God's economy

God's economy

The problems of the world seem overwhelming…

War

About 15 major conflicts around the world are currently underway. War not only results in harm to the combatants but devastates the civilian population.

Poverty

One third of deaths - some 18 million people a year or 50,000 per day - are due to poverty-related causes. That's 270 million people since 1990, the majority women and children, roughly equal to the population of the US. Every year nearly 11 million children die before their fifth birthday. In 2001, 1.1 billion people had consumption levels below $1 a day and 2.7 billion lived on less than $2 a day 800 million people go to bed hungry every day.

Also, environment, over population, slavery, crime, injustice, corruption, genocide etc.

What can we possibly do to impact the world? Do you ever feel helpless when you hear the statistics? Is there any point even trying?

God's economy is different from our economy. We think that to solve a big problem requires an equally big effort. For example, to stop genocide (the systematic eradication of a people group) we imagine it would take the will of the united nations and several tens of thousand international peace-keeping troops.

This is not necessary so. God turns our solutions on their head. We think that enormous money and resources are required but God and one man of faith can change the world.

Let's look at some examples:

Joseph

…son of Jessie the farmer…brothers sell him into slavery…Potipher buys him and things seem to be going right…wife falsely accuses Joseph of trying to rape her…Joseph thrown into prison…interpretation of Pharaoh's dream sees him put in charge of all of Egypt… 7 years of plenty, seven years of want…grain is stored to alleviating poverty/starvation for Joseph's family (Israel) and all of Egypt. Joseph simply believed God (despite the evidence that God had left him to his fate) and God revealed the future to him through a dream. Joseph was an administrator…not a priest, prophet or king. Genesis 45:1-15.

A man and with faith in God but otherwise with no resources is strategically (and against his will) placed in the right place at the right time. God uses him to alleviate the poverty of all of Egypt and save his own family. One man.

Ester

…beautiful young virgin so probably between 13 and 25 years old…(story)…no direct instructions from God… Esther 4:14 "For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father's family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to royal position for such a time as this?"

A woman with faith in God but otherwise with no resources is strategically (and against her will) placed in the right place at the right time. God uses her to stop a region-wide genocide. One woman.

Jesus

Jesus is another obvious example of God using one man of faith to change the world.

Were we put in charge of communication God's message to the whole world how would have we handled it?

Would we have picked a carpenter's son in a small town in a region currently controlled by the Roman Empire. Given him a dozen illiterate fisherman and tax collectors and sent him by foot around the area for three years before allowing him to be killed for upsetting the religious authorities? Probably not.

Man of faith

God thinks outside the box. He is not short of resources (he does own the whole world and everything in it after all) but he is short of men of faith. Are you are man of faith…because if you are:

Matthew 21:21: Jesus replied, "I tell you the truth, if you have faith and do not doubt, not only can you do what was done to the fig tree, but also you can say to this mountain, 'Go, throw yourself into the sea,' and it will be done.

So here is a simple implication of all this: when you meet with anyone or do anything, act as if it is a divine opportunity. See with the eyes of faith. When you speak to a check-out girl, or a bus driver, or a neighbour, or whomever; have the attitude of faith. Because, you never know but God may use this simple act to change the world.

An attitude of faith practiced consistently in the small things will provide the basis for God using you in the big things. Don't underestimate the impact that loving your neighbour can have because God's economy uses small and broken and everyday things to achieve a world-spanning, life-changing results.