Flow of Riches

I have known people who are very generous in giving to others their time, money, and service. Their heart was evident to all. No sacrifice seemed too great when it came to soothing the pain of others. But I have also observed that those who are most generous are often very reluctant to receive help when they are in need.

I have also known people who are takers. They are not shy about receiving assistance from others, and may often ask for help before they are asked if they need it. Many times the takers are oblivious to the needs of others and can’t conceive that they should reach out to offer help. They have become a swamp, consistently receiving, but never flowing outward to others.

As I ponder the reasons for such extremes, I am struck how rare it is to find someone who does both well. I am not sure that I know anyone who is equally comfortable with giving as they are receiving. And yet I believe that such a balance should be characteristic of Jesus-followers. Look at Jesus and you will find Him to be as adept at reaching out with healing power as He was at receiving the anointing of costly perfume. Neither act embarrassed Him. It was as it was intended to be.

What could it be that tends to keep us polarized to one extreme or the other? Could it be the same failure that causes both anomalies?

The heart of this issue is stewardship. When we properly understand who owns it all, the flow of riches into our lives should be as natural as the the flow of riches out of our lives to others. And vice versa. If I truly believe that nothing I have is mine, but ALL is God’s, I will be as comfortable giving it as I am receiving it. I can give freely, because it is not mine to hoard. I can receive freely, because I am receiving the blessing which God ultimately possesses anyway. I freely receive air to breathe, water to drink, food to eat, shelter to protect, relationships to nurture and comfort, and truth to guide. Why could I not receive $100 as a gift – not from his wallet or her pocketbook, really, but from God’s treasure.

A misunderstanding of the sovereign ownership of God hinders the flow in either or both directions. A friend told me about a man he met who said, “What does it matter that God’s money is in your pocket or mine?” The early church lived by that principle.

“they gave to everyone as he had need”

Some call it communism. I called it God-born stewardship.

This might seem harsh, but either extreme of flow presented above is a manifestation of selfishness. Those who receive, but rarely give, have become convinced that they deserve to possess. Their comfort takes precedence. If others have needs, they should find support elsewhere.

And those who give, but find it nearly impossible to receive, have become convinced that they are self-sufficient. The delusion is that they are in control. God can help them, they admit, but only in a way in which they approve.

Both conditions require a humble gratitude. Both require a conversion of trust. Both require a restoration of sight. We all come to God, beggars in need of bread, and God has created a community in which His riches are intended to flow in every direction through our lives, never to be collected in cisterns for the self.

Life with an open hand implies that my hand is open for both reasons: to give and to receive. And never can my fingers close to clench what is God’s.

Elevator Muzak

A few of weeks ago, as I was driving from Missouri to Ohio alone, I was listening to an array of CDs. I had brought along one of those compilation worship CDs and was enjoying the music as I drove and daydreamed, content to have spiritual melodies ensconce me.

And then a random thought struck me (maybe it wasn’t so random – you be the judge). Is it proper for worship music to serve as a mere backdrop for my activities? Weren’t these songs written with the express purpose of honoring God and calling the singer/performer/listener to do the same? Does allowing such a creative gift to become “ambience” demote it to little more than a fresh coat of paint on the living room wall of my life?

The thought nagged at me. What about other music? Is not music in itself a gift from God? The ability to write melodies and fashion poetic statements is beyond my talents. These are granted by the One who created us. Those who have this gift put forth their energy to create expressions from their heart about myriad themes, all that the human heart might be moved to think above and beyond itself. In music, we are called to interact with the work done by composer, artist, musician, and vocalist. Is not using music – any music – as a “mood-setter” a violation of its very intent? Is it a passive art, or a call to listen, think, worship, even act?

We have made this practice even more mainstream by technological creations which enable us to take our music with us anywhere so that we can fill the empty aural spaces with pleasant sounds. And yet we don’t really hear them. I begin to see the point of those artists who are appalled at the thought of great music being sold to Wal-Mart or Chevy and used to sell a product. The gift of music was meant for more than this.

Before technology enabled our ears to hear music second-hand (recorded), it could only be experienced with great effort. The musicians and vocalists had to get together, tune up, rehearse, gather an audience – however formal or informal – and play as listeners did little else but experience the gift. The reason all were gathered was for none other than to give total attention to the message of the music. The music had become the center of the gathering. Now it often plays the role of a barely noticed seasoning in our soup.

This view of music has also robbed us of the significance of silence. We often reach for music (and, of course, TV) as a distraction from our aloneness. It is hard to be alone and quiet because in those moments you see yourself more honestly and that can be a difficult thing. Better to numb ourselves to reality by the soothing of soft tunes in the shadows.

We reveal a more organic understanding of music’s beauty and power when we attend concerts. We sit, look on, and listen with complete attention to the tapestry of melodies, harmonies, rhythm and lyrics being woven together before us. It feeds the soul. We have been blessed and we have respected the work of the artists and the Artist. I remember a few years ago hearing James Taylor in concert and actually experiencing a worshipful mood, because the music was such a joy. Though it was from one who did not acknowledge God in any overt way, the gift could not betray its Maker. It was a divine gift.

I am a little more resistant to listening to music as mere filler for my activities now. I contend that we focus as we listen and really hear it. Turn it up. Give attention to it as you would a good book. I realize that habits die hard. I am still very apt to keep music at a semi-conscious level, but I hope to be more intentional about my involvement with it in the future.

I suppose the same could be said of other great pieces of art. Museums honor the purpose. We go specifically to look and experience the creative gift. To slap a copy on our walls merely because it matches the color scheme seems to cheapen the work. Creative gifts are intended to open up something within us as it scratches away at the crust of our life.

Perhaps this rant seems a little too introspective, but I suspect that if I give myself to more intentional music listening, I will find my discernment sharpening. Less of the stuff out there touted as art will be considered worthy of my ears. Music, like any gift from God, can be twisted into selfish uses. It may be time to thin the CD herd in my basement.

He/She who has ears to hear, let him/her hear.