Why the Gospel is better than bread, and why Jesus is better than money.

I don't get stressed often; pretty much never, in fact. I think it's a waste of time. 

"Stress! Hooh! Good-Gaw, man! What is-it-a good fo'? Absolutely NOTHIN'!" 

You get the point.

But today I did get stressed, and it was the worst. Unfortunately I have the tendency to only stress out about money. Which is funny, because I talk a big game about wanting to live a very simple lifestyle. I've trapped myself in this limbo of wanting to be a minimalist that lives in Montana, and wanting to be able to buy myself anything that I want...which, coincidentally, is a ranch in Montana.

I think this is the same limbo that a lot of Americans are caught in; the idea that money will solve all of our problems. And in a way, that might be true. It may solve all of our earthly problems. If I had a never-ending supply of money I would be able to do anything I wanted with no reservations. And when I don't have all the money that I want, I usually feel like I am suffering. In small group last night, the first verse of the passage we were going over was this:

For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. - Romans 8:18

Cool, Paul. Got me again...especially seeing as he had a lot bigger problems than money.

Today I was just worried. I'm not sure why. I get mad at other people for worrying. So today I got mad at myself. And as I tried to process what I was mad about, I realized that money is a big security blanket for me. It is for most of the world, too. And when that blanket is a tiny bit thinner than I am used to, I can feel the harsh wind of reality. (That sounds like some super forced line of a crappy wanna-be southern author.) Today I felt the "harsh reality" that money isn't the answer. And it was harsh, briefly, then it was sweet.

So money isn't the answer. Neither is health. Or relationships, or anything else we so often try to solve our problems with. We tend to put eternal value on temporary things. That's our problem. We try to make all our personal goals our ultimate truths. Isn't that kind of what New Years Resolutions are all about anyways? "All I want to do this year is get in really good shape...all I want is to budget my money better so I can afford trips with my family...all I want is to read a book every month." I mean, yes, be healthier and spend your money and time more efficiently...but then what?

As I was preparing to go on a missions trip this past summer I thought to myself "We could bring them millions of dollars, a 5 star restaurant, build them houses with a pool, flat screen TV, and a king-sized bed, but in the end they will still lose it all." That is why the Gospel is so important. That is why all these secular service projects are awesome, but they are not the answer. Service with no eternal truth is in essence done just to make ourselves or the other person feel better. And that is temporary. It will go away.

I think that in a way, American culture has perverted missions. We have tried to make missions about what we are tangibly bringing other people rather than bringing them the only thing that can save them; the message of the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Because of the oh-so-easy trap to fall into of "money will fix this" we go into new places and bring money and food even though:

“Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.”- Matt 4:4

Even if I have food now, I will still die later. No matter how healthy I am, I will still die. If I have money, the perfect job, the perfect family, I will still die. 'Water is life' but not the water we get from a well. In one of his sermons John Piper says:

"At the end of every road is God. You will meet him as light and life or as fire and torment. To the thirsty he will give water without price from the fountain of the water of life.

'So the Spirit says, "Come!" Let him who hears say, "Come!" And let him who is thirsty come, let him who desires take the water of life without price!'"(Revelation 22:17).

I lost sight of all this the past couple of weeks. Money and control over my life became my idol, like it does all the time. I think I can do everything on my own. I think I can save myself. I think I can save others. I need grace to realize that I can't. I need grace to show me that Jesus did.

I got stressed today because things weren't working out exactly as I had hoped. I got stressed because I needed help. But now that stress is a relief. Now what I thought was the problem is the solution. Now that reality is a comfort. Money is not the answer. Jesus is. Bread is not the answer, God's Word is. That is the truth I have to remind myself of every day.