Have you ever watched a friend make a series of really dumb decisions and thought to yourself, “If you could see you like I see you, you would not do what you are currently doing?” I wonder if God ever feels that way about us?
Every once in a while, you have an “aha moment” where you see your world differently. Maybe it’s your job, a relationship, school…nothing really changes, but your perspective about it has changed. You see the world differently—you see the world how it actually is, not the way you have known it or the way you were taught.
“We see the world not as it is but as we are—or, as we are conditioned to see it.” –Stephen Covey from The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. Sometimes we are holding on to perspectives that are actually holding us back.
In Christianity, we hold to the central idea of renewing the mind. According to the Apostle Paul, we need to learn to see the world the way God sees the world, so when God asks us to do something, it makes more sense. Learning to see relationships the way God created them, learning to see marriage the way God created it, learning to see our professional life the way God created it, learning to see our potential and opportunities the way God created them—learning to see the world the way God created it to be, helps us to make sense of what God asks us to do.
“When we see as God sees, we are more inclined to do as God says.”
As a parent, you say over and over to your child, “Do as I say.” But at some point, it needs to change to “See as I see.” Because when children see what you are saying and it actually makes sense, they will do as you say.
Our Heavenly Father wants the same for us. To help us with this, God sent us Jesus. Through Jesus, we get as close to understanding God as we will ever get, we will get as close to God as we will ever get, and get as close to seeing as God sees. Because Jesus was God in a body.
If you really know me, you will know my Father as well. John 14:7 NIV
Read Luke 16:1-13 The Parable of the Shrewd Manager.
From the perspective of God who created the universe and who is eternal, those of use who get to live 80 or 85 years, no matter what you have or don’t have, it all looks the same. It’s just a little bit for a very short amount of time. We have all been given a little bit, to see how well we do. This is how God views your stuff and your money.
God sees money as a test. How we manage what we assume is ours reflects our devotion to the One to whom it actually belongs. This was a theme of Jesus’ ministry. He taught that people who are faithful with their earthly possessions, were rewarded in the life to come. Jesus says that our Heavenly Father looks at how we manage our little bit to see if we can be trusted with more.
No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. Luke 16:13 NIV
You cannot serve both God and money. God’s chief competitor for your heart, once you reach adulthood, is your money.
When you begin to view your wealth the way your Heavenly Father does, it will free you to serve your Heavenly Father with your whole heart.
God sees our use of money as a trademark. It is a reflection, an indicator of whose you truly are. What you do with what you have signifies whose you are.
Generosity is not a financial issue. Generosity has everything to do with our heart. The issue is our heart.
We have a limited amount of time. We have a limited amount of money. Here is the way God sees your time and wealth: We have a little bit of time which means we have a little bit of opportunity. All of our money and possessions are a tool. It’s a test. Our Heavenly Father is watching to see what we are doing with our little bit.
In this life, we will run out of time before we run out of money, because in this life, we are shrewd when it comes to this world. We are not so shrewd when it comes to eternity.
It’s a tool…a test…a trademark. Use it well. Look for ways to use it all. It indicates whose you are.