Not Stuck on Stuff
Not Stuck on Stuff
“Well done, good slave!” he told him. “Because you have been faithful in a very small matter, have authority over 10 towns.” (Luke 19:17)
Our mission trip to Kenya was life changing. One of the most striking lessons I learned was how content the people were without all the possessions we are accustomed to. They had no modern conveniences, no expensive cars, no technological gadgets, and not even manufactured goods like toys or store-bought clothes. Their homes were simple mud or dung walls with thatched roofs, and they didn’t eat like kings. Yet in home after home, the families brought out their best harvest—a meal of goat meat for us, their special guests.
When I returned home to the United States, I was challenged to find contentment outside all the “stuff” that so easily gets in the way. My husband and I decided to give a portion of our income above our tithe to our church’s ministry in Africa. It will be a sacrifice for us to give this money, but I am trusting that God will continue to provide for us. We have so much, and so many have so little. If we can carefully and intentionally be good stewards of what God has given us, He will bless our offerings and use them in ways that have eternal value.
The Kenyan people gave us the best of what they had; they gave sacrificially. Jesus gave His life as a sacrifice for us. We want to give cheerfully out of the abundance God has given us, seeking to find our contentment in Him rather than in what the world has to offer.
Prayerfully examine your budget to see where your money is going. Is your first priority your tithe to your church? Do you use your resources to help others? Does God have lordship over every area of your life, including your finances?