Rich Simplicity

I read: 1 Timothy

Ah, the last day of 1 Timothy, back to the OT tomorrow. I shall relish these lingering moments while I can . . . ;) Well, partially kidding. The OT is interesting, but the complete lack of grace makes it a little bit intimidating for me. Best enjoyed with a nice cool Wendy's Frosty if you ask me (check it out: I got 10 coupons for junior Frosty's for $1 yesterday, granted it took me 45 minutes to get in and get my food, but whatever!).

Chapter 6 of Timothy features one of those translations that Peterson does oh so well and makes The Message such a joy. Granted, it's the meaning behind the words that have the true value, but there is something to be said for the beauty of the written word when done well; these verses have that one-two punch like whoa. Observe:

A devout life does bring wealth, but it's the rich simplicity of being yourself before God. Since we entered the world penniless and will leave it penniless, if we have bread on the table and shoes on our feet, that's enough.

Wow. Just wow. A rich life is so simple. It's not winning the lottery, claiming a giant lawsuit, creating some new invention, getting a great job, or even being born into a wealthy family. Richness comes from being who God wants us to be. That person may be rich or poor, but it doesn't matter. We have purposes, we have destinies. When we can live in harmony with God and our neighbors we will find meaning and goodness beyond what we can even imagine. And we can enjoy the simple pleasures along the way: the soft sponginess of a piece of bread, that exuberant feeling of pulling off our shoes at the end of a long day. And that's enough.

It's kind of funny to me that in the last two months I've written about how I'm learning to get by on less as I did my job search. In, oh, a day or two I'm going to be getting my first paycheck. Wow. What a bonanza that will be. It's youth ministry money, so it's not a lot, but in comparison with any paycheck I've ever gotten, it's going to be a lot to me. So, all of a sudden I'm going to have to go from absence to abundance. And it kind of has me worried. Already the prospect of a paycheck has caused me to make some purchases which I've enjoyed, but I've not necessarily needed. Thus, the timing of this passage is a good reality check for me. I need to start weighing my desires as needs or wants and treating them accordingly. Especially since there will hopefully be some things to save for in the near future. But more importantly, my time and my money are not mine, they're God's and thus I should be serving him with both of these gifts he has given to me.

The poignancy of yesterday's meditation on goodness holds today. God gives us good things that don't cost a thing. God wants us to keep seeking those free things that are good. And when we do that, he takes care of the rest. In other words, God is good and God is good to us.