I lead a small church group of friends, and we're challenging ourselves to be ever-more outward looking in our lives. To this end, we're setting up a smaller group to minister more closely to the residents in our bread distribution exercise, another group to reach young working adults, and yet another group for more middle-aged executives. Each group will be led by one or two of us, and the idea is to fulfil the potential that God has put in each of us to help others live well.
The group that has come together most naturally is the one to help the rental block residents. We've been working the block for many years now, so the residents know us well. And the fact is, they have a lot of needs. Certainly material needs, but really also emotional and spiritual needs. Loneliness, worry over children, age and health, the next paycheck - these are really real needs.
The group that is probably going to come together next most easily is the young working adults group. We've been bringing in young people to help out with our bread distribution exercise for many years too, so they know us. And these young people have admirable ideals to be more than corporate zombies (as a friend would say). They want lives of meaning. At the same time, they wrestle with career direction, finding someone to settle down with, and cost of living - like the sky high property prices! These are really real needs too.
I suspect the group that may be hardest to pull together is the one for middle-aged executives. I have a group member who has lots and lots of industry friends, and so he's the one we're encouraging to put this together. But these middle-aged executives are often the ones who have the least needs. The career is more or less stable (other than those in retrenchment, which is a real thing), kids are generally speaking older and more independent, and often they have healthy bank balances. They are the "no needs" crowd. I am the captain of my life, I know what I'm doing, I've done it well, and I really don't need anyone or any God to help me.
God has blessed me with an interesting career, a loving family and teachable kids. My wife and I generally don't have expensive stuff, not because of any particularly self-righteous hang-up, but because, try as we might, we are generally unable to appreciate why a $1000 thingamabob is better than a $50 one. So, as far as the "no needs" crowd is concerned, I think I understand.
But I also understand that career, family and kids, and yes, the bank balance, are temporary. Another friend of mine recently questioned me with a valid challenge - if you truly believe these things are temporary, then why do you bother at all? Why do you bother to work hard at your career, to bring up good kids, to spend responsibly? In fact, if you believe heaven is a better destination, why even hang around on earth?
So I explained. It is absolutely true, that for the Christian, "
to live is Christ, and to die is gain" Philippians 1:21. But, "
... I no longer live, but Christ lives in me... the life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God , who loved me and gave himself for me." Galatians 2:20.
In other words, the life I have belongs to Him, and it always has. He's the boss.
Take this analogy - I enjoy my work and my career. However, I definitely enjoy going home to be with my family more. But just because I enjoy going home to my family doesn't mean I abandon my work and go home, because I am accountable to my boss, who pays my salary for the work I do. As long as it's not quitting time, as long as there's work to be done, I am accountable to my boss for it. And I will work cheerfully at it.
In the same way, I enjoy life on earth - work, family, so on. However, I know I will definitely enjoy going home to heaven more. But just because I know I will enjoy heaven more, doesn't mean I quit on life on earth. Because I am accountable to my God, who gives me life for the time I have on earth. As long as it's not quitting time, as long as there's work to be done, I am accountable to God for it. And I will work cheerfully at it, in all the places He employs me.
Having said all that, it will be quitting time one day. Our friends who have less material success see this more clearly, because they don't have big cars and houses and sparkling kids to distract them. The "no needs" crowd? Well, sometimes we just can't see that we do have needs. That God-shaped hole in our hearts that needs to be filled, and can't be filled by anything else in this broken world.
The Bible records how a very rich and successful man called Job had 7000 sheep, 3000 camels, 500 oxen, 500 donkeys, 7 sons and 3 daughters. The point is not so much the animals, as it is about the fact that Job was very very well off and happy. Unfortunately for Job, the devil turns up and takes away everything from him. He loses all his wealth, and all his children are killed in an accident. He also falls really ill.
For forty two chapters of the book of Job, his friends and even his wife tell Job all sorts of discouraging things. But Job refuses to turn his back on God. And forty two chapters later, God restores Job. The Bible records that God doubles Job's blessing - he has 14000 sheep, 6000 camels, 1000 oxen, 1000 donkeys and 7 sons and 3 daughters.
Uh, wait. Why does God say he will double Job's blessing but then He only doubles the livestock? Why not double the children too? Did God forget? Is the Bible inaccurate?
The pastor at Chinese service shared this mind-blowing insight -
Job never lost his children anyway. People who are in the Lord are never lost. When they pass on, they're not lost. We just see them again later. God's promise never fails - He did double Job's children. The children Job had before, he'll see them again. And he now has another 7 sons and 3 daughters.
The Bible's revelation through this simple use of numbers is pretty amazing. How perfectly constructed is His word! Then I reflected and realised that there's an
even deeper meaning to this. God is saying - you know, when you lose your material stuff, it's really lost. That's why I had to double Job's wealth. But don't focus on the wealth - it will one day be lost anyway, because it's the sort of thing that doesn't last anyway. Focus on people - they last, and you never lose them.
As I write this, I can't help but remember my brother, who I lost when he was just 29. But I know I'll see him again. God doesn't lose people. We just see them later. And the book of Job illustrates this amazing gem of truth with a bunch of simple numbers.
And for everyone who thinks, have wealth, I have health, I have career, I have cool thingamabobs - and I include myself in this - may we remember, one day it'll be quitting time, time to go home. Even if we double these things in our life, they don't last!
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