16 Apr 2023
A boy asked me about the concept of inflation after overhearing the conversation between some adults. Simply put, I told him, inflation is the devaluing of your money over time. That is to say that your dollar can buy less next year than this year. “What if you can buy more?” he asked. That is deflation where prices keep falling. I explained to him that it is worse in a deflation than in an inflation situation, as you do not really know when to buy. Thus, everybody holds back and causes the economy to be unpredictable and fear set in. Better to spend within reasonable limits.
God’s economy is vastly different from man’s economy. When the world says “Take”, God says “Give.” The world says “Keep,” God says “Share.” These are the ways that most people today cannot comprehend or choose to do. It is easier to follow the ways of the world, after all that is how we were taught and brought up. The question is therefore, how much do we want to have faith in God to provide? After all, you may say that some pastors do insist on “prudence.”
I agree that we must be prudent but not to the extent of being stingy. Like it or not, all that we have is given by God. You may think that you worked hard and using your cleverness “earned” them. If it is not God who, out of His mercy, gives you the ability and health to “earn” those, you will have nothing. The question is not so much whether it is given by God, it is. The question is why God gave them to me and what does He want me to do with them.
The bible tells us that we will have enough because God will supply all that we need. That is what faith is all about. Do not get too hung up on worrying that we will not have enough for the future. With God there will be enough and there will be a future. Take heart and do not fear. All that we do for God will not be forgotten and counts for eternity. All that we hoard will be lost and taken against us in eternity.
Brothers and sisters, think carefully about what it means by “it is more blessed to give than to receive.”
God bless,
In Christ’s service,
Barry Leong
一个男孩无意中听到大人对话后问我有关对通货膨胀的概念。我简单的告诉他,通货膨胀是钱币的贬值。这就是你的钱明年买的比今年少。他问:“如果你可以买得更多呢?”那是通货紧缩导致价钱持续的往下跌。我向他解释了通货紧缩是比通货膨胀更糟糕,因为你不知道什么时候买。这样,每一个人会按兵不动而影响了经济的不可预测性并导致了恐慌。在合理和适当管控的消费会是更好的。
上帝的经济与人的经济是有巨大差别的。当世界说:“赚取”,上帝说:“施予”。当世界说:“积存”,上帝说:“分享”。这样的方式是很多人无法明白或选择去做的。跟随世界的方式是容易的,况且我们是如此被教导和灌输长大的。所以,问题是,我们愿意对上帝的供应有多少的信靠?不然,你可能说那是因为有一些传道人太执着于“开源节流”。
我赞同我们要开源节流,但是,不能到吝啬的地步。喜欢或不喜欢,我们所拥有的都是上帝所赐的。你可能想这是靠着你的勤力和聪明“赚”来的。如果这不是出于这一位怜悯的神赐予你力量和健康来“赚取”,你是一无所有的。问题的重点不管这是不是上帝的赐予,而是为什么上帝给与我这些以及祂要我如何使用它们。
圣经告诉我们,我们会是足够的,因为上帝会供应我们所需用的。这就是信仰意义的所在。我们不要被忧虑所紧箍以为我们永远不够。靠着上帝我们永远足够并对未来有希望。放心不要惧怕。上帝不会忘记我们为祂所做的并会在永恒中被记念。我们囤积的将要失去,然后会被带到永恒中对我们提出申诉。
弟兄姐妹,好好的思想这一句话的真正意义,“施比受更为有福。”
上帝赐福,
在基督里同工的,
Barry Leong