From the Mountain

From the Mountain
by Daniel McGee, M.P.A.
August 10, 2014

 

I’ve said it many times. Probably more directly to people than in my blogs or Facebook postings. Everything looks great from the mountain, but come slum with me in the valley and you’ll get a real perspective.

I just don’t understand how people believe that living in a dream world is an actual, realistic, grounded, and moral interpretation of life. I think everyone dreams of having money, nice things, etc., but it is the realization that those things don’t matter over goodness is where one’s thoughts should be. If I am lucky enough to ever be rich or famous that will only be a side-effect of my hard work and desire to be a husband, father, and Christian. I am not perfect. I am not right all of the time. I am not the best at what I do. I am not the most effective at being a good person by any means. What I am is realistic. What I am is a hard worker. What I am is willing to endure my problems and make life work with me, not for me. What I am is someone who not will read scripture, but research the stories behind it.

What I am is not a person with a lot of money. My profession is not what I would call the best paying in the world. But I do what I do because I believe God called me to the police service as a way to give. I have bills to pay and often am cutting corners and making late payments in order to make sure other things are attended to. I’ve taken money out of my pocket and given it to a stranger many times for gas or food. I’ve stopped what I am doing in my day to buy a kid an ice cream or pop, even knowing that dollar could be used to help pay a bill. I’ve taken many vacation days  to go give free seminars and work with youth. I am not bragging, but simply trying to set the tone for this blog. Maybe it is a little reckless sometimes to give when I should be doing something else with my money. But, I’ve chosen to give without regard to the consequences of certain things and because I know God will take care of me. My parents taught me that it is important to give, even if it may hurt us.

I have many people within my life (whether professionally, personally, work-related,  that I just know) who sit atop of the mountain and look down at us real folk in the valley. But, I am not really sure of what they see. Maybe they weren’t spanked enough as kids? Maybe they weren’t people who were told they had to work hard, but given everything. And that brings up a side point…If YOU aren’t earning it then don’t say it is yours. If YOU are given everything, then please don’t make excuses for everything else. Everyone wants a bail out, but some depend on it and some just use it when needed. Anyways, I digress…

Recently I had the opportunity to have a discussion where a couple stated they were doing something out of the goodness of their heart, but yet expected something in return. I am just not sure how one can do something for goodness with an expectation attached to it (for themselves at least). That is like saying ‘I will only do those things that are right IF it makes me feel good’.

The apostle Paul wrote a letter to the Church of Philippi (maybe many letters combined) and visited the city to help them establish their Christian faith. In the book of Philippians, Paul writes to the church and describes how they should act and the things they need to do in order to establish a solid Christian faith and to help fend off divisions in the church and the teaching of false prophets. Scholars believe there are truly many reasons for Paul’s writing of the letter(s). One particular piece of scripture (Philippians 2:4) reads “Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others”. When I read this scripture I can interpret it as many things, but for sure I think it applies to the couple from above. They wanted to do something nice as long as it applied to their own interest(s) as well. Not their own interest of being a Christian, but something along the lines of money or a gift in return. Christ wants us to do the right things and do them without regard on how we will be paid for our acts. The Lord our God will take care of us and our needs. It is when we enter into things with expectations and when we expect reward that we suffer. God does not give to our level of desire; he gives to our level of need and our love for Him. That’s it. No more, no less.

When we live on a mountain sometimes we believe that things are just as easy to roll up the mountain path as they are to come down. Whether or not my readers get what I am trying say in this blog I hope you take at least this from it. God will provide you your needs and in order for you to establish a strong relationship with God, do not enter into giving with the expectation of receiving. Proverbs 19:17 reads “Whoever is generous to the poor lends to the Lord, and he will repay him for his deed”. The word “poor” doesn’t necessarily mean just money poor, it can be advice poor, or time poor, or in need of other services.

That couple I was referring to, well, it is unfortunate because I am unsure they have the eyes to see past their noses. I hope one day they can see outside of the foggy windows of their glass house because it may be too late. Yes, Christ did die for our sins but I am not one who believes we can be reckless and ignorant because of it. I still, and deeply, believe that God is our judge and he will let us know in the end. Christ’s death is NOT a free pass for being a sinful human. There is so much more to it than that…

Give because it fills your heart with goodness, not because it fills your pockets with money.

Take care and God Bless!