“Two men went to the Temple to pray. One was a Pharisee, and the other was a despised tax collector. 11 The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed this prayer[b]: ‘I thank you, God, that I am not a sinner like everyone else. For I don’t cheat, I don’t sin, and I don’t commit adultery. I’m certainly not like that tax collector! 12 I fast twice a week, and I give you a tenth of my income.’
13 “But the tax collector stood at a distance and dared not even lift his eyes to heaven as he prayed. Instead, he beat his chest in sorrow, saying, ‘O God, be merciful to me, for I am a sinner.’ 14 I tell you, this sinner, not the Pharisee, returned home justified before God. For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”
- Luke 19.9-14
I can't resist the notion that Jesus might actually started this parable with a bit of sarcasm, almost if he was telling a joke, and then described probably someone he may have seen at temple one day. Classic. What a beautiful picture of authentic humility contrasted against pious vanities and arrogance. Traditionally this is true and Christ even goes on for those who maybe don't get to mention if you humble yourself you'll be exalted.
I get it.
But I think there's more we can take away from this story.
Maybe I'm being over-analytical, maybe it's CSI on the TV, but I think there is a small but amazing prayer, subtly woven into the posture of the tax collector. I read this and ask God that my heart would break for Him. I pray my heart would long for Him that I would dare not even lift my eyes to heaven.
I think how we pray is important. I think being self-aware and authentically confessing our sins is important. I think being in love with Someone so much that hurts is important too.
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
Tuesday, April 8, 2008
Early Retirement
A great thing about allowing God to overflow into every area of your life is when those things overlap. Recently in the FOM's Total Money Makeover Group we where discussing saving for retirement, and today I was reading(catching up) in my OYB reading, and an awesome thing happens, Jesus talks about retirement.
What He says reminded me of our group discussion and something John Piper said at an event in 2003, and it made me seriously think about retiring early.
Jesus replied, “Friend, who made me a judge over you to decide such things as that?” 15 Then he said, “Beware! Guard against every kind of greed. Life is not measured by how much you own.”
16 Then he told them a story: “A rich man had a fertile farm that produced fine crops. 17 He said to himself, ‘What should I do? I don’t have room for all my crops.’ 18 Then he said, ‘I know! I’ll tear down my barns and build bigger ones. Then I’ll have room enough to store all my wheat and other goods. 19 And I’ll sit back and say to myself, “My friend, you have enough stored away for years to come. Now take it easy! Eat, drink, and be merry!”’
20 “But God said to him, ‘You fool! You will die this very night. Then who will get everything you worked for?’
21 “Yes, a person is a fool to store up earthly wealth but not have a rich relationship with God.”
Luke 12.14-21
I tell you what a tragedy is. I’ll read to you from Reader’s Digest (Feb. 2000, p. 98) what a tragedy is: “Bob and Penny… took early retirement from their jobs in the Northeast five years ago when he was 59 and she was 51. Now they live in Punta Gorda, Florida, where they cruise on their 30 foot trawler, play softball and collect shells.” The American Dream: come to the end of your life - your one and only life - and let the last great work before you give an account to your Creator, be “I collected shells. See my shells.” THAT is a tragedy. And people today are spending billions of dollars to persuade you to embrace that tragic dream. And I get forty minutes to plead with you: don’t buy it.
- John Piper, One Day 2003
I think what is amazing is that in discussing retirement at group was awesome, because we discussed retirement as being different for followers of Christ, actually how its about more than retirement, but about how to live life. It's not just spinning it a different way, coming up with the hip, post-modern, anti-established, trendy-Jesus, view of retirement either. Its about working towards a freedom to be able to operate at my fullest capacity in God's mission to reconcile a broken and lost world to Him. Maybe I caught the Ecclesiastes bug from a poetic sunday morning rant, or maybe I'm young and can think this way, but you know it really has to stink to be the guy in the story Jesus told. He was rich and rich for a reason. He worked hard, had his emergency fund, drove a used cart and horse - paid off of course, did his debt snowball, and at the end of it all, he died. Just like we all will, and maybe, just maybe by Gods grace He'll help me on this journey to freedom. Maybe just maybe he'll rescue me from my prison of net worth . And maybe just maybe, if I'm really really lucky, by His grace, I'll be able to retire early.
What He says reminded me of our group discussion and something John Piper said at an event in 2003, and it made me seriously think about retiring early.
Jesus replied, “Friend, who made me a judge over you to decide such things as that?” 15 Then he said, “Beware! Guard against every kind of greed. Life is not measured by how much you own.”
16 Then he told them a story: “A rich man had a fertile farm that produced fine crops. 17 He said to himself, ‘What should I do? I don’t have room for all my crops.’ 18 Then he said, ‘I know! I’ll tear down my barns and build bigger ones. Then I’ll have room enough to store all my wheat and other goods. 19 And I’ll sit back and say to myself, “My friend, you have enough stored away for years to come. Now take it easy! Eat, drink, and be merry!”’
20 “But God said to him, ‘You fool! You will die this very night. Then who will get everything you worked for?’
21 “Yes, a person is a fool to store up earthly wealth but not have a rich relationship with God.”
Luke 12.14-21
I tell you what a tragedy is. I’ll read to you from Reader’s Digest (Feb. 2000, p. 98) what a tragedy is: “Bob and Penny… took early retirement from their jobs in the Northeast five years ago when he was 59 and she was 51. Now they live in Punta Gorda, Florida, where they cruise on their 30 foot trawler, play softball and collect shells.” The American Dream: come to the end of your life - your one and only life - and let the last great work before you give an account to your Creator, be “I collected shells. See my shells.” THAT is a tragedy. And people today are spending billions of dollars to persuade you to embrace that tragic dream. And I get forty minutes to plead with you: don’t buy it.
- John Piper, One Day 2003
I think what is amazing is that in discussing retirement at group was awesome, because we discussed retirement as being different for followers of Christ, actually how its about more than retirement, but about how to live life. It's not just spinning it a different way, coming up with the hip, post-modern, anti-established, trendy-Jesus, view of retirement either. Its about working towards a freedom to be able to operate at my fullest capacity in God's mission to reconcile a broken and lost world to Him. Maybe I caught the Ecclesiastes bug from a poetic sunday morning rant, or maybe I'm young and can think this way, but you know it really has to stink to be the guy in the story Jesus told. He was rich and rich for a reason. He worked hard, had his emergency fund, drove a used cart and horse - paid off of course, did his debt snowball, and at the end of it all, he died. Just like we all will, and maybe, just maybe by Gods grace He'll help me on this journey to freedom. Maybe just maybe he'll rescue me from my prison of net worth . And maybe just maybe, if I'm really really lucky, by His grace, I'll be able to retire early.
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