Posts tagged money
Bible in a Year – Day 28: What’s a Life Worth?
Jan 28th
Today’s Reading: Exodus 30, 31 & 32
As with just about every day, there’s a lot packed into today’s reading. However, there were two parts that really jumped out to me and they both follow a similar theme. First, there is the “atonement money” that God requires every person to pay. Second, there is this conversation between Moses and the Lord where Moses asks God to forgive the Israelites for worshiping the golden calf. Both, I think, demonstrate a fundamental truth about the value of each individual – a truth that God first taught Noah and then, Noah articulated back to God.
Let’s take a look at the atonement money. The purpose of this money was to offer a “ransom” for the life of each individual. Clearly, this has some prophetic undertones as Jesus would pay the ultimate ransom for us and would be the ultimate atonement. However, I think there’s something interesting about this passage. God requires that everyone is to give one half shekel. And he specifically says that the rich are to give no more than a half shekel and the poor are to give no less.
Now, whenever God and money are combined in the Bible, most people immediately believe that the passage must be a commentary on church giving, tithing, etc. In this case, though, I don’t think that’s the point at all. In fact, when you read through the rest of scripture, you see that God typically does require more from those who have more and often lessens the giving requirements for those who are poor. So what’s going on here?
Well, remember that we’re talking about a ransom or atonement. That is, a sum of money paid in exchange for someone’s life. What’s a life worth? Whatever the person who saves your life says it’s worth. In this case, God tells the people that they are to pay one half shekel as a ransom for each life. But what is God going to do with a half shekel? He doesn’t need the money! What he does need is that for the people to understand that their lives have value and that no one person’s life is more valuable than another. The lives of the rich aren’t worth more than the lives of the poor or vice versa. This is a lesson in the value of a life, not a story about tithing or church giving.
This same lesson, then, is obviously learned and articulated by Moses when he says to God in chapter 32, verses 31 & 32:
“Oh, what a great sin these people have committed! They have made themselves gods of gold. But now, please forgive their sin—but if not, then blot me out of the book you have written.”
Moses here is essentially telling God that his life (or more accurately, his soul or his existence) is not any more valuable than anyone else’s. If they aren’t going to be forgiven – if they’re going to be rejected by God – then Moses doesn’t want to be accepted by him either. It’s a reminder that we’re all in this boat together – that God interacts with humanity as a whole as well as individuals. And it’s a reminder that you are worth the same as me and the same as the poorest of the poor and the richest of the rich. And, ultimately, Jesus would pay the same price for all of us.
Lending to the Lord
Aug 7th
1 Chronicles 26:20-32; 1 Chronicles 27; 1 Corinthians 4; Proverbs 19:13-22 NIV
He who is kind to the poor lends to the LORD, and he will reward him for what he has done. – Proverbs 19:17
Several weeks ago, I was challenged about my attitude toward the poor. Now, I’m not saying I had any ill feelings toward them. In fact, I thought I was pretty compassionate – enlightened even – about the plight of the poor. I didn’t do the things that “less compassionate” people do. I tried to do what I was supposed to.
When I saw a homeless person, I reminded myself that he/she was a person, a child of God and someone with a unique story. I always made a point to look him/her in the eye because I had read somewhere that one of the most dehumanizing experiences people endure is watching others avoid eye contact. I even made a point to let them know that I would gladly give them some money, but I didn’t have any cash.
But here’s the thing: The reason I never had cash is because I never got cash. And I didn’t have any food or water to give them because I didn’t bring it from home. Let me be clear, it’s not as if these people just popped up at the intersection by surprise. Almost every day of the week, I drive past the same people at the same intersection. I know they’re going to be there.
So, one day as I was driving past that intersection, I really felt challenged. ”Why not go to the ATM and get cash specifically for this purpose?” And that’s just what I did. I went to the ATM later that day and withdrew $40. I reasoned that I could keep cash in my car that would be set aside for whenever I saw a panhandler or someone in need. Of course, I would need to stop somewhere and get some change for my two twenty dollar bills. Of course, that was the part I forgot.
I forgot until the next morning. As I was approaching the regular panhandler hangout, I realized that the smallest bill I had was a twenty. That’s when the real challenge came upon me. ”If there is someone there,” I asked myself, “what is the wise decision? Do I give this person a $20 bill, or do I just pretend I don’t have any cash and go on my way?”
Well, I know it’s become cliché, but in that moment, I actually asked myself what Jesus would do. As much as I tried, I couldn’t convince myself that Jesus would lie about not having any cash. I also couldn’t convince myself that Jesus would try to explain to the panhandler that he needed change. So, then and there, as I approached the intersection, I resolved to give up my $20 bill. It was the right thing to do.
As I got closer and closer to the intersection, I strained to see around the moving truck in front of me. I crossed my fingers, just hoping that for one day, there would be nobody in the intersection. I really didn’t want to give up my twenty! But, again, I resolved to do it. I even said it out loud! ”God, if there is someone standing there, even if the light is green, I won’t use any excuses. I’ll give them this $20 bill.”
To my surprise, when I arrived at the intersection, who was there? No one. Not a single person. This spot that constantly has 2 or 3 people asking for money, washing windshields or selling flowers, was completely empty on this nice sunny morning.
As I passed through the intersection, I thought about those people, though. I probably thought about them more that morning than any before or since. I thought about what it would have meant to one of them if they had received $20. I wondered why I had gone through this entire conversation with myself and God just to find nobody there. But most of all, I wondered how it was that I could be experiencing the “joy of giving” without having given anything.
Basically, it felt good to know that I would have given – to know that my heart and mind were prepared to do it. I think God allowed me to feel that, so that the next time, I wouldn’t hesitate. And, from that point forward, I haven’t hesitated. I did, however, get change because I can’t afford to give away $20 bills every day! I got change and kept it in my car. Then, every time I saw someone in need, I gave them cash. Eventually, it wasn’t a challenge or even a “feel-good” thing to do anymore. It was simply normal.
My normal-ness continued (through several ATM trips) until yesterday. Yesterday, I gave away my last few dollars and didn’t go to the ATM to get more. Then, once last night and twice today, I passed panhandlers and I had nothing to give. For the first one, my wife and I gathered all the change we could find. For the others, I had nothing. I didn’t have the tools I needed to be normal – to care for the poor.
I don’t like that feeling. I want to be kind to the poor. I want to be giving. I want to be loving. I want to, in the words of Proverbs “lend to the Lord”. I think that’s a pretty safe investment. And I guess it means I need to go to the ATM tomorrow!
