The Value of a Relationship with Jesus

The Truth

"But you're gonna have to serve somebody, yes indeed
You're gonna have to serve somebody,
Well, it may be the devil or it may be the Lord
But you're gonna have to serve somebody."

-Bob Dylan

I think religious people get upset when you suggest that all they really care about is money. I know I care about money. In fact all of us care about money. Our whole lives revolve around getting more of it so we can exchange it for other stuff. I hear a lot of talk about our capitalist society and how that is the American way. I don't know if that's a good thing. The pursuit of wealth is obviously a flawed one, like chasing the wind you can never get enough or ever be satisfied if money is your desire.

Sadly it is the desire of many Church's who have bought into the lie that they need more of it. I hear preachers on TV asking for money and leveraging the Gospel to get more money. They say things like "If you give you will be blessed with 10 times the amount you gave" If they really believed that they would give away all their money to the people watching.

Don't get me wrong, I think you need to be wise with your money. In the Bible what you do with your money is a reflection of your heart. What we invest in, reflects what we really care about. God doesn't want your money, he wants you. Jesus said, "Render to Caesar what is Caesar's and to God what is God's." The model of the Church should follow this. Don't worry about money, you can't take it with you anyway.

What my wife and I learned when we turned off the TV

Rachel and I have been cableless since late July. We decided to give up our cable so we could afford to sponsor a child through Compassion International. Here are Five things not having cable taught us.

1. We communicate more.
Rachel and I noticed that we have been praying together more, sharing about our day more and growing more in our relationship. It's amazing how much television can steal from your relationships.

2. We get more done.
I can't even tell you how many hours I must have wasted watching things that I wasn't really interested in watching. I think all of us have been 15 minutes into an infomercial thinking to ourselves "I have better things to do, but I can't help but learn about this new food processor". We noticed that when the TV is off more chores get done and we aren't pressed for time like we used to be.

3. Real giving should cost something
Sure we miss it, and that's the point. Every time I want to turn on the TV to watch the Cubs lose I remember that I can't because a little boy is getting the food and education he needs to have a better start in life. This is a small price to pay for the betterment of our fellow man. It's really the least we can do.

4. We read more and listen to more music
I have read so much more since we got rid of cable. Also Rachel and I have started going back to the Library (remember that place?) Yeah, you can get books FOR FREE! Also I have more time to pull up some music and just listen. It's also great to dance with your very pregnant wife!


5. We are more connected
And not just with each other. We are more connected with our friends and relatives. It's so easy to lose track of relationships when we let the TV suck our life away. Also I don't fret about all the negative stuff in the news and with the internet I'm still connected to the news without all the fluff. Plus I don't watch commercials...

That's it folks. God has given us relationships, and intimacy can only be built when we invest in those relationships. Unplug from the world and plug into the heart of God.