Grace Church-Burlington

“My mom said the only reason men are alive is for lawn care and vehicle maintenance.” Tim Allen

If Tim Allen’s mom was right, I’m in deep weeds. When it comes to repairs or maintenance, I have two left hands. My tools are primarily my books but they don’t help a lot when you need a screwdriver or a crescent wrench. Somehow the gadgets and equipment I own and am responsible for didn’t get the memo that I am “tool challenged.” They break down on me...just like they do on everyone else. Even though I’m a new creature in Christ (2 Cor. 5:17) and sanctified, all that I own is apparently still in a state of sin and deterioration. At my home the 2^nd Law of Thermodynamics is alive and well.

That fact was driven home to me recently. Earlier in the day we grilled hamburgers and hot dogs for the teens as we hosted a swim party for our Teen Summer Chills program. After volleyball that evening, I thought I’d fire up our gas grill one more time and cook some brats. I opened the lid and my grill had the audacity to lose its head. The top literally fell off. Add to that the gas line was jarred by this jerking motion of the top abandoning ship. But I really wanted brats...so I thought I’d attempt to light the thing. Flames shooting out the bottom of a gas grill are not a good thing, so guess who didn’t have brats that night?

Now I find myself in the market for a new gas grill. But that’s not all. Sadly, our wheelbarrow has decided to rust out and last year our lawnmower decided to give up the ghost. All three of my vehicles are way past the 100,000 mile marker. Though I make sure that the oil is regularly changed and other scheduled maintenance taken care of, they still all have one tire on a banana peel and the other in the junkyard. And most of you remember that earlier this spring the mother board on my computer abandoned her baby.

So what is it with gadgets and machines? Why are they always falling apart and needing expensive repairs...or worse, to be replaced? Those words from the lips of Jesus are so apropos, “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matthew 6:19-21).

Recently, I met a man whose main claim to fame was that he was taking possession later that day of a 1962 car that had been completely restored. Every bolt, every part had been either restored or replaced. The car was in mint condition. Nearly everyone in the room was oohing and aahing at his good fortune. It just didn’t seem like a good time for me to pipe up, “I’m sorry but I just don’t get it!”

Please don’t misunderstand me. There is nothing wrong with owning a restored vehicle or nice things. It is also not a sin to be well-off or even rich. The problem with most people (including Christians) though is that we do not possess possessions our possessions possess us. We live for our things rather than seeing them as tools to serve the Lord and advance His Kingdom. We are enslaved by all of our stuff.

Personally, I’m wondering if our current economic downturn might not be a needed wake up call from the Lord to His Church. For too long we’ve worshiped at the altar of materialism and money. Rather than seeing ourselves as stewards of His property, we see ourselves as owners. But there is not a thing that we have that has not been given to us by our gracious Heavenly Father...and He can take it back at any moment. As we have so squandered His blessings in the American Church, it appears that He is reclaiming what is rightfully His. God will not compete and He loves us too much to let us worship things rather than Him. Most of us struggle with being hoarders rather than givers. We cling to our money, our things and our time...and we’re continually looking for a way to upgrade. Then, we wonder why our hearts are filled with unhappiness and discontent.

Two thousand years ago Paul wrote, “God loves a cheerful giver” (2 Cor. 9:7). I cannot remember ever meeting an unhappy generous person. I’m not talking about someone who gave from their surplus, I’m talking about those believers who truly understood stewardship and gave faithfully, generously and sacrificially. And it wasn’t just money – for some that’s the easiest to give. They gave what they truly valued.

In my library I have a book about the nation of Israel’s wanderings in the wilderness that is extremely rare and was printed in 1837. It has a beautiful gift inscription in the front but I have no idea who the person was and probably never will. When they died...just like all of us...they left it all.

Most of us try to wisely invest for our retirement. Let’s be wise and invest in our real retirement, our eternal Home. Let’s give in a way that demonstrates that we are truly grateful for our salvation, that we understand worship and want to be faithful and have a small part in advancing His Kingdom in our short time here on earth. Let’s give of our time, talents and treasure in a way that demonstrates who is truly Lord of our lives and where our treasure truly is!