’re a Sunday School teacher and a nominee for sainthood. You probably don’t understand how a guy like me could be singing praise songs and hanging a picture frame one minute and then in the same breath misuse the name of the Almighty.
But I bet you’ve done it too— without knowing it. We all have. Forget boycotting Hollywood because we perceive they are the worst offenders of breaking the the third. The truth is, they aren’t. We are. Let’s go to confession.
I break the third commandment and use the Lord’s name in vain when I who am called a Christian:
Ignore the plight of the poor and tell them their condition is their fault.
Use the words Lord, Father and Jesus instead of “uh” and “um” when I can’t think of what to say in a prayer and don’t want my brothers and sisters to think I’m not spiritual enough.
Insult and offend someone in a moment of anger because I was frustrated at a situation and couldn’t control my tongue.
Have a vengeful, lustful or racist thought.
Any time I don’t love someone as Christ would.
Whenever I fail to treat someone the way Christ would treat them.
When I put my pride over another’s dignity.
Every time I take credit for something God has done.
… This list could go on, but I’ve made my point. Like so many other sins, this one isn’t about a single word or act. It is about the condition of the heart. Any time we, who are called by Christ’s name do something that is counter to Christ’s heart or mission we are guilty of using His name in vain.
This weekend most of us will celebrate America’s Independence. We will sunbathe by large swimming pools, eat a light feast of hotdogs, hamburgers and baked beans. We will watch fireworks and reflect on our core values that all men are created equal and are thus entitled to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Some of us will thank God we are free, and most of us will take the concept of freedom for granted. In the United States, we are born free. We cannot fathom a life that is not free.
But not all are free.
It is estimated that more than 270 million people are living in slavery right now. The slave trade is a $9 billion per year industry, and many who are sold into slavery are children.
I’m not asking that you feel guilty about going to the pool or eating a hamburger. But I am asking that you would give pause sometime during this holiday weekend to consider the plight of those who are not free. The video below features a split screen of a day in the life of two children, one who is free and one who is forced to spend his day making expensive shoes by hand.
