Uncomfortably comfortable

The past few months (years?) God has really been working on my heart and mind.  I've wanted to write this blog for that long, but have been overwhelmed as to where to start.  Entire books have been written on the subject and sometimes I wonder if my post has anything to add to the discussion.  I have held on to this post for years because of fear--fear of being misunderstood. Fear of letting my left hand know what my right hand was doing when talking about these issues.

Here are the things I'm thinking:

**I'm uncomfortable with much of American culture.

**I'm uncomfortable with the desire for "more".

What am I doing with these verses?

"I tell you the truth.  Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine [those who are hungry, thirsty, in need of clothes, sick or in prison] you did for me." -Jesus  (Matthew 25:40)
What have I done for Jesus TODAY by helping the hungry, the thirsty, the one in prison, the one in need of clothes? What have I done in the past? What will I do tomorrow?

"If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.  For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will save it.  What good is it for a man to gain the whole world and yet lose or forfeit his very self?"--Jesus (Luke 9:23-25) What does denying myself look like? What if I denied myself the desire to eat out and gave that money to a cause close to Jesus' heart? What if I denied myself a new shirt I really don't need (but want) and clothed someone else?

Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world. James 1:27 What have I done TODAY to look after widows and orphans in their distress? Have I become polluted by the world? Is my faith accepted by God as pure and faultless?

"From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked."--Jesus (Luke 12:48b) 
I have food to eat and a roof over my head, therefore I have been given much.  Am I giving much? Much has been asked and demanded of me . . . am I doing what I've been told? Am I doing all I've been asked to do or is there more I should be doing?

Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves.  Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others."  Philippians 2:3&4 Is my desire to look cute selfish and vain? Am I considering others better than myself when I spend money on my wants (not needs)? Am I looking to the interests of others?

But if anyone has the world's goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God's love abide in him?" 1 John 3:17 Does God's love abide in me? Have I closed my heart against those in need? 

"Now this was the sin of your sister Sodom: She and her daughters [residents] were arrogant, overfed and unconcerned; they did not help the poor and needy. They were haughty and did detestable things before me.  Therefore I did away with them as you have seen."  Ezekiel 16:50 If God destroyed Sodom, in part because the citizens were overfed, unconcerned and didn't help the poor and the needy what does that mean for me?

Defend the cause of the weak and fatherless; maintain the rights of the poor and oppressed.  Rescue the weak and needy; deliver them from the hand of the wicked. Psalm 82:3&4 
Am I defending the cause of the week and fatherless? Am I maintaining the rights of the poor and the oppressed?  Am I rescuing the week and the needy from the hand of the wicked?

Do not withhold good from those who deserve it, when it is in your power to act.  Do not say to your neighbor, 'Come back later; I'll give it tomorrow' when you now have it with you.  Proverbs 3:27& 28|
Am I withholding good from those who deserve it? Am I telling those in need to come back later? What have/am I doing TODAY?

He who oppresses the poor shows contempt for their Maker, but whoever is kind to the needy honors God." Proverbs 14:31
Am I being kind to the needy by God's standards? Does God see me as oppressing the poor? Not everything I buy is Fair Trade.  Most of the clothes in my closet come from discount stores so I know that they were probably made by slaves.  What does God say about that? [Two of many articles on the issue from Christianity Today and Forbes .  Both have wrecked me (and kept me out of the mall).]

"Love the Lord your god with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.  This is the first and greatest commandment.  And the second is like it 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'" --Jesus  Matthew 22:37-40
Am I loving my neighbor as myself when I take my family out to dinner, but know others can't afford food?  Am I loving my neighbor as myself when I'm spending most of my time, talents and resources on myself?

"Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do no destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.  For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." Matthew 6:19-21
Am I more concerned about storing up my treasures on earth (a house worthy of HGTV or Pinterest, fashionable clothes, a nice car, fabulous vacations, etc) than I am about storing up treasures in heaven?

"No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other.  You cannot serve both God and money."--Jesus  Matthew 6:24
Am I attempting to serve two masters? If push came to shove would I choose God over material comforts?


These are just SOME of the questions I'm wrestling with.  Here's what I know: If I can afford to spend $50 a month on eating out I can afford $38/mo to sponsor a child through Compassion International. If I can afford my son's baseball registration fees I can help a mother & her baby in Kenya through Mercy House.  If I can afford to save for a vacation I can afford $30/month to buy gifts and accessories through Fair Trade Friday to support artisans around the world.

One of my regular prayers is, "God, show us how to be better stewards of what you've given us.  We know EVERYTHING we have is from You.  We know NOTHING we have is for us to hoard for ourselves.  We know You've commanded us to love others.  We know You've demanded much from us, because much has been given to us.  What do you want us to do with what You've given us?"

Money is finite.  I get that, but I also know that love is sacrifice.  What am I sacrificing to show others God's love?