Funny how some Christians believe God is a kind of socialist and probably don’t even realize it. They think that if a believer has a lot of money, the percentage they give to charities, missions etc, should be higher than a Christian who doesn’t. Even though the the wealthy ends up giving more than a Christian who makes less, they are still viewed as greedy because of what they have left over.
Why is that? Because people are not judging the situation based on numbers, they’re judging it based on how it appears. The perception is, “This guy’s got too much money. Look, he went out and bought himself a BMW and a Mercedes. That money could have been used to feed starving children or missions! All I’ve got is a Honda.”
Translation=
“His ‘leftover’ money is more than my ‘leftover’ money. And even though I sometimes spend my money on frivolous things, they’re still less expensive than the frivolous things he spends his money on.”
That, my friend, is socialism. You are not outraged at his lack of giving. You are outraged that he’s got more than you. You want him to give and give and give until he can’t afford his Mercedes and BMW and has to go out and buy a Honda.
There are obvious issues with this type of thinking. One of which is the complete subjectiveness of it all. What happens when we leave out the guy with the Mercedes and compare you to someone who only has a Ford? Now you become the greedy one. And what happens when the guy with the Ford is compared to someone with a bicycle? And we’re only talking within the economy of America. I’d venture to say all of us are living above and beyond people in mud huts in third world countries.
The whole thing is nonsense.
The book of Proverbs is full of practical advice on how to work hard, honor God, and make a lot of money.
Don’t let someone make you feel guilty concerning what you give or how much money you make. There is a good chance you probably give about the same percentage, or even more, than they do.
Give to the poor. Give to the ministry. As much as you have decided in your heart. But also, enjoy the fruits of your labor (Eccl 9:9).
#BeObjective 