Myra Gilmore

Engage magazine intern

September 2016 – Some Japanese citizens could only live in houses of a certain size. Select Greek citizens were prohibited from buying clothing made of specific fabrics. In Sparta, “lower class” citizens were not allowed to purchase furniture that required more than a saw and hammer to create. How could that be? Sumptuary laws, that’s how.

Sumptuary laws have been in place in government systems around the world almost as long as established civilizations have existed. These laws can also be found in most ancient European governments. Sumptuary laws regulated the amount of money low income or underprivileged citizens could spend on luxury items.

Today, these laws have mostly been eradicated, but they still suggest an interesting question: Should Christians have their own, unwritten versions? Can wisdom be found in the twisted beginnings of these restrictive laws? With the exception of the tithe, nowhere in the Bible is there an exact statement telling Christians what they are allowed to have or how they are to manage their resources. However, Christians are told again and again to care for the poor and widowed, but what does that really entail?

Does good stewardship mean few earthly possessions? Biblical stewardship is more than simply living within your means. Some people agree with one extreme and say followers of Christ should reject excess money and earthly possessions. Others take the opposite view and say if God gives His children abundant material items, then they should be grateful for the blessing and use it to benefit the kingdom.

Professional financial advisor Dan Celia* told AFA Journal, “Biblical stewardship goes beyond 10% and [extends] to all that we have been blessed with [such as] time, talents, opportunities, and of course our money.”

Living in any affluent culture affects the way individuals approach this issue. From an early age, mass media – both news and entertainment – yell at people, telling them their value is found in bank accounts and possessions. According to Celia, Americans have fostered “a society where material possessions and worldly goods give us the acknowledgement of others that surely we must be smart, successful, and of value.”

Again, the media would imply that people do not amount to much unless they have an impressive array of earthly possessions. Living in America has taught consumers to believe they deserve instant gratification, which is far from biblical teachings. Humans have an instinctive drive toward gaining physical possessions. Materialism is seductive; it will lie and cheat people into believing it is all they need.

A biblical model
In one New Testament account, Christians were giving all they owned to the poor (Acts 2:24). They had not been directly commanded to do so, but this was their response to a God who had spared nothing on their behalf.

The church of the New Testament knew what it was to see the works of Jesus. They walked and talked with His disciples. They could speak to the people personally touched by the healing hands of Christ. And in response to that, they gave all they had so others could experience even a fraction of the love they had been shown.

When Christians serve others, a sliver of the character of God is revealed. He gave His life; Christians give their time and money in imitation of that sacrifice. A willingness and readiness to serve those in need should be a Christian’s response to the God who gave His all so His children can have life.

God has called His children to be a light to the world and show His love through both words and actions. Christians should use every resource they have to spread the gospel, whether locally or internationally. When many hear the word missions in church, it is associated with international trips and working outside comfort zones.

“The word mission is a very thick word,” Rory Tyer, vice president of marketing at Global Outreach International, told AFA Journal. “It is much deeper than a trip or two to another culture. If we are not careful, we will live vicariously through the experiences of others we might work alongside on one of these trips and forget that the Lord owns everything of ours. Actually, we are called to be on mission with everything that is ours, all the time, which includes our money, skills, and possessions.”

A personal response
Does this mean Christians should sell everything they own and head off to Africa to serve others? No, of course not. God does not call every person to do that. It also does not mean that Christians are not allowed to buy a new fishing boat or spoil the grandchildren at Christmas. What it does mean, though, is that Christians should care for those who can be reached. God’s children should give what they can and help how they can.

Tyer says, “God is the Creator and everything else is His creation. Psalm 24:1 tells us that everything on earth belongs to God, so the only reason we even have possessions is so we can steward them for Him. If everything you have, every breath, is the Lord’s, and He has called us on a mission to care for others, then nothing is exempt from being used for that mission.”

Sumptuary laws may have worked for some governments, but it’s difficult to imagine that a church directive along the same lines would be effective. Serving others and showing God’s love should be a natural response to the gospel. Christians should not give because there is an unwritten law somewhere binding their conscience. Rather, Christians give generously – and often sacrificially – because they serve a God who has given more than could ever be hoped for.

Whether one decides to sell all his possessions and move to a Third World country, simply continue to tithe 10%, or give sacrificially to the cause of Christ, a key element is his heart – to remember why he gives. Not because it is commanded, but because it is in response to the God who loves His children and gives them all good things.   

I recently returned from a mission trip to a village in rural Honduras. This town is settled in the Sierra Madre Mountains and holds one of the most breathtaking views I’ve ever seen. It’s easy for me to look at my pictures and romanticize life for the people of this village, but one thing was apparent to me: Their life is hard. When Americans think of Third World countries, we often picture no air conditioning or clean water, but there are so many more things about that life that we miss.

I saw more smiles and love in those five days than in an entire month in America. The people of this village didn’t hesitate to help their neighbors however they could. God worked in amazing ways that week, but one of my favorites was watching Him open the eyes of the team members and show us what a bountiful life really is. I learned that simplicity and giving do not mean less, but they mean abundantly more when my money and resources are used for the glory of God.
— Myra Gilmore

*Dan Celia is host of Financial Issues (financialissues.org) on American Family Radio.