Lose That You May Find (Part 1)

Wednesday, Mar. 4, 2009 Posted: 5:08:46PM HKT

Foster is exhorting us towards the believer's role in society as salt and light. As Nouwen says, this is a role that enjoins us to "stay unsatisfied with the status quo," evidenced by a social witness that poses critical questions to the immediate society we live in. For as Foster reminds us, Christians should "stand in contradiction to the dominant culture [around us], which has given its soul to the vows of greed, permissiveness, and selfishness." Foster therefore suggests that we approach the issues of money, sex, and power, through the spiritual disciplines of simplicity, fidelity, and service. I thus also appreciate and wholly agree with Foster’s conviction that, “Believers can and should be called into positions of power, wealth, and influence. . . . in government, education and business.” And as Foster says, “Some are called to make money— lots of money— for the glory of God and the larger public good.”

I will now focus more specifically on the issue of wealth, particularly on the Christian’s posture towards and use of wealth. One context for this discussion lies in a series of discussions generated by Reverend Kenny Chee’s blogsite, Blogpastor. For varied reasons, these discussions delved into relation between wealth and Christian churches, particularly mega-churches. Another context is the growing influence of "success" themed paradigms of Christian life.

A third context, which I believe casts a rather dark, satirical shadow on this entire discussion, is the global economic meltdown. What makes this context so satirical and ludicrous, is how consistently nonreligious sources are reminding us that at the root of this meltdown, is human greed and selfishness. Moreover, what our greed and selfishness is ultimately leading us to is unrestrained human consumption of limited resources. Furthermore, our unrestrained drive towards material consumption is not only destroying the earth, but is increasingly exploiting and robbing millions of the world's "have-nots" of any viable opportunity towards a life of ample resources for attaining a viable livelihood. The first-world order is robbing the earth and the world’s “have-nots,” in order to keep satiated and satisfied, the first-world’s middle and upper middle class "haves."


2. The light side of wealth
I find it helpful that Foster provides an excellent and clear understanding into the paradoxical nature of wealth, as well as sex and power. As Foster reminds us, let us be clear: Wealth is not entirely wrong! The Bible clearly narrates two paradoxical, divergent, and thus often contradictory theological streams and themes regarding the topic of material wealth. Foster calls these two streams, the “dark side" and the "light side" of material wealth.

On one hand, there is a tradition throughout Scripture, which affirms wealth as oftentimes, God's blessing! The Bible in fact begins with an important declaration: Everything material, which God has created, is "good" (Gen 1-2)! Yes! With God’s blessing and favour, we can enjoy wealth! When wealth falls into our hands, we can, and it should in fact, prompt us towards doxology and worship (Deut 16:15)! The experience of material wealth can actually serve to enrich and deepen our relationship with God. However, this is an experience, which comes to us because the receiving of wealth has prompted us to thank God and praise Him for what He gives us.

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Rev Monte Lee-Rice
The Christian Post (Singapore) Guest Contributor