“Do everything you can to help Zenas the lawyer and Apollos on their way and see that they have everything they need. Our people must learn to devote themselves to doing what is good, in order to provide for urgent needs and not live unproductive lives.” (Titus 3:13-14 NIV)
I visited the local cable company recently to see if I could continue the discounted plan we were on. As I was waiting on the lady to see what she could do for me, I heard a customer rep next to me tell a customer, “We’re no longer giving any deals. As it stands now, your monthly bill will be $200.” He was flustered for a moment, but then he acquiesced. The lady helping me basically said the same thing, except my bill would be about half of that other guy’s. I concluded the cable company is betting people will pay higher rates rather than doing without.
A few days later I read this passage and it struck me how relevant this is to believers today. Paul felt the urgent need to proclaim the gospel and there were many things standing in the way, particularly the physical hardships of believers. He recognized the tendency of people to focus on themselves much more than the needs of others. Obviously, Zenas and Apollos had some needs and Paul was reminding Titus it was up to fellow believers to provide for them. But he notes the temptation is to serve our selves and, thus, lead unproductive lives. In other words, we choose to serve our own perceived needs and neglect the needs of others.
Right now there are many believers in need and from what I hear and read from missionaries, campus workers, and church leaders, giving is way down and they are struggling to meet the needs of the people they serve. Of course, a lot of this is the result of the tough economic times in which we now live, but I think my cable company’s business approach sheds some light on the current reality. Even when times are tough, people most often choose to budget for things that serve them. They may be cutting back in a lot of areas including giving to Kingdom work, but they are still willing to shell out $200 per month for cable or a smartphone.
The questions I am now asking myself are: Is cable a real need? And, if so, how much should I spend on it? Because I don’t want to spend money on myself that could better be spent on needs of Kingdom work. The cable company is betting I will pay whatever they demand. It is probably a safe bet on the majority of people who now treat cable (or satellite) the same as electricity or water—they can’t live without it. But I’m not so sure for me. The needs of the Kingdom and my brothers and sisters in the Lord have to take priority. If my entertainment bills are going to deter from that, then something has to change.
What about you? In these tough economic times, are you cutting back on your giving to Kingdom work, but budgeting the same or more for cable and the like? If so, consider Paul’s warning that to do so is to live a life that is eternally unproductive. You may be continually entertained, but you will be storing up little that has eternal value.
© Jim Musser 2012
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