I rejoiced in the Lord greatly that now at length you
have revived your concern for me. You were indeed concerned for me, but you had
no opportunity. Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in
whatever situation I am to be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know
how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of
facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through him
who strengthens me. Yet it was kind of you to share my trouble.
Philippians 4:10-14
Happy New Year.
In view of the interest in the Reflections on God & Money
during Advent, I’ll continue the series with posts each weekend through 2013. The address of the new website is:
When Paul wrote the above passage, he was a prisoner in Rome. It
is all the more surprising, then, that as he thanks the Christians at Philippi
for their practical support, he stresses that he did not need it because he had
learned how to be content in every situation: ‘facing plenty and hunger,
abundance and need’.
From what we know of Paul’s background, he almost certainly came
from an affluent family and looked forward to life as a respected Pharisee that
would not have lacked material benefits. But he gave up that career when he
committed himself to being a disciple of Jesus of Nazareth. And then he gave up
still more, when he embarked on an itinerant ministry. Finally, he gave up his
freedom when he determined to preach about Jesus in Rome.
It is easy to imagine that it was a struggle for Paul to do
without the basic necessities that he had previously taken for granted. But I
suspect that there was a still greater pull on the occasions when he abounded
in plenty and was tempted to settle down, perhaps as the leader of a local
church.
The status and function of money in society, and the search for
personal contentment, challenges every generation, whether they have little or
plenty, whatever their beliefs about God. These Reflections are not just for
people who share my religion but for people of all religions and none. All
except those whose religion is finance and whose god is money. They are for
everyone who hopes for a better way of life than that.
Please forward this e-mail to your family, friends, neighbours, work
colleagues – anyone you know who may be interested in exploring these issues
together.
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Copyright © All Souls Clubhouse Community Centre &
Church and Philip Evans 2013.
Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, English
Standard Version® (ESV®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry
of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Handling money and dealing with debt can be complicated
and neither the author nor anyone else involved in the production of these
Reflections is responsible for any action you take, or fail to take, based on
what is written here. You are invited to put a link on your website to these
Reflections. You are welcome to copy these Reflections for personal study or
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purpose, whether or not for profit, you will require written permission in
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