Christianity

A Question

If you will permit me to, I would like to ask you a question. This very well may be another “every day’ question that in the long run means absolutely nothing to your life, along the lines of “How many licks does it take to get to the center of a tootsie roll pop?” Or, as this question did for me, it may one day turn out to be one of the most important questions you were ever asked. It depends on your answer…

Can I own a Hummer H2 and be a Christian?

Wow! What a question. This is basically the same question that was posed to me by Tony Campolo during a lecture at Maryville College, which I believe was about 8 years ago. He asked it with a BMW rather than the H2, but I felt that an H2 gets the spirit of the question much better. I will tell you now that my answer to this question is “no.” I do not believe that I could ever buy and own a Hummer H2 and be a Christian. This tells you that I am not an objective interviewer here. I am most definitely biased, and therefore you may have an inclination to tune me out right now (or already have). But I ask you to have patience with me and listen to my thoughts. This is only my answer. Others will undoubtedly have a different one.

When I began college, I did so with the intention of becoming a doctor. I remember thinking at the time that this journey to doctordom would lead to an elegant home and luxury cars. I mentally created a queue of cars and SUV’s that I would buy. I had one for family travel, one for husband/wife travel, and multiples for me travel. But at the same time as my monetary aspirations, I was also taking a spiritual journey. I was asking God who he was and how I could find him. In the years after I was asked the Question, these two journeys would collide again and again. Finally, I came to some conclusions about where Christ wanted me. I also came to an answer to the Question.

Here is my reasoning for my answer to the Question. In my understanding of Christ, I feel very strongly that we are to take care of those that are in need. I get to this Biblically using many references, but here are two. First we have Jesus telling the rich man that if he really wants to get it right, then he should sell all that he has and give it to the poor. Second you have the early church of Acts selling everything that they had and giving it to the church. James then follows this up in his letter by saying that half of true religion is to visit the widows and orphans in their affliction. So the church held all the money and its job was to help.

How does this relate to a Hummer?

How can I justify spending $60,000 on a Hummer H2 when I could spend $30,000 on a nice vehicle that provides the same function and have $30,000 extra that I could give to those in need.

But what if I’m insanely wealthy and $60,000 is just chump change plus I am already giving to people? My answer would be this. First, not buying the car and earmarking that money for someone else is still $30,000 more than what would have happened had I not purchased the Hummer.

Second, I am called by God to modesty and moderation, which falls under the second part of true religion where I keep myself unpolluted from the world. How can I reconcile this call with driving a chrome encrusted behemoth.

I know that I am not actually in a position for me to be deciding on $30,000. But even though I picked an unrealistic example for my life, I still feel it applies in every decision that I make. Do I desire those things that are far in excess of what is needed? If so, what is the root of that desire? Materialism? Servanthood? Piety? Godliness? Insecurity? Greed? Need?

These are questions that lead me to my answer to this Question. This realization has changed my entire outlook on life. It doesn’t mean that I will dedicate my life to living in poverty. I plan on having nice things, a nice house, and a nice car. God has already blessed me tremendously and I have every reason to think that he will continue to do so. What I do intend on doing is striving to be Christ like in my purchases and decisions by reflecting the Word’s values on charity and modesty.

Thank you for tuning in. You can now return to your regularly scheduled programming.

© 2008 Baba’s Blog.