Christians and Money

by

Dr. George Zgourides

Money: perhaps no other topic causes so much misunderstanding for Christians. One reason for this is many people mistakenly think of Jesus as condemning all wealth, including its pursuit.

Without a doubt, while riches can steal one’s heart from God like nothing else, Jesus was never against money or material possessions per se. He enjoyed eating and drinking to the point that some criticized Him as “a glutton and a winebibber” (Matthew 11:19). And in the story of the rich young man, Christ did not condemn this individual for his possessions, which apparently had not deterred him from being pious and keeping God’s commandments (Matthew 19:16-30).

Jesus’ overall attitude toward wealth involved a straightforward principle: when people trust money rather than God and when they fail to give back to God, they miss the mark. From Jesus’ perspective, money itself is not evil. Instead, as the Apostle Paul warned, “…the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows” (I Timothy 6:10). Jesus never claimed that rich people do not enter into the Kingdom of God. Instead, He warned that men who trust in money - who believe money, not God, will save them – are potentially jeopardizing their eternal salvation (Mark 10:24-25).

As well, the Gospels contain various reports of wealthy Christians who were good stewards of their material blessings. Joseph of Arimathea was wealthy enough to provide an excellent tomb in which to bury Jesus’ body (Matthew 27:57­60). Zacchaeus, the rich tax collector, was saved with all of his family in spite of his wealth (Luke 19:1­10). And the Pharisee Nicodemus, one of the chiefs and leaders of the people of Israel, was able to bring expensive aromatic oils to anoint Jesus’ body (John 19:39).

One of the best Biblical passages for understanding Jesus’ views on money is the story of Lazarus and the rich man (Luke 16:19­31). As the story goes, a beggar named Lazarus fed on the crumbs that fell from a rich man’s table. When the beggar died, he was carried by angels to heaven. When the rich man died, he ended up in hell and was tormented by its flames. Here the rich man was reminded that, in life, he had enjoyed goods and comfort, while Lazarus had not.

So why did the rich man in the story find himself in hell? There is no indication that this individual was evil, cruel, godless, or irreverent; he was simply rich. The moral of the story, then, is that many wealthy people are condemned, not because of their money, but because of their obsession with money. In Jesus’ own words: “Children, how hard it is for those who trust in riches to enter into the kingdom of God! It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God” (Mark 10:24-25). Excessive satiety, overabundance, ease, and self-reliance are dangerous for any person. But these are not the actual problem. It is out of the heart of humanity that evil comes (Matthew 15:19). Money and other externals are not evil; it is a person’s attitude toward these things that makes the difference.

The rich man’s mistake was not showing compassion to Lazarus. He lived only to satisfy his own physical appetites, and he enjoyed earthly goods without measure or consideration of others. On the other hand, Lazarus’ virtue was not his physical destitution. He received a heavenly reward because of his repentant attitude and spiritual wealth (Luke 16:29-31). The Apostle Paul put it this way: “Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that will he also reap. For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life” (Galatians 6:7­8). Thus, the rich man in this parable was punished for his lack of repentance and disinterest in spiritual matters. He trusted in his own wealth, as in an idol, and did not leave room in his life for God or for helping others.

Jesus’ attitude toward earthly riches is based on the principle of stewardship, or the joyful giving back to God from what He first gave. This principle is beautifully illustrated in Mark’s recounting of the poor widow (Mark 12:41-44). Jesus observed a poor widow donating “two mites” (i.e., the least valuable coinage of the day) into the Temple treasury. He then explained, “… this poor widow has put in more than all those who have given to the treasury” (Mark 12:43). The point here is that it is not the amount one gives that matters to God, but the attitude of the giver and the degree of personal sacrifice.

In conclusion, Jesus taught financial responsibility. In no uncertain terms, Christians are expected to be effective managers of their every blessing from God. Jesus warned all to guard against greed and to acknowledge that true life is judged not by our material possessions, but by our love for God and His children.

Who Me? Wear a Clerical Shirt?

by

Dr. George Zgourides

Clothing says a great deal about one’s profession, and this is no less the case with ministers of the Gospel. The special shirt that ministers wear outside of worship services is known as a clerical shirt or collar shirt, which typically is black or another color with a white collar (sometimes affectionately referred to as a “dog collar”!).

The wearing of special ministerial clothing has a long and distinguished history, and is found throughout Catholic, Orthodox, and Protestant traditions. While there have been many variations in clerical dress over the centuries, the rationale for wearing special clothing has to do with the minister’s professional role and function. A collar shirt lets people recognize him or her as an ordained clergyperson.

Clerical clothes can “open doors” in many ministry settings for you, such as in hospitals where staff members wear uniforms that identify their respective professions. Visits to congregants’ or parishioners’ homes during times of illness, tragedy, or death can also be enhanced when you wear clothes that are a reminder of your Christian witness and purpose. And when traveling, you might have the opportunity to share your faith with strangers who strike up a conversation because you have on a collar shirt.

While clerical dress is certainly not for all ministers, take a moment to think about how occasionally wearing a black shirt with a white collar might prove to be a useful tool in your ministry. Who knows? You might just find yourself able to connect with others and spread the Gospel in new and exciting ways!

Learning to Handle Criticism

by

Dr. George Zgourides

Few people enjoy criticism, especially when it seems the other person’s intent is to hurt or manipulate. But it’s not the intent or nature of the criticism that truly makes the difference; it’s how you interpret and accept it. You can view criticism as a threat to your self-worth and fold, or you can simply consider the source, forget about it, and go on about your business. It may be uncomfortable when a coworker accuses you of not carrying your load, but it’s not terrible. You don’t have to believe what he says. He may think you’re lazy, but there’s no rule that says you need to see things the same way he does.

The ability to handle criticism is a very useful life skill. But before going any further, I believe it’s helpful to distinguish between two types of criticism: constructive (“friendly”) and destructive (“unfriendly”) criticism. The first is meant to be helpful, is normally delivered by someone who cares about you and your feelings, and is usually welcome. The second is hurtful, delivered by someone who doesn’t care, and is never welcome. Constructive criticism can be quite valuable: its purpose is to help you learn a thing or two about yourself, grow as a person, or improve your performance in a certain area. Destructive criticism is neither valuable nor helpful: its purpose is to belittle, malign, and control you. When people think of “criticism,” they tend to conjure up the negative images and feelings associated with the destructive type.

Dealing effectively with either type of criticism involves knowing what to think, say, and do. One of the first things you want to ask yourself when criticized is, “Is this person’s criticism valid?” Many times people give each other constructive criticism because they care about and want to help each other. So there’s always the possibility that a particular criticism may be true. Then again, people are imperfect and sometimes give each other invalid criticism. Only you can decide what you’ll accept as true and what you won’t. In the end, regardless of the content of the criticism, it’s always important to remember that every person is entitled to his or her own opinion.

At the heart of over-sensitivity to criticism are numerous musts of perfection, approval, and comfort. Learning to tolerate criticism, then, involves rigorously disputing and challenging your Crazy-Makers. The three primary Crazy-Makers related to criticism are:

1) I must be absolutely perfect in every respect; otherwise, I’m not a good person, and no one will love me. 2) Others must accept and approve of me in every respect; otherwise, I’m not a good person, and life isn’t worth living. 3) I must only hear what I want to hear, because I can’t tolerate the discomfort of listening to someone tell me about my faults.

In the final analysis, it’s important to challenge these types of beliefs while not taking criticism personally. Generally, the criticizer is commenting on something that you’re doing, not on who you are as an individual. The trouble begins, though, when you personalize the criticism – when you apply what the other person says about your behavior to your self-worth. If you’re ever tempted to do this, keep in mind that you aren’t what other people say or think about you.

Dispute your irrational thoughts, stick to the facts, and forget the rest of it. You’ll save yourself a lot of headaches in the long run.

Relaxing Away Stress and Anxiety

by

Dr. George Zgourides

Applied relaxation is now considered an established and powerful therapy for stress, anxiety, phobias, and panic. In many cases, applied relaxation can be just as effective as therapy and even medications for reducing stress, and can bring about significant improvements in nearly everyone who practices it on a regular basis.

The “gold standard” of applied relaxation is known as progressive muscle relaxation, a procedure that involves the sequential contracting and relaxing of all major muscle groups in your body. The goal is to help you achieve a feeling of physical and mental calm. You start with your forehead and facial muscles - tensing these groups for a few seconds and then relaxing them. You move down your body from your neck and shoulders to your shoulder blades, upper back, arms, hands, lower back, legs, and finally your feet. By the time you've finished an entire sequence, you should be enjoying a general sense of well-being.

Deep breathing exercises are another easy way to relax your body. Most of us tend to fill only the upper part of our lungs when we breathe. Notice how an infant’s abdomen rises and falls with each breath. Now that’s true deep breathing!

By using deep breathing exercises, you can quickly relax and potentially improve your circulation, better oxygenate your blood, strengthen your lungs, relieve tension, and improve your mental alertness. Try this short deep breathing exercise:

1) Sit or lie down in a quiet place where you won’t be disturbed for several minutes.
2) Recall some good, positive feelings.
3) Close your mouth and relax all of your muscles.
4) Slowly and deeply inhale through your nose (not your mouth) to a count of six or eight. As you do this, consciously push out your abdomen.
5) Hold your breath to a count of four.
6) Slowly breath out through your mouth (not your nose) to a count of six or eight.
7) Continue to repeat this “inhale-hold-exhale” cycle until you achieve maximum relaxation.

Another of my favorites involves rapid relaxation, in which you use anxiety-triggering thoughts as a cue to bring on an immediate state of relaxation. When you find your anxiety or stress levels rising, take a couple of deep breaths, say the word “relax,” and exhale. The idea is to perform rapid relaxation while mentally scanning your body for tension and trying to relax all of your muscles as much as possible.

Setting aside time to relax and “center” yourself, while not always easy in our modern world, can be of great value when it comes to managing your stress and anxiety levels.