“I don’t believe in God.” “OK,” I told him. “Tell me about this god you don’t believe in.” This young man began describing Zeus. You know, a god who is vindictive and angry; who punishes the mortals with the lightning bolts of pain and sorrow. This god tries to control humans through threats and rewards. As the young man kept describing this “god” he didn’t believe in, I discovered I agreed with him. I didn’t believe in this “god” either. Imagine his surprise when I said, “Oh, I see. Well, I don’t believe in that “god” either. I’m an atheist about that god.”
All too often today, we deal with people who reject God and the Faith based on a wrong view of God. And, truth be told (I mean, let’s be honest here), many people have the wrong view of God based on how we who say we believe in God act! We aren’t the best role models about the God we say we believe in. AND, this many times is a result of our own wrong view of God.
Look at our lesson today in 1 Timothy 6:17-21:
TIMOTHY, my son, charge the rich in this world not to be haughty, nor to set their hopes on uncertain riches but on God who richly furnishes us with everything to enjoy. They are to do good, to be rich in good deeds, liberal and generous, thus laying up for themselves a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of the life which is life indeed. O Timothy, guard what has been entrusted to you. Avoid the godless chatter and contradictions of what is falsely called knowledge, for by professing it some have missed the mark as regards the faith. Grace be with you. Amen.
I love Paul’s words to Timothy here, and it isn’t a mistake that the Church has us read these words during this time of year. Paul wants to make sure Timothy leads his parish correctly so he insists Timothy teach clearly the whole purpose of the Faith.
And it may surprise you that the purpose of the Faith isn’t so you’ll know how to “go to heaven” or even miss “hell.” No, the purpose of the faith (and you know I’m big on purpose) is to be set free from all the false notions about God SO THAT I can become LIKE God. And what is God like? In another place, the scriptures insist that God IS Love. God IS Life Himself. If I am ever going to be like God and be truly alive, it’s going to be by learning to love as God loves.
And Paul reveals true life and true love first by insisting Timothy warn us about rejecting the false idea of life as being about accumulating stuff! Too often in our society, we come to believe that the acquiring of stuff is how to be happy or how to have a “good” life. It’s a trap. It’s a dead end. All of us know people who have lots of stuff and yet they aren’t happy or loving.
Turns out the path to true life is loving people and using things. Never the other way around. In fact, true riches are to be rich in “good deeds.” To excel in generosity is true life. But, of course, that’s truly living because that’s exactly how God is. He holds nothing back. He gives Himself in creating His universe. He gives Adam His very “breath,” the “breath” of life. He gives Himself in revealing Himself in His Son, God in the flesh. He gives Himself in entering into even our mortality to destroy mortality from the inside out! God IS Life. God IS Love.
We become like God when we are generous and share our treasures with others. When we avoid the haughty lie that my possessions somehow “make” me happy or safe or fulfilled. It doesn’t work. Never has!
No, the path to true life comes from the humble embrace of the generosity of mercy, kindness, and seeing all my life as an invitation to give my life away rather than hoard my life to myself.
Today, are you “liberal” (not a very popular word in some circles) with your possessions? Do you fear losing your safety or your “security” if you are loving and generous? Then know you are in danger of a haughty delusion that your safety and securing can be obtained by selfishness. The true God, the God we are called to become like, is generous and kind even to His enemies. Being Orthodox on Purpose means being set free to know true life and the true God Who gives, expecting nothing in return!
P.S. Dear Lord, Your generosity is always “without measure” and “past finding out!” There is simply no way for me to “out-give” You! And yet, I am all too often asleep to the daily opportunities to be generous, patient, and kind. I miss the mark of being like You because I am distracted or afraid. You have come to us as a real Person in Christ to show us we don’t have to be asleep or afraid anymore. Please help me embrace the Gift of Your new life in Christ so that I can share that Gift with all around me today! Amen.
A Special Message from Fr. Barnabas: Generosity is a big topic during this time of year! It’s the Christmas season and all around us, we are surrounded with calls for us to buy this or give to that cause. It’s not called “the biggest giving season” for nothing. In fact, non-profit ministries like ours depend on this time of year to help us set our budgets for the upcoming year. Would you be so kind as to consider an end-of-the-year gift to Faith Encouraged Ministries to help us in 2021? Just go to our Safe and Secure Donation Page and make a one-time gift or a monthly sustaining gift to help us keep this daily ministry possible! Thank you.
