As I’ve reflected on hope this week, I realized there are two conflicting themes about hope in the Bible that often confuse us:
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We need to give up hope that God will make our lives better before we die because our true hope is God’s promise to give us eternity with him (e.g. Hebrews 11:35-38).
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We need to hope that God will make our lives better — in this life — to be faithful stewards of the opportunities God has given us (e.g. Matthew 25:14-30).
If you only believe the first one, then you won’t be faithful to God because you will fail to steward the opportunities he gives you. The constant focus on Jesus’ crucifixion, suffering, and the cost of discipleship will lead to self-inflicted martyrdom.
If you only believe the second one, then you won’t be faithful to God. The constant focus on self-advancement, improving your circumstances, and enjoying this life will keep you from doing anything sacrificial for Jesus.
If you’re in the first camp, you look at Christians in the second camp and think they are worldly.
If you’re in the second camp, you look at Christians in the first camp and think they are foolish.
Of course, I want to believe I’m in the third camp - the right camp - that gets it right.
Here’s what I think maturity looks like:
Most of all, we surrender our lives to God. In the depths of our hearts, we confess our fundamental selfishness to God. We ask God to fill us with his love, by the presence of the Holy Spirit, so we can love God and love others.
Second, because our lives are surrendered to God, we seek to be faithful to God, whether that looks like stewardship or sacrifice. Neither of these are independent of our fundamental dependence on God.
So, if we are stewarding our resources (perhaps to save for retirement) we do this to please God by exercising wisdom and responsibility.
At the same time, if we are sacrificing our resources (perhaps giving generously of our finances to help someone in crisis) we do this to please God by exercising faith that God will provide for us - maybe in this life, but definitely in the next one.
But how do we get maturity? I think we get it by recognizing that very few of us are in the third camp. We’re actually in the first or second camp, like it or not.
Instead of judging each other for our different emphases, we need each other. Each perspective has validity, and we need love, trust, courage, and wisdom to help one another navigate these challenges.
Some of us need to make small tweaks. Others of us? Major, even painful repentance (in either direction!). I didn’t say this was easy! That’s another reason we really need each other — to find wisdom, encouragement, grace, and support to follow Christ.
But whichever way we lean, what’s the ultimate goal? To be more surrendered to God and resolved to be like Christ.