In
a free-market economy, where society allows us to make
as much as we can-and encourages us to do so-it takes
very little to turn Christians into merchants,
merchandising the truth. And few voices decry our
illicit affair with mammon.
When
a prominent Christian leader-already highly compensated
for his ministry-receives $50,000 a year to lend his
name to a Christian institute, is that greed or "good
preparation for retirement"? When a renowned worship
leader has a set fee for $1500 to teach a two-hour
seminar, is that avarice or "a good gig"? When Christian
networkers charge over $10,000 to help a church find a
staff member, is that gouging or
value-for-money?
If
I'm stepping on toes, I'm stepping on my own. As a
writer, I'm well aware of the large paychecks that
successful Christian authors make. $1 per book adds up
very quickly if you sell many copies. Writing (and the
"conference circuit") can easily become driven by the
dollar.
Merchandising
the truth, however, tempts all of us.
If
merchandising simply involves trading something we have
in order to better our financial position, then many of
us have become (perhaps unintentionally) merchants in
the temple.
We
negotiate with God. We make visits to His place on
weekends, write Him small checks (or sometimes large!),
and touch base with Him periodically throughout the week
(not exactly phone calls but something a little
shorter-prayer). In return, He's supposed to improve our
lives -- our relationships, our resources, and our
health. It's a bargain ... the cheapest life insurance,
health insurance, family-protection and financial
security available.
We
merchandise the truth, trading our allegiance and
service for various benefits.
Somewhere
along the way we can lose sight of ourselves as "slaves
of Christ Jesus." (Philippians 1:1) Slaves trade
nothing. They have nothing to trade. Whatever
they have belongs already to the Master. We may also
lose sight of the Church as the Body of Christ. Our
invoices and contracts treat it more like a business
than a fellowship.
Dissatisfied
with what we have-there's a faith issue-we respond to
the gospel in the pursuit of material stability
and trade in it largely to establish material
security.
This
week, as we reflect upon the triumphal entry of Jesus
into Jerusalem, we ought know that between that moment
of glory and His death a few days later, He drove out of
the temple all those who would "merchandise the
truth."
May
all of us cease to trade and learn to trust Him more and
more.
In
HOPE -
David
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