Have you ever heard someone say they don't want to have a lot of money because it becomes too big of a temptation? Do you ever say, "I believe we should live modest lives, be humble like Jesus"? If so, modest according to whose standards? If you have a 2Bed/2Bath home and maybe an instrument to enjoy your favorite hobby, your life seems extravagant to someone living in their vehicle. Yet to you, someone with a 6,000 sq ft home and 3 cars, might be lavish. Everyone's perspective is different, based on their own circumstances. If we are truly surrendered, it would behoove us to make things about Jesus, and not ourselves...
Let's say you already have a perfectly good vehicle and all you need is just that one; would you be willing to buy another one? What if God asked you to, would you buy one then, or would you say no, because "God wants us to be like Jesus and live humbly?" If you answered no, you're walking in false humility, pride and greed. Greed, you ask? How can I be greedy when I only have one car? You'd be greedy because you'd be hoarding that one car, for yourself. What if the reason the Lord told you to buy a new car was because he wanted you to give away your old one? If you only have one, you're limited in what you can give away. The more you allow the Lord to give you, the more you can give away, no matter what the material thing.
Let's say you already have a perfectly good vehicle and all you need is just that one; would you be willing to buy another one? What if God asked you to, would you buy one then, or would you say no, because "God wants us to be like Jesus and live humbly?" If you answered no, you're walking in false humility, pride and greed. Greed, you ask? How can I be greedy when I only have one car? You'd be greedy because you'd be hoarding that one car, for yourself. What if the reason the Lord told you to buy a new car was because he wanted you to give away your old one? If you only have one, you're limited in what you can give away. The more you allow the Lord to give you, the more you can give away, no matter what the material thing.
The Lord gave us the revelation that trying to live a humble life, by purposely having little or purposely lowering yourself by not even asking for the things you want because you think it's stingy, isn't humble at all; it's false humility. Purposely putting yourself in lack does not prove your faithfulness to the Lord.
Someone once told my husband and I that they were so happy because they just knew if God gave us a million dollars, we wouldn't keep any of it for ourselves, that we'd give it all away. We giggled, because the truth is, first and foremost, we would do whatever the Lord told us to do with it. If he told us to give it all away, we would. If he told us to bury it in PVC pipe, in the ground near the Golden Gate Bridge, we would. And if he told us to give away 10k, but keep the rest to buy ourselves a home, cars for each of us, cell phones, and food for 6 months, then we'd do it! The Lord wants us all to help others by giving us the resources to do so, but he doesn't bypass taking care of his own children to do it. In fact, he takes care of his children FIRST. When you wake up in the morning, do you go make breakfast for all your neighbors first and let your own family go hungry?
Being humble doesn't mean living in lack or living modestly. Being humble means being willing to fully surrender to what the LORD wants you to do, and walking in THAT; despite the possibility that doing so, may cause you to go into lack.
Being humble doesn't mean living in lack or living modestly. Being humble means being willing to fully surrender to what the LORD wants you to do, and walking in THAT; despite the possibility that doing so, may cause you to go into lack.
Resources
How to Avoid Delaying Your Own Blessings
