Most people are looking forward to spending their "economic stimulus" check from the government as soon as they receive it. Most have probably already dreamed about what they want to buy with it. As a Christian, should I be thinking in different terms. Below is an interesting thought from John Piper. This is a shortened version from his blog. [Read entire blog]
For a moment, forget the political puzzle of getting money back when the country is nine trillion dollars in debt. The more immediate question is: How will you make much of Christ with your "economic stimulus payment"?...
Clue: Nobody in the world will see you spend your money on yourself and conclude that Christ is your treasure. They will assume you are just like them, no matter how loudly you thank God for this boon. That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t spend it on yourself... Not everything we do can look different from the world—eat, pay utilities, fill up the car, wear clothes...
But do we really need this money? Very few do. We would have gotten on fine without it. May I encourage you to be radically creative... Jesus said, “It is more blessed to give than to receive” (Acts 20:35). And those crazy Macedonians . . . even begged Paul “for the favor of taking part in the relief of the saints” (2 Corinthians 8:2-4). They really believed what Jesus said.
Before the check comes dream of some person or ministry which might make much of Christ because you treasured him above your next home project. The reason God created money and enabled us to earn it is so that we could show by the way we use it that money is not our treasure, Christ is. That’s why the checks are coming. So we can make Christ look great.
“Be content with what you have, for he has said, ‘I will never leave you nor forsake you’” (Hebrews 13:5-6).
