Check
Your Motives
Jesus
entered the temple courts and drove out all who were buying and selling there.
He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling
doves. “It is written,” he said to them, ‘“My house will be called a house of prayer,’
but you are making it ‘a den of robbers.’” – Matthew 21:12-13
“’Will
you steal and murder, commit adultery and perjury, burn incense to Baal and
follow other gods you have not known, and then come and stand before me in this
house, which bears my Name, and say, “We are safe” – safe to do all these
detestable things? Has this house, which bears my Name, become a den of robbers
to you? But I have been watching! Declares the LORD. – Jeremiah 7:9-11
It was just good
business. Someone needed to change the Roman and Greek money for Jewish and
Tyrian money. Someone needed to provide the offerings, for purchase of course,
for those who traveled a distance to make sacrifices at God’s Temple.
What was the harm?
Everyone needs to make money. They were just part of the outdoor market. Except
it was God’s Temple. It wasn’t a place of business. They somehow missed that
part.
So do we sometimes.
Think about this: A woman steps up to lead a class at church. And she uses class
time to promote her own business. Another woman sees the response of a church
activity and quickly offers something similar for profit at her business. Is
either illegal? Of course not. One could say both women are just being smart
businesswomen. But where does the ethical line get drawn? When do we stop serving
God and only serve our own best interests?
It’s been done always.
We do business with other church members. We support each other. We like to
keep it all in the family, so to speak. That’s a good thing – until it’s not.
A local church has tried
for years to grow its membership. It seems to be a wonderful church with solid
teaching with a little fun on the side. The problem? Well, it’s two-fold.
First, it has a group of members who are happy to add workers but not willing
to share control. They make the decisions and they will sharply push anyone
aside who might have a suggestion or want to join in the discussions. Second,
they only take care of their own. Don’t expect outreach or a helping hand if
you aren’t a member. For that matter, don’t expect it unless you’re from one of
the ruling families or are somehow connected. It’s not about Jesus, something
others are quick to see.
Do they truly want to
grow their membership? Absolutely. They want your money and your name on their
rolls. But don’t expect anything else. It’s just so sad.
Several years ago our
contemporary worship committee decided to sell merchandise before and after the
service and during the fellowship time. They even promoted the merchandise at
the beginning of the service, Needless to say, there was a great deal of
criticism and the whole idea flopped. It was just wrong to use worship to make
money and promote your “business.”
I wonder if we’ve
somehow forgotten what worship is all about. I wonder if we’ve lost sight of
what being the church is all about. We’re so focused on benefiting ourselves
that we miss the heart of God.
