The guilt we suffer could be a good thing. Because if we have a tendency to make things or money an idol, this time of self-reflection would be an ideal period to re-evaluate our priorities. However, after a certain period, carrying around guilt is not spiritually healthy. Additionally, spontaneously selling possessions and giving to the poor out of guilt is not wisdom. We are commanded to give with a "cheerful heart" (2 Corinthians 9:7), not a guilty heart. If we are to combat the Haiti Hangover, we need to ask ourselves how God views our possessions.
Job
The Bible does not teach being rich is sinful. Consider the book of Job. Job was rich and God blessed him. For His own reasons, God decided to discipline Job through trials instigated by Satan. The first set of trials removed Job's wealth and his children. Prior to the trial, Satan predicted that Job would curse God when God removed His protection. When Job heard the news of his losses, contrary to Satan's prediction, Job did not despair and cursed God, but blessed God instead.
Job 1:20-21 ESVThe following notes are from Dr. Hughes's excellent commentary. The author points out that Job understood the Godness of God. God, by His very definition, has the right to take away Job's possessions.
Then Job arose and tore his robe and shaved his head and fell on the ground and worshiped. And he said, “Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked shall I return. The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD.”
R. Kent HughesThe Bill Cosby Show
Job knows that eventually he will die and take nothing away. It is almost as if he has died today. He understands that all his possessions and all his children were gifts from the Lord. By the nature of the Godness of God he gives, and it is therefore entirely his prerogative to take away as he sees fit, as and when he chooses. This is part of God being God.
So Job blesses the name of the Lord. He expresses the wish that all who hear his story will bless God for it. The Satan said Job would curse God to his face. On the contrary, his response to terrible loss is wonderfully blessing the God who has given and has now seen fit to take away. In the moment of his loss his first thought is of the God who had first given. (p. 49, Job: The Wisdom of the Cross (Preaching the Word))
This teaching from Job reminded me of an episode in Bill Cosby's show titled, Vanessa's Rich. Cliff Huxtable's daughter, Vanessa, came home from school after getting into fight with two other girls. Her mother asked her why she was fighting. Vanessa explained that her fellow cheerleaders found out how much her mother paid for a painting and started to tease her about being a spoiled, rich kid. Vanessa emphasized to her parents that she tried to explain to her friends why her mother spent so much on a painting, but they would not stop teasing her. So she concluded that she had to start swinging at them. At the end of the her story, Vanessa blamed her parents, "Life would be so much better," she exclaimed to her parents, "if only we were not so rich!"
Cliff rubbed his face, paused for effect, and then slowly replied, "Listen carefully. Your mother and I are rich, you have nothing." He continued to emphasize that his children were under a grave misapprehension about what possessions they personally owned. He explained to Vanessa that everything his children owned, Cliff and his wife gave them. Cliff told Vanessa that he could take all her stuff away because she was living in his house by his generosity. The father then encouraged his daughter to explain to her friends that she was poor, she had nothing, and she depended upon her parent's charity.
One of the main lessons of Job is that we all are like Bill Cosby's children: we are under a grave misapprehension that we own things. We may have worked hard for our possessions; however, God gives us everything we have and He has the right to take away everything from us including our health. We are merely the stewards of God's resources. We don't own anything, even our children. God blesses Job at the end of the book through giving Job possessions and children (Job 42:11). God obviously intends for Job to enjoy being rich and fruitful for the rest of his life. In a similar manner, God wants us to enjoy our possessions and use them wisely.
Ecclesiastes
Centuries after Job lived, the writer of Ecclesiastes, asserts that life without God is meanlingless or a "vanity." But to those who fear God, God gives the gift of enjoyment of food and of work. God gives wisdom and knowledge to those who love Him and from those gifts come joy.
Ecclesiastes 2:24-26 ESVWalter Kaiser Jr., an Old Testament Professor, points out in his commentary that purpose in life is not found in things, but in fearing God.
There is nothing better for a person than that he should eat and drink and find enjoyment in his toil. This also, I saw, is from the hand of God, for apart from him who can eat or who can have enjoyment? For to the one who pleases him God has given wisdom and knowledge and joy, but to the sinner he has given the business of gathering and collecting, only to give to one who pleases God. This also is vanity and a striving after wind.
Walter Kaiser Jr.A few chapters later in Ecclesiastes the author mentions that wealth, possessions, and the power to enjoy them is a gift of God.
The conclusion of 2:24-26: The purpose of life cannot be found in any one of the good things found in the world. All the things that we call the "goods" of life--health, riches, possessions, position, sensual pleasures, honors, and prestige--slip through man's hands unless they are received as a gift from God and until God gives man the ability to enjoy them and obtain satisfaction from them. God gives that ability to those who begin by "fearing," that is, believing, Him. (p. 59, Ecclesiastes: Total Life (Everyman's Bible Commentary))
Ecclesiastes 5:18-20 ESVKaiser points out that having wealth is not the problem. When we start seeing wealth and possessions as an ends in themselves, they become idols. God's tells us the underlying principle to enjoy life: knowing Christ.
Behold, what I have seen to be good and fitting is to eat and drink and find enjoyment in all the toil with which one toils under the sun the few days of his life that God has given him, for this is his lot. Everyone also to whom God has given wealth and possessions and power to enjoy them, and to accept his lot and rejoice in his toil—this is the gift of God. For he will not much remember the days of his life because God keeps him occupied with joy in his heart.
Walter Kaiser Jr.Contentment
The conclusion remains the same (5:18-20). Man must get enjoyment, not possessions. And that capacity to enjoy, no matter how great or how small, is a gift from God. It is much better to receive wealth as a gift from God, along with the God-given ability to enjoy it, than to see wealth as an end in itself. The condition for the reception of this gift is the same as it was in 2:26, and therefore it is not repeated. How sad that men can spend all their days working and sweating to receive the enjoyment that God offers as a gift if men will seek it in the manner that He, in His excellent and beautiful plan, has chosen to give it. Happiness, enjoyment, pleasure, and a knowledge of how the whole substance of life is integrated into a meaningful pattern in the plan of God are all linked in the living God. To know the "eternity" of all things is, if we may rephrase John 17:3, "to know Him." (p. 77, ibid)
We are commanded in the New Testament to be content with what we have. As the Paul writes in 1 Timothy 6:6, "there is great gain in godliness, with contentment." Paul teaches in a couple of verses later in the same epistle (1 Tim. 6:9), "those who desire to be rich fall into temptation." We can commit the sin of greed no matter how rich we are. However, Paul teaches that contentment is more than controlling the desire to be rich: it is a dispostion that needs to be learned no matter what circumstance God has placed us. We need to follow Paul's example in Phillipians 4. We need to be content in both prosperity and poverty.
Philippians 4:11-13 NASB
Not that I speak from want, for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am. I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need. I can do all things through Him who strengthens me. Nevertheless, you have done well to share with me in my affliction.
Peter T. O'BrienThe author of Hebrews in verse 13:5 also challenges us to be content with what God has given us, "Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have ...."
As he raises the subject of the Philippians' gifts Paul shows a combination of delicacy and independence. He was clearly sensistive about money matters in general. But he has been deeply touched by their kindness, and he expresses his great joy at their thoughtful concern for his welfare. For some time they had been concerned about his well-being, but it was only more recently that they had had the opportunity of showing it again in a concrete way (v. 10). Paul had not felt neglected in any sense, and his joy did not arise because of the satisfaction of his material needs (v. 11). He had learned to be content in whatever circumstances he found himself, whether in poverty or when he had more than enough. This contentment, however, was not the self-sufficiency of the Stoic, the cultivated attitude of the wise person who could face life and death with equanimity because of his own inner resources. Paul's sufficiency was from God and related to Christ, who alone empowered him in various situations (vv. 12-13).(p. 514, The Epistle to the Philippians (The New International Greek Testament Commentary))
2 Corinthians on Giving
A closely related topic is "Giving." However, giving is a complex topic and beyond the scope of this post. This post will focus only on a few of the many concepts that overlap between affluence and giving. One of the main teaching passages in the Bible on giving is 2 Corinthians 8-9. The following is a key passage in chapter 8. I highlighted the two verses that contain the key concepts.
2 Corinthians 8:10-15Here's Charles Hodge's commentary on those two key passages.
And in this matter I give my judgment: this benefits you, who a year ago started not only to do this work but also to desire to do it. So now finish doing it as well, so that your readiness in desiring it may be matched by your completing it out of what you have. For if the readiness is there, it is acceptable according to what a person has, not according to what he does not have. For I do not mean that others should be eased and you burdened, but that as a matter of fairness your abundance at the present time should supply their need, so that their abundance may supply your need, that there may be fairness. As it is written, “Whoever gathered much had nothing left over, and whoever gathered little had no lack."
Charles Hodge on "it is acceptable according to what a person has, not according to what he does not have."
The apostle was not desirious to urge them either beyond their inclination, or beyond their ability. What they gave, he wished them to give freely, and with due regard to their resources.
(pp. 578-579, 2 Corinthians (Geneva Series of Commentaries))
Charles Hodge on "For I do not mean that others should be eased and you burdened"
The meaning therefore is, that Paul did not desire that the Corinthians should go beyond their ability in giving, for had no wish that others should be enriched, and they impoverished. It is not obligatory on the rich to make themselves poor in order that the poor may be rich. That is not the rule. (pp. 580-581, ibid)
Charles Hodge summarizes 2 Corinthians 8:10-15.Paul, a chapter later in 2 Corinthians, emphasizes it is the heart attitude that is important.
This is not agrariansim nor community of goods. The New Testament teaches on this subject,
- That all giving is voluntary. A man's property is his own. It is his own power to retain or to give away; and if he gives, it is prergogative to decide whether it shall be much or little. Acts 5, 4. This is the doctrine taught in this whole connection. Giving must be voluntary. It is the fruit of love. It is of course obligatory as a moral duty, and indisposition to give is proof of the absence of the love of God. 1 John 3, 17. Still is is one of those duties the performance of which others cannot enforce as a right belonging to them. It must remain at our own discretion.
- That the end is to be accomplished by giving is relieving the necessities of the poor. The equality, therefore, aimed at, or intended, is not an equality as to the amount of property, but equal relief from the burden of want. (p. 580, ibid).
2 Corinthians 9:7
Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.
Charles HodgeConclusion
Though he [Paul] wished them to give bountifully, he desired them to do it freely. Let each one give as he purposes in his heart, i. e. as he cordially, or with the consent fo the heart, determines. This stands opposed to what follows, and, therefore, is explained by it. Not grudginly, ἐκ λύπης, not out sorrow; i. e. let not the gift proceed out of a reluctant stae of mind, grieving after what given as so much lost. Or of necessity i. e. constrained by circumstances to give when you prefer not to do it. Many gifts are thus given sorrowfully, where the giver is induced to give by a regard to public opinion, or by stress of conscience. This reluctance spoils the gift. It loses all its fragrance when the incense of a free and joyful spirit is wanting. For God loveth a cheerful giver; ἱλαρὸν δότην, a joyful giver one to whom giving is a delight, who does it with hilarity. (p. 597, ibid)
We can fight depression or discouragement through pursuing joy in Christ. We can pursue joy by following these teachings.
- Everything we have is a gift from God, whether it be possessions or children or our lives God has the right to take them from us at anytime. Therefore the amount of things we have is dependent on God and not us. As Jesus commands in Matthew 6:33, We need to "seek first the kingdom of God and and his righteousness."
- Enjoying our possessions and our work is a gift from God. If we fear and love God, we will be able to truly enjoy our possessions, our jobs, and even our children.
- Contentment in our circumstances is key in our walk with God. Whether we are rich or poor, we should trust God and not ourselves to meet our needs. This contentment is not easily learned, it is empowered by Christ.
- Our giving should be prayerful and purposeful. It should meet actual needs. It should be out of our abundance. On the other hand, in our need, we should be humbly willing to accept God's gifts.
- Our giving should be out of our love to Christ for what He has given us. It should be voluntarily and not out of guilt or compulsion. Our giving should be a joyous celebration of God's love for us. We should be willing to give all our possessions and even on our own lives away, because Christ gave his life for us on the cross.
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