Simplify

Day 51


We are sorry it has been so long.  We had an opportunity through Access Youth to join a missions trip to Atlanta.  We spent a week on the streets with Rescue Atlanta.  It was amazing to see God move in the lives of the next generation and those they touched.  God is raising strong men and women of faith behind us.  


The following was placed on our hearts weeks ago as we considered our personal challenges and the challenges organizations face.

Through our financial struggles last year we were forced to take a hard look at where we spend our money.  We recognized our hearts tend to follow where our money goes.  We spend 35% of our resources on housing, 13% on transportation, 10% on food, 10% charity, 3% on communication, 2% on entertainment and the remainder on clothing, school expenses, credit card debt, and maintenance.  This division seemed good a few years ago.  However, in the light of our new understanding it seems slanted.  If we truly believe God will provide, why should our hearts be so preoccupied by basic necessities?

What if we simplified?  What if our numbers looked more like this; 50% charity, 10% food, 5% transportation, 10% travel/entertainment, 1% communication and the remainder on school, clothing, and maintenance?  Would out hearts be less focused on survival and more focused on the needs of our community?  This change is possible and we have taken the first steps to recalibrating the scales.  

To some of our friends and family this seems like a drastic sacrifice.  However, it is the American Dream which is the sacrifice.  We have pursued everything the world has to offer for twenty years and found nothing but empty promises.  Our greatest joy has been family, friends, and caring for others.  However, we have sacrificed these relationships because of where we spend our resources.  Imagine the blessings we missed.  What may seem as sacrifice is actually God’s attempt to free us from bondage and allow blessings to flow more freely.

If individuals can become bound by the focus of their hearts imagine the mess created when several individuals come together corporately.  Organizations are susceptible to an unbelievable amount of bureaucratic red tape.  

Once upon a time a man needed a brick so he asked his neighbor.  The neighbor, having a spare brick, happily gave the man a brick.

The End 

Once Upon a time in a neighboring kingdom a thousand people needed a brick? After much debate and many meetings, the brick committee was formed to decide who was worthy of receiving of a brick.  The brick keepers, reacting to the demand for bricks and worrying about brick theft created a brick vault.  More worry and strain was created when it was discovered the department formed to distribute the bricks did not have the proper security clearance to enter the vault.  Warehouses were built to store the records and decrees; distribution lists, inventory lists, candidate lists, referral lists, waiting lists, and lists of lists.   What once took moments to accomplish now took weeks and months, and many were left brickless. 

God’s solution is much simpler than the world’s economic models.   Proverbs 11:23-25 encourages us to give freely.  In God’s economy a generous heart yields greater blessings.  Jesus asks the Apostles in Matthew 10:7-10  to give the blessings they have received generously.  He does not suggest careful disbursement or resource management.  He does not demand a need assessment or customer profile be completed.  Jesus simply says, “freely give”.   In Luke 12:22-32 Jesus speaks about the freedom available by unshackling ourselves from worry. Do you believe God will provide?   Imagine a model which called someone to give 100%, do you think this person would be rewarded by God?  Acts 4:32-35 presents an organization which relied completely on God.  They were no longer restrained by the constructs of society but gave to those in need.  God’s favored them and blessed them greatly.

We understand all blessings come from God and he expects us to care for them.  He calls us to be good stewards.  However, Connections will give freely and seek simple solutions.  We will trust God’s providence and serve those he desires to reach.  Connections will rely on the Holy Spirit for discernment and seek to err on the side of giving too much than too little.  We will expect God to continue to bless us so we can bless others.    

Proverbs 11:23-25 

 ²³ The desire of the righteous ends only in good,
       but the hope of the wicked only in wrath.

 ²⁴ One man gives freely, yet gains even more;
       another withholds unduly, but comes to poverty.

 ²⁵ A generous man will prosper;
       he who refreshes others will himself be refreshed.

Matthew 10:7-10 

⁷As you go, preach this message: 'The kingdom of heaven is near.'⁸Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received, freely give.⁹Do not take along any gold or silver or copper in your belts; ¹⁰take no bag for the journey, or extra tunic, or sandals or a staff; for the worker is worth his keep.

Luke 12:22-32 

 ²²Then Jesus said to his disciples: "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear. ²³Life is more than food, and the body more than clothes. ²⁴Consider the ravens: They do not sow or reap, they have no storeroom or barn; yet God feeds them. And how much more valuable you are than birds! ²⁵Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? ²⁶Since you cannot do this very little thing, why do you worry about the rest?

 ²⁷"Consider how the lilies grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you, not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. ²⁸If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today, and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, how much more will he clothe you, O you of little faith! ²⁹And do not set your heart on what you will eat or drink; do not worry about it. ³⁰For the pagan world runs after all such things, and your Father knows that you need them. ³¹But seek his kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well.
 ³²"Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom.

Luke 16:13 

 ¹³"No servant can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money."

Acts 4:32-35 

 ³²All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of his possessions was his own, but they shared everything they had. ³³With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and much grace was upon them all. ³⁴There were no needy persons among them. For from time to time those who owned lands or houses sold them, brought the money from the sales ³⁵and put it at the apostles' feet, and it was distributed to anyone as he had need.