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?