What is the difference between luxuries and blessings?
Discussion question for September 3, 2010.
While discussing expectations and lifestyles, it became apparent that our frame of reference is highly impacted by our culture and traditions. What can you expect regarding the comforts, convenience and control of the circumstances in your life? Trusting that God has good things for us, how do we protect ourselves from allowing them to control us, or become an idol? How should a Christian live?
Here’s my summary of our discussion.
We began with a definition of terms for the sake of the discussion. A blessing was determined to be a gift of God, something that is beneficial and enjoyable, and is good. A luxury, in this discussion, could have been a good thing but has become a curse.
It is a very personal thing to decide what expectations of comfort and convenience are appropriate. It has everything to do with your personal relationship with God. Care must be exercised not to judge the choices of others or applying your understanding of circumstances to their situation. That leads too quickly to discontent or accusation instead of love.
A blessing comes from God as a gift and is intended for your good pleasure. It should generate thankfulness and an attitude of generosity. In James is says that all good things are from the Father. To deny oneself the enjoyment of such a blessing is to offend God.
A luxury is something a person strives for in the hopes that it will bring good pleasure. It most often leads to anxiety or worry and miserly living. You own a blessing, but a luxury owns you. It requires your time, attention, and resources.
Whatever you worship, you become. This is the “law of worship” and it is true of physical possessions as well as spiritual beings. A person that desires comfort and financial safety may worship (hold in their mind and trust) a financial portfolio, series of investments, or economic strategy. They “become” that when it begins to define their identity and character. On the other hand, a person that desires comfort and financial safety may worship God as the ultimate provider, and they will take on His characteristics in identity and character.
Sometimes a person tries to convert a luxury into a blessing by using “holy talk”. The example given was a man that bought a bigger fishing boat on the chance that it would be “useful for ministry”, though there was never any indication that it ever was.
Sometimes a person tries to tarnish a blessing and treat it as a luxury by using “holy talk”. The example given was that all the money spent on a huge church could have been used instead to feed widows and orphans. Judas used this tactic in condemning the woman with the vial of expensive perfume. It sounds nice and holy, but can instead be a disrespect of something the Father of Lights would like to use as a blessing. God doesn’t need the money that would be saved, He can come up with money anytime it suits His purpose.
How do you know if something you desire is going to be a blessing or a luxury? Pay close attention to the Holy Spirit inside you, and live in a healthy balance. Consider honestly the purpose of the purchase. If it is an attempt to fill a void in your personality, or to cover an area of your life that feels lacking, then it will become a curse instead of life. A purchase is a vain attempt to fill that emptiness.
God gives good things. Check your heart to see if you are being a good and happy (blessed) steward of His gifts. If there is anything in your possession that you feel you couldn’t live without, it’s probably a luxury. If you are willing to let it go as happily as you were willing to receive it, then it is certainly a blessing.
God bless you (more than you can ask or imagine).