The “Backward” Wisdom of God
T H E B A C K W A R D W I S D O M
O F G O D
SELF-SAVING
I will be happy when I get others to love me the right way.” ;smcxpewpcdepepkcmkcmdkcmkcmkcmdkcmdskcmdkcmdkcmdslc
SELF-GIVING
I will be happy when I get others to love me the right way.” ;smcxpewpcdepepkcmkcmdkcmkcmkcmdkcmdskcmdkcmdkcmdslc
GENEROSITY
T H E B A C K W A R D W I S D O M
O F G O D
JOHN 13:1-17
T H E B A C K W A R D W I S D O M
O F G O D
JOHN 13:1-17
14 Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have
washed your feet, you also should wash one
another‟s feet. 15 I have set you an example
that you should do as I have done for
you. 16 Very truly I tell you, no servant is
greater than his master, nor is a messenger
greater than the one who sent him. 17 Now
that you know these things, you will be
blessed if you do them.
T H E B A C K W A R D W I S D O M
O F G O D
MATTHEW 16:25
25 For whoever wants to save his
life will lose it, but whoever loses
his life for me will find it.
T H E B A C K W A R D W I S D O M
O F G O D
MATERIAL GENEROSITY
T H E B A C K W A R D W I S D O M
O F G O D
ACTS 20:35
35 In everything I did, I showed you
that by this kind of hard work we
must help the weak, remembering
the words the Lord Jesus himself
said: „It is more blessed to give
than to receive.‟
T H E B A C K W A R D W I S D O M
O F G O D
THE AMERICAN DREAM
A disease called
affluenza… the belief that
material affluence
can produce true
happiness
T H E B A C K W A R D W I S D O M
O F G O D
“„Personal peace‟ means just to be
let alone, not to be troubled by the
troubles of other people, whether
across the world or across the
city—to live one‟s life with minimal
possibilities of being personally
disturbed . . .”
FRANCIS SCHAEFFER
T H E B A C K W A R D W I S D O M
O F G O D
“. . . „Affluence‟ means an
overwhelming and ever-increasing
prosperity—a life made up of
things, things, and more things—
and success judged by an
ever-higher level of material
abundance.”
FRANCIS SCHAEFFER
T H E B A C K W A R D W I S D O M
O F G O D
“What is the noblest of human motivations? Some might be tempted to answer: charity, love of one's neighbor, or, in modern, politically correct language, giving something back or feeling another's pain. These are indeed noble motivations, but . . . for me the noblest of human motivations is greed . . .
WALTER WILLIAMS
T H E B A C K W A R D W I S D O M
O F G O D
“. . . I don't mean theft, fraud, tricks, or misrepresentation. By greed I mean being only or mostly concerned about getting the most one can for oneself and not necessarily concerned about the welfare of others. Social consternation might cause one to cringe at the suggestion that greed might possibly be seen as a noble motivation . . .
WALTER WILLIAMS
T H E B A C K W A R D W I S D O M
O F G O D
“. . . „Enlightened self-interest‟ might be a preferable term. But I prefer greed since it far more descriptive and less likely to be confused with other human motives.”
WALTER WILLIAMS
T H E B A C K W A R D W I S D O M
O F G O D
GOD’S WARNINGS
The American dream always eventually
turns into what we might call the
American Nightmare!
T H E B A C K W A R D W I S D O M
O F G O D
11 Yet when I surveyed all that my
hands had done and what I had
toiled to achieve, everything was
meaningless, a chasing after the
wind; nothing was gained under
the sun.
ECCLESIASTES 2:4-8,11
T H E B A C K W A R D W I S D O M
O F G O D
“Whoever loves money never has
money enough; whoever loves
wealth is never satisfied with his
income. This too is meaningless . .
. I have seen a grievous evil under
the sun: wealth hoarded to the
harm of its owner . . .”
ECCLESIASTES 5:10,13
T H E B A C K W A R D W I S D O M
O F G O D
28 Whoever trusts in his riches will
fall, but the righteous will thrive like
a green leaf.
PROVERBS 11:28
T H E B A C K W A R D W I S D O M
O F G O D
16 Better a little with the fear of the
LORD than great wealth with
turmoil.
17 Better a meal of vegetables
where there is love than a fattened
calf with hatred.
PROVERBS 15:16-17
T H E B A C K W A R D W I S D O M
O F G O D
19 “Do not store up for yourselves
treasures on earth, where moth and
rust destroy, and where thieves break
in and steal. 20 But store up for
yourselves treasures in heaven, where
moth and rust do not destroy, and
where thieves do not break in and
steal.
MATTHEW 6:19-21, 24
T H E B A C K W A R D W I S D O M
O F G O D
21 For where your treasure is, there
your heart will be also.
24 “No one can serve two masters.
Either he will hate the one and love the
other, or he will be devoted to the one
and despise the other. You cannot
serve both God and Money.
MATTHEW 6:19-21, 24
T H E B A C K W A R D W I S D O M
O F G O D
“Watch out! Be on your guard
against all kinds of greed; a man‟s
life does not consist in the
abundance of his possessions . . .
This is how it will be with anyone
who stores up things for himself
but is not rich toward God.”
LUKE 12:15,21
T H E B A C K W A R D W I S D O M
O F G O D
“People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs. But you, man of God, flee from all this . . .”
1 TIMOTHY 6:9-11
T H E B A C K W A R D W I S D O M
O F G O D
“We're filling our lives with things—and telling others that we're empty inside.”
UNSATISFIED EXPECTATIONS SHOPPING ADDICTIONS
STRESS FROM CREDIT DEBT FRACTURED FAMILIES
GLOBAL POLLUTION & POVERTY
PBS “AFFLUENZA”
T H E B A C K W A R D W I S D O M
O F G O D
From 1960-1993, real income in America doubled—but during that same time the divorce rate doubled, teen suicide tripled, juvenile violence quadrupled, and unwed births quintupled.
THE AMERICAN PARADOX
T H E B A C K W A R D W I S D O M
O F G O D
Although the average American has more money today, there is “less happiness, more depression, more fragile relationships, less communal commitment, less vocational security, more crime and more demoralized children.”
THE AMERICAN PARADOX
T H E B A C K W A R D W I S D O M
O F G O D
1 Follow God‟s example, therefore, as dearly loved children 2 and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.
EPHESIANS 5:1
T H E B A C K W A R D W I S D O M
O F G O D
KEYS TO GENEROSITY
Being generous toward others begins by allowing God to be generous toward you by receiving the gift of his Son,
Jesus Christ
T H E B A C K W A R D W I S D O M
O F G O D
“Command those who are rich in this present world . . . to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life.”
1 TIMOTHY 6:17-19
T H E B A C K W A R D W I S D O M
O F G O D
“Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will not be exhausted, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”
LUKE 12:33-34
T H E B A C K W A R D W I S D O M
O F G O D
“No one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or
father or children or fields for me and the gospel will fail to receive a
hundred times as much in this present age (homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and
fields--and with them, persecutions) and in the age to
come, eternal life.”
MARK 10:28-30
T H E B A C K W A R D W I S D O M
O F G O D
“Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver . . .
2 CORINTHIANS 9:6,7,10,12
T H E B A C K W A R D W I S D O M
O F G O D
“. . . Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed (for sowing) . . . This service that you perform is not only supplying the needs of God‟s people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God.”
2 CORINTHIANS 9:6,7,10,12
T H E B A C K W A R D W I S D O M
O F G O D
BECOME A GENEROUS PERSON
How has God led you into generosity?