“Material
goods are uncertain and very burdensome because they are never possessed
without anxiety and fear.”
— Thomas à Kempis (1380 – 1471)
There is nothing that God cannot give us, but there are two types of possessions,
in two entirely different spheres of influence: one so destructive it takes us
potentially into a chasm of darkness; another so life-affirming as to reinforce
the power of God over all of life. One is the source of every ruination; the
other is the source of learning, growth, deliverance, and healing.
Spiritualism, so long as it’s arranged cohesively to God’s will and
aligned to God’s truth, is the making of us. Materialism, of just about any
kind, is the taking away of us.
How did I practically learn these things? There was a season of my life,
over ten years ago now, when I made it a routine to give my possessions away.
Many were being taken away through the incidence of divorce, but much more I
was giving away, because God showed me something. God showed me that the less a
hold I had on material possessions, the more he was giving me possession of his
Kingdom, his Spiritual
Kingdom.
We presumably all know the thrill of giving someone a gift.
But we might normally expect someone to appreciate that gift. When we
belong to the Kingdom we have no such real need. Their appreciation is between
them and God.
We have given because we felt God telling us to do it in faith. That
very same faith has no conditions of acceptance on it. It gives for the simple
sake of it.
It is more blessed to give than receive (Acts 20:35), but real givers
also know how to receive with grace, being inherently and authentically
thankful and grateful.
Only a healthy focus on true Christlike spiritualism can give us joy,
hope, and peace. Such a focus repels overtures from the materialistic world; we
see its folly coming a mile off.
God will give us the keys to his Kingdom if we reject the burden of
materialism. But if we insist on gathering the things our hands can grab, we
will reap hot sand; it will fall through our fingers and burn them on the way.
When materialism doesn’t tempt us like it used to, then we are free to
embrace all the blessings of the Kingdom
of God. But if we insist
on keeping everything that comes our way, much will be our distress when we
have any thought of giving it back.
© 2014 S. J. Wickham.
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