This is our travail

With the financial storm looming overhead, it is natural to spend our time thinking about what we can possibly do to insulate ourselves against calamity. Our natural instincts turn to providing for ourselves and for our loved ones, as it is precisely times like these that "survival of the fittest" becomes the name of the game.

Yet, while that is the way of the world, we know that the ways of the world are not God's ways. In my worldly desire to plan ahead, I am thinking of money, and how to best preserve our supply of it. But in turning to scripture, I reminded of what money is really for:

And the people rejoiced, when they promised their offerings willingly: because they offered them to the Lord with all their heart: and David the king rejoiced also with a great joy. And he blessed the Lord before all the multitude, and he said: Blessed art thou, O Lord the God of Israel, our father from eternity to eternity.

Thine, O Lord, is magnificence, and power, and glory, and victory: and to thee is praise: for all that is in heaven, and in earth, is thine: thine is the kingdom, O Lord, and thou art above all princes. Thine are riches, and thine is glory, thou hast dominion over all, in thy hand is power and might: in thy hand greatness, and the empire of all things. Now therefore our God we give thanks to thee, and we praise thy glorious name. Who am I, and what is my people, that we should be able to promise thee all these things? all things are thine: and we have given thee what we received of thy hand. For we are sojourners before thee, and strangers, as were all our fathers. Our days upon earth are as a shadow, and there is no stay.

O Lord our God, all this store that we have prepared to build thee a house for thy holy name, is from thy hand, and all things are thine.

(1 Chronicles/Paralipomenon 29:9-16)

In these times, it is not ourselves or even our loved ones that we are supposed to be worrying about.

For he that will save his life, shall lose it: and he that shall lose his life for my sake, shall find it.
(Matthew 16:25)

It is so easy in our fight for survival to think that the greatest good is to preserve one's life and livelihood. But life and livelihood come not from our own power, and they quickly pass away into eternity.

...be not solicitous for your life, what you shall eat; nor for your body, what you shall put on... which of you, by taking thought, can add to his stature one cubit?

If then ye be not able to do so much as the least thing, why are you solicitous for the rest? For your Father knoweth that you have need of these things.

But seek ye first the kingdom of God and his justice, and all these things shall be added unto you. Fear not, little flock, for it hath pleased your Father to give you a kingdom. Sell what you possess and give alms. Make to yourselves bags which grow not old, a treasure in heaven which faileth not: where no thief approacheth, nor moth corrupteth.

(Luke 12:22, 25, 26, 30-33)

We ought not to be thinking like the rich man--our whole mind must be turned now to the Lazaruses who lie suffering at our doorstep. And as we beg the Lord to help bear our burdens, so must we bear one another's burdens.

We must fight our impulse to save, hoard and protect.

Instead we must give, serve and love.

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