Consider Your Ways
One night at dinner my youngest daughter, known for asking zingers, inquired nonchalantly if we were millionaires.
My husband and I confidently answered in unison, “no. “
She asked in response, “Then what are we?”
I looked at my husband with eyes that said, “you can take this one.” You know this look. It is the same look you use any time you plead the Fifth. The eyebrows are slightly raised complemented by a slight glance downward avoiding the subject asking the question. As an investment analyst, I consider him most qualified to answer on the subject of money, so I naturally awaited his response and continued casually chewing my bite.
He thoughtfully replied in a fatherly tone, “We are defined more by what we give and by what we do with what we have, than how much we have.”
I quickly wrote down this exchange, as it ironically related to a passage I just read from the book of the prophet, Haggai. Don’t get scared of that name. The book of Haggai in the Old Testament, usually doesn’t get much air time, but is deeply impactful.
“Thus says the Lord of hosts: These people say the time has not yet come to rebuild the house of the Lord.” Then the word of the Lord came by the hand of Haggai the prophet, ‘Is it a time for you yourselves to dwell in your paneled houses, while this house lies in ruins? ‘Now, therefore, thus says the Lord of hosts: Consider your ways.” Haggai 1:2-5 ESV
Brief background:
The Jewish people had been living in exile in Babylon for 70 years and had recently returned to Jerusalem. You can imagine what the landscape looked like after decades of neglect. Their temple destroyed. Their homeland decimated. Their families weary.
There was so much to do for life to flourish there again; the question was where to start. For the first 14 years of being back home, they chose to focus on building their houses, reestablishing their crops, focusing on comfort. It’s not like they weren’t working towards good things, they simply neglected to do the most important thing: rebuild the temple.
This matters deeply, because the temple was the heart of worship for the Jewish people; it was God’s house, so to speak. It was the one place where they could go to engage with the presence of God. Earlier upon their return, the foundation of the temple was built, but it laid idle for 14 years while they worked on rebuilding the other areas of their life. It was clear God was addressing their hearts on the ideas of worship, priorities, stewardship and in turn addressing ours.
Do I use my gifts and resources, energy and time, words and money towards that which builds up the kingdom of God or on that which builds up my own kingdom?
This one question is what my husband and I discuss regularly before any decision, and it always leaves my heart aching with prayers for clarity and discernment. To what end are we stewarding that which we have been given? We are still growing in this area. It’s not easy, is it? You could completely ignore it altogether, but you can’t deny that all decisions are made from a driving motivation. While the answers to each decision, for each person, in each situation may look differently, what captivates our hearts is what determines our next steps.
Even the popular phrase, “just do the next right thing,” while I love the phrase and practicality, depends foundationally on how one defines right. I’m sure the Jewish people in the verse above thought they were doing right things, but their hearts began to love and worship what filled their days rather than the One worthy of their truest affections. They pursued their own comforts and simply became distracted with meaningless things, while things that truly mattered sat idle. Can anyone else relate or is it just me?
Today is known as Ash Wednesday in many Christian denominations, kicking off 40 days of somber reflection and heart preparation for Easter. This is a practice I did not grow up with, but have grown to deeply appreciate. Expectant of celebrating the risen Christ at Easter, my desire is to use the upcoming weeks to intentionally take inventory of my life. Maybe, for some, all of this is new and you aren’t sure what to make of it.
Start here.
Over the next 40 days I will be posting each week about various spiritual disciplines, including: prayer, fasting, confession, and scripture memory. Would you consider joining me? You can subscribe on my website, so that you don’t miss a thing.
You aren’t alone on this journey, but the heart business can only be done between you and God.
May I encourage you to pause and practice the art of reflection?
What kingdom am I living for with these areas of my life? For what purpose am I stewarding these resources?
My time?
My marriage?
My children?
My money?
My talents?
My words?
Where do I need to decrease so that God can increase?
What areas do I dwell on most in my thought life? Am I setting my worship upon these areas more than the One truly deserving of my greatest affections?
Where am I pursuing the meaningless or sitting idle with the gifts I have been given?
God, I truly desire the gifts and resources I have been given to be used for your purposes in my life, to build your kingdom first and foremost and to ultimately be for your glory. Help me know what that looks like in my life. Help me to remember, Your kingdom never ends; mine does. Your kingdom satisfies; mine does not. Your kingdom is everlasting; mine ends here. You have given me resources, help me to remember that how I steward what I have today is of utmost importance. God help me in this area by the power of your Spirit. Amen.
Take a deep breath full of grace and be mindful to consider your ways this week.
Do you observe Lent? I would love to hear how you intentionally prepare your heart for the season. Share below.