Why do Christians continue to miss the point of why things happen in our lives? Why do we keep thinking that the best way for God to be honored and for people to want to follow Jesus is for us to be blessed with wealth, fame, and prestige? I ask this in light of the campaign being waged to restore wealth to Stephen Baldwin that he has apparently lost because he is following Jesus. A website called Restore Stephen Baldwin has been established in order to financially support him.
The thinking is that he is being left out of roles or declined roles, and thus he is loosing income because of his faith in Christ. So people in Hollywood are smirking and saying “so what good is it that you are following Jesus?” As a result they are mocking Stephen and mocking God. The people behind the website think that if Christians around the world sent money to help restore Stephen financially that this would be an amazing statement for the power of God.
What are they thinking? What about the Apostle Paul bringing glory to God by saying 10I rejoice greatly in the Lord that at last you have renewed your concern for me. Indeed, you have been concerned, but you had no opportunity to show it. 11I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. 12I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. 13I can do everything through him who gives me strength. Philippians 4:10-13
We don’t only bring glory to God by being rich and powerful. In fact, we usually do not. Paul is saying that we bring glory to God by learning to be content no matter what situation we find ourselves in. How big a statement would it be to the people of Hollywood if they saw Stephen happier than ever even though he had less? What if they saw him at peace and content regardless of how much or how little he had? What if they saw his family actually be stronger in their relationships even though they no longer had big houses and expensive cars? I wonder what that would say about the power of God then?
Hollywood is called tinsel town for a reason. Most everything is fake and designed to be shiny for a season. But the seasons and the glitter don’t last. Faith in Jesus, contentment in Christ, finding your sufficiency in God alone, those things are lasting and these are the things that lead people to faith in Jesus. Every Hollywood star goes through a down time in life. What if they saw a peer who was actually content and secure in Christ and not the glitter?
Jesus doesn’t need Stephen Baldwin, you, or me to be rich and powerful. He needs us to be content in Him no matter what.
Dan Lacich: Provocative Christian Living 
Great one Dan. To be content in all things. Still working on this one. Been doing better lately.
Thanks for the article – agree re your point of being content in all things. As the Word tells us, there is a cost associated with being a disciple of Christ, not always palatable but something we are told to seriously consider – count the cost before you start building the tower. That cost is different for each of us, finance, friendships, career paths, where we live…
On a slightly different tack – According to Matthew 6 our giving should be in secret but I get the feeling that as Christians we want to show the world what we are doing like we need to prove ourselves to it. I think we are called to do acts of service (including giving – in secret), and allow God to reward us openly.
If Stephen is relating to other believers in some sort of regular fellowship and he has a genuine need then those believers he relates to could without any fan fare pray for and with him, and maybe some would be led to provide some financial assistance to him. The need would be met, God would be honoured, and these things are done in secret, and the world is none the wiser perhaps until a testimony at the right time and place.
Do, whom Ti said (best case for genuine two witnesses of rev. 11 & 12 (Ti=nettles(seedgiver(Father) – incarnate in a female human body) was Jesus, Elijah, Moses, Enoch and Adam) said “God wants us to have nice things. He just doesn’t want us to want them”. We absolutely do not honor God by our possessions or status in the world or in attending church or regularily meeting with other believers or by how much we pray (as it depends upon what it is we are praying about that counts). The best prayer, would be along the lines of “What can I do for you next?” It’s the old “thy will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven”. If we are Christians then that’s more than just a hope or wish. It’s a request to know what it is specifically that “Our Father” would have us do for them(as jesus said both he and his Father loved those that seek to do their will) on Earth. And of course in terms of behaviour it’s to Love your neighbor as yourself and serve one another as he showed service to us. What was his service to us. Essentially, the first step is to share what he said, all of what he said, not just the easy things. The scriptures we don’t understand are grounds to ask “our Father” questions. Love is really kind of worthless without actions of giving. To that he said there was a prospective of who gets the bigger reward, the giver that has a great deal or the giver that has little but gives proportionally even all they have. We are all in process of learning how to give our all. It’s a never ending process while we are still unborn into the Kingdom of God, thus youths. We can only become adults when in our case the soul that was called jesus nurtures us face to face, by making his dwelling with us physically, as we need to see him as real and not a spirit alone. That’s a safeguard so not to get mislead by spirits the way I believe Paul was. (I have a lot of examples of why I say that). Jesus said when we give don’t let your right hand know what your left is doing. In other words do it spontaneously and/or without comparisons or considerations or weighing. So yes, boasting or showing off one’s giving is missing the point of the relationship we are seeking to engage further. And yes, we should absolutely only pray in secret, because again it’s often a way of getting praise, when others see us praying and thinking how holy they are, for instance.
Now regarding contentment. This is a dangerous thing in a sense. One of jesus big pushes was to impress upon us to “ask, seek, knock”. It was said in another place that we “press our way into the Kingdom”. Jesus spoke of seeking what he had to quench one’s thirst. Contentment can be very much like “lukewarm” – not useful to the Kingdom of God. The term “good” also can be translated to “functional”, something we stive to be not for ourselves as much as for others as practice when we can direct all our giving to our Lord when He incarnates to help us further.
Amen! That campaign is another poor showing of the Christian faith. Puts the prize on wealth and not on Jesus.
i have heard it said that”he who is the richest of all is he who is content with the least.” I,m always asking that The Lord would turn my eyes from worthless things.” and that He would show me what it truly means to “lay up treasures in heaven”.I feel -at last- I’m finally letting Him begin this work He has wanted to do for so long. He’s given me so much stuff and i realize the eyes always want more. woe is me. “Hallelujah i have found Him, whom my soul so long has craved. Jesus satisfies my longings , through His blood i now am saved.” “Lord, let me long for You and Your glory more than anything or anyone else. For You alone can satisfy. amen”
Thank you for pointing this out. Last night was the finale of Amazing Race 16. The Cowboys–Christians, morally ethical, good guys–finished second. The reason? Cord would not buzz past Jordan while his brother was trying to figure out the reeling message. That is integrity and living by the Golden Rule. I was crushed the Cowboy Cord and Jet didn’t win. Then I realized that they really did win, and in so doing, they were such a huge testimony for Christ because they did not bend to the seductive side of greed. They did not break their own principles for the almighty dollar. That’s a huge win for God’s Side.
I really appreciate this article. I believe you addressed a well known problem when you stated, “Why do we keep thinking that the best way for God to be honored and for people to want to follow Jesus is for us to be blessed with wealth, fame, and prestige?” I couldn’t agree more! If we just look at who Jesus is- and was on earth- we will see how NOT important material possessions are. If God blesses us financially, it is so we can bless others. IF God gives us wealth (money), it is so we can give it away…to “the least of these.” Followers of Jesus Christ need a new perspective on wealth. Instead of buying a new car, or a new plasma, why not use the extra cash to buy groceries for the hungry, clothes for the naked, or shelter for the homeless. Love God and Love others. We cannot love others if we selfishly hoard our wealth.
I wrote a blog similar to this concept. It was more in relation to the church building. Check it out if you are interested. Thanks again.
http://www.brendonpennington.blogspot.com
When I read the website, anybody could have been deceived. Thank you for clearing things out!