“You have lived on earth in luxury and self-indulgence. You have fattened yourselves as in the day of feasting.” James 5:5
I know what it is like to live a self-indulgent life. It is a life where you are at the center. Living self-indulgently means you give in to every whim and desire. Most of us would probably claim not to live self-indulgently. But indulgence does not always look as extreme as it sounds. Where does most of your money go? Do you spend most of your money on yourself? Do you indulge yourself in how you eat? The truth is, you could be handling your money responsibly by not overspending yet still be self-indulgent - because it’s all spent on yourself. And America’s increasing obesity rate would suggest that we are indulging ourselves “as in the day of feasting.” Self-indulegence is not easy to see in the mirror. In America, we are so used to seeing the way we live as “normal” that we may not detect what living self-indulgently means.
What it comes down to really is living simply. Living simply means that we are not keeping up with the Joneses. It means we do not spend a good chunk of our money on our own pleasure. It ultimately means we do not put our trust or security in our money or wealth. It is even reflected in how we eat. But this is trickier than it sounds. While we may readily admit America has a problem with food, when it comes to money, we can be blind. We may use sayings like, “Money doesn’t buy happiness” or “I don’t put my security in what I have.” But the way we spend our money may indicate otherwise or even the way we think about our money may indicate otherwise.
We may believe more money = more security. We may think, “more money means a better retirement” or “more money means a better or more stable future. Perhaps I could go to school with more money” or “if anything bad happens I will be prepared for it or if disaster strikes I will have good insurance to cover it.” We tend to think a stable income will provide us a stable future - a safety net will protect us if hard times hit.
But through a variety of uncontrollable factors money and wealth can be lost in an instant, along with whatever dream or secure future you have attached to them. “Whoever loves money never has enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with their income” (Ecc 5:10). Our ultimate security should be in God, understanding that He cares and will take care of us.
Greed comes from a word that means, “to covet.” Greed is the result of coveting. Coveting in turn comes from a lust for more. You don’t have to be rich to be greedy or to put your trust or security in money. It happens in the heart. “No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money” (Luke 16:13). The opposite of greed is generosity. God desires a generous heart, and He himself is generous.
When I first learned about generosity I told myself I was willing to be generous, “Sure, if I had more money I would totally be generous. It’s just that I don’t have that extra money to give. But my heart is in the right place, certainly that’s what matters.” But what I really meant was, “I am going to keep spending on myself at the same rate I always have. If I get extra money, well, that’s when I will be generous.”
I was not able to understand that being generous meant spending less on myself and more on others. I have always had a habit of going out to hang out with people. Which of course usually meant spending more money. Every time I went out to eat I had to go all out and have a full meal. But I didn’t always need it. There was food at home or I could have been fine buying a less expensive item. I tightly hoarded my money because of the greed in my heart and my desire for more. I acted as if I couldn’t go without these things, even though they weren’t actual needs. Surrender doesn’t always come easy.
I reasoned with myself that God wouldn’t just ask me to be generous when money was so tight. It didn’t make sense. Of course, one of the problems with that question is that after reading the Bible you come to know God doesn’t ask you to do things if it makes sense. God is not willing to be bound by reason or even logic. He never added to His commands, “And if it makes sense do it. If not, well then that’s an entirely different matter that we can discuss.”
Come to think of it, the only time I remember God applying reason was when He said, “‘Come now, and let us reason together, though your sins are as scarlet, they will be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they will be like wool. If you consent and obey, you will eat the best of the land; but if you refuse and rebel, you will be devoured by the sword’” (Isa 1:18-20).
God pushed an ultimatum in my mind, was it going to be the poor and needy or the five peppermint mochas with extra whip and chocolate drizzle dancing in my head?
I told myself God wouldn’t ask that. But why not? Was my pleasure more important than someone else’s need? “Oh, don’t be so extreme. It’s MY money. I can spend it on myself and not feel guilty. I am not doing anything wrong,” I said. But wasn’t that what it really came down to? I was making myself number one, what was most important. I told myself it was no big deal. “That’s because your culture says it is no big deal. Your culture says poor people are a fact of life and deserve where they are, so don’t feel bad. Your culture says you shouldn’t be expected to feel bad about it because it is your money,” God responded.
“But where did that money come from?” He asked. I was cornered. “Ultimately?…” I sqeaked. “Um, well, I guess, You…” I grumbled hoping He wouldn’t hear (which never works). “So…that would mean it isn’t your money then, wouldn’t it?” He prodded. The reality was that this earth and all that is within it has been loaned to me by God. He owns it, all of it. I steward it until His return. I can enjoy it, but I don’t own it. Rather, money and possessions are a test.
This earth and all that is within it have been loaned to us but really belong to God. We are stewards of it. And one day He will come back and will want to know how we have been taking care of what He has entrusted us with (Mark 12:1-10, Matt 25:14-30). Therefore, the resources He has given us are not just for us and our own personal enjoyment.
I am not saying going out on occassion or getting a coffee drink is sin. You could go out and still not live self-indulgently. You could go out on occassion or if you go out a lot you could spend less. What I am saying is that being generous means sacrifice and cutting back on other areas where we have been spending on ourselves. And if we spend it mostly on ourselves, especially at the expense of being generous to others, we are being self-indulgent rather than stewarding what we have been given and trusted with.
The prosperity gospel says you give to get - you give to God so He will bless you. God’s kingdom says you give to get to give - He blesses you so you can be a blessing to others. God loves a cheerful giver. This means sacrifice. But God has a generous heart, and you can never outgive God.
2 Cor 9:6-15
“Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work…
This service that you perform is not only supplying the needs of the Lord’s people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God. Because of the service by which you have proved yourselves, others will praise God for the obedience that accompanies your confession of the gospel of Christ, and for your generosity in sharing with them and with everyone else. And in their prayers for you their hearts will go out to you, because of the surpassing grace God has given you. Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!”
