As a new believer in Christ, about eight months as a Christian, I was confronted with my first spiritual growth challenge. I had to trust what Jesus said and act on it in faith. It was concerning my tuition to attend the first semester at L.I.F.E. Bible College in Los Angeles. I was only seventeen years old, unemployed and had only $50.00 of the minimum $1,200 I needed as a down payment for my tuition.
Because of my age I could not be employed fulltime. My parents were not financially able to help, and even if they could would not because I was turning down a full four-year music scholarship, books included, to Oral Roberts university to go to L.I.F.E. Bible College.
I remember kneeling down by my bed and praying. The exact words of my prayer I do not remember, but what I do remember I quoted a verse and telling Jesus something like; “If you want me to attend L.I.F.E. Bible College in a few weeks you have to do something. I do not have a job nor enough money to register.”
The Bible verse I quoted (pleaded) was Matthew 6:33 from the King James version of the Bible, “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.”
A few days later on my 18th birthday I received a post card asking me if I needed employment to visit the school District office and talk to someone in the job placement office because they had many job openings from companies in the area for recent high school graduates. So, I immediately went and talked to the lady in charge. When she found out that I was planning to go to L.I.F.E. Bible College, she informed me that she was a graduate of L.I.F.E. Bible College. I was told me to wait for a few days and she assured me that she was going to find me the best job she could possibility find.
After a few days I received a call from her with the information of where to go to apply for employment. I got the job, it paid minimum wage, a $1.65 an hour but with the promise of receiving .35¢ more an hour in six months. It was, in my estimation, enough to pay the monthly payments for my tuition.
Then a few days later, a cousin who I hardly knew, knowing of my situation offered to loan me $100. With $150.00 and a new Job I went to the registration office and was accepted.
What I learned and will never forget is that God is faithful to what He says in His Word. What we only need to do is to sincerely seek Him and trust Him, and also step out in faith and do our part and He will provide no matter what we think the obstacles are. I also learned that even if my hermeneutics, exegesis and application of Matthew 6:33 was not perfect, God honors His word. Years later now understanding the context of Matthew 6:33, I learned even in my ignorance of the context of the Matthew 6:33 in my beginning years of my relationship with Jesus, He saw my heart and my faith in Him was still faithful to what He says in His Word.
Looking at the full context of Matthew 6:33 we see it is part of Jesus’ sermon on the mount which begins in Matthew 5:1 and ends in Matthew 7:29. The context where Matthew 6:33 is stated is where Jesus is teaching the people about attitudes concerning material possessions and worry which some Bible commentators believe it has two parts, the first half beginning at Matthew 6:19 to 25 is about the wealthy and material possessions and the second half Matthew 6:26 to 34 is about the poor and worry.
Matthew 6:19-24, 19 “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 20 But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. 22 “The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are good, your whole body will be full of light. 23 But if your eyes are bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness! 24 “No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money.
As previously stated, some believe that this first half only applies to someone who is wealthy. But this desire to acquire more, to have the newest and the best is not only limited to the wealthy. Those with limited incomes can be caught in this trap and also have these same tendencies as a wealthy Christian who has the means to easily acquire most anything they want. What makes the situation worse for those with limited incomes is they have not learned the difference between need and want. They continually live beyond their means, which means to spend and to owe more than one is earning and or is able to pay.
People with limited incomes also can be so preoccupied with working overtime or working a second job to stay afloat financially; because they are so much in debit, living beyond their means, purchasing things on credit. As a result, they are not only struggling trying to pay their debt but also continually wanting to purchase the latest and best new thing.
The latest and best new things for the wealthy and those with limited incomes are those things Jesus says are, “treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal”. How can what Jesus says apply to us today?
When Jesus refers to “moth” obviously this means what we wear, our clothes and shoes. Do we purchase items of clothing just because it is on sale? Do we purchase clothes because this year’s fashion is different than last years?
“Rust” can be things that are attractive when new but as they wear out get old, they become less desirable and even considered not useful. But in today’s world we can add obsolete to the list. How many of us purchase the latest and best new thing even if there is nothing wrong with the model we have? Are we purchasing the latest model cell phone because everyone else is? Are we purchasing a new TV when the one we have works fine but because the one we have is 720p resolution but we don’t even know the difference between 720p, 1080p, 2K, 4K, WUXGA and UHD resolutions?
In Jesus day there were no financial institutions who had safe deposit boxes, so you kept hidden in your house all what you considered valuable. Therefore, when Jesus said “where thieves break in and steal”, that was anything worth stealing money, precious metals and stones that a person kept in their house.
Two of the three things that Jesus pointed out can impress others, the third you do not want anyone to know you have, but can also give you a false self-image of worth. All three also can give a Christian a corrupted sense and expression of identity which many times becomes idolatry. All three can give a Christian a false sense of security.
24 “No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money.
In the culture we live in today we always need to be mindful to that which is important to the One we serve, Jesus which are “treasures in heaven”. We need to be mindful that we are intentional to “serve”, to “love” and “be devoted” to God and not money.
Pastor John
