Ostentatious: intended to attract notice and impress others.
While surfing the web I came across a Pastor (who I don’t know and won’t name) who had pictures of his yacht posted on his website. Now you all know I am all for bragging on God. I do it often. I am just somewhat leery of people who decide to point out their wealth as a show of how good God has been. Let me explain why.
As a Pastor you are set as the head of God’s sheep to humbly show them Christ and to teach them God’s word. God has a purpose for each of us, and that purpose varies. While there is absolutely nothing wrong with being successful how do you think the people who are less fortunate view salvation with your flaunt of wealth.
In recent years there has been a faulty emphasis placed on “prosperity” over righteousness. God as a means and way to get “stuff” and “things”. If your worship “correctly” (whatever that means) God will bless you over and above that which you will be able to imagine. Hmmmm… Have we become so jaded that blessing is now synonymous with tangible items?
As a Pastor you are called to a higher standard which says that stuff and things is not the litmus test which measures “blessed and highly favored”. I am sorry but stuff and things is only a litmus test of two things; either how hard you work and how driven you are secularly or how crooked you are and how much your are willing to cheat and steal.
God’s favor and mercy allow things to swing in our favor when we are in his will. For example, there is a choice between you and another more qualified applicant but you get the job. That — I am willing to say is God’s hand working on your behalf. I agree that he sometimes works his hand to make room for us in places we would normally not have access to. It is now up to you what you do with that access. You can use it as a stepping stone and be faithful to the gift in which case the Lord may open other doors for you, but this is not a given.
Saying material wealth is a sign of holy living is a moronic statement. If that is the case then the argument could be made that anyone who has material wealth has received God’s favor. Now, though we are not to judge the salvation of others, but I am sure you can agree that not every rich person is saved. So what does it teach those people on the bottom of the ladder who struggle with day to day living? That God loves them less or that they are somehow unworthy of his favor because they can’t afford a yacht?
What about all the times God saved them from being without food by providing the proverbial “ram in the bush”. What about the day the bullet just missed their son — whom they had been praying would not get hurt while he was “hanging out”. What about the way their daughter graduated childless from high school with honors in spite of the high teen pregnancy rate in her school? All intangible shows of God’s favor. Yet, these very same messengers of God cannot see that a life saved and a body cherished are much more important displays of what God can do when given the opportunity. What is more precious than life? What has is more valuable than your child’s chastity?
Everyone aspires to live comfortably. I don’t know anyone who wakes up and says I want a life to be a constant struggle while I figure out how I’m going to survive day to day. That is nonsensical. Even those who choose to take a vow of poverty do not choose to live life struggling; they are just trusting God to supply their needs.
Yet, to put a price tag on God’s grace and favor while debasing his Divinity by saying his blessings are seen in a boat (house, car, money, etc…) rather than glorifying him in the miracle of your very existence is probably the biggest insult a Christian can give to God. It is a kin to telling the firefighter well you saved me from that inferno but now I need money…can you help a sista out? How about let’s be thankful for what really matters and place the emphasis where it belongs.
Like most Americans I believe you should “make your money”. I don’t have a problem with anyone working their hand and creating a comfortable existence for their family. I don’t even begrudge this particular preacher his yacht. I am just concerned at the message it sends when you stand before God’s people and flaunt that wealth. Church folks will call Heaven and Hell down on the rappers because they show our children the wrong standards in living. Yet, some of them will out bling most rappers any day of the week. So I am of the opinion if it is wrong for secular people to flaunt their wealth then isn’t doubly wrong for those of us called to a higher standard to flaunt?
God’s blessings and favor have never been limited to tangible. How can you minimize the power of the Creator of the universe into the smallness of providing you a big house? God guarantees certain things upon salvation. He guarantees that we will be provide our basic needs. So why would a Pastor preach through his actions that God’s favor comes in such elaborate displays of money. (God’s word on greed and His Promise)
Just a thought.
