There’s a story of a man who worked with Mother Teresa for a period of time. Every night he would go out with the Sisters of Mercy into the streets of Calcutta and pick up men and women who were on death’s door. They would then take these individuals to a hospice home called Kalighat, where these people who were actively dying would be cared for in their last days. A friend of a friend had gone out there to serve personally and said it was a HARD ministry to be involved with...

So anyway this man who was helping Mother Teresa, after spending a week at this hospice house said to her, “I wouldn’t do what you do for a million dollars!” And Mother Teresa said, “I wouldn’t either.”

Say what you will about Mother Teresa, she was certainly someone who came to understand that giving of one's talents and time and effort and giftedness couldn't be measure in terms of earthly treasure. What they found to be true about the Treasure Principle is that these principles we have looked at go beyond our financial lives.

This week, I want us to look at what the Bible says about what we do with our time and our talents.

You may have observed in the time you have known me that I don't have a great sense of balance. Therefore when I navigate through uneven terrain, I must be very careful. Balance is one of those things that is necessary when you have to go through rough terrain.

Today is going to be about finding balance. And whether you are talking about whole body balance, or whether you are talking about balancing, let's say, this, science has demonstrated to us that there are a few laws that govern balance. And what's REALLY cool is that if you can get your mind around the laws of physical balance, it's going to be easier to think about the other areas of your life that God has called you into balance.

Ultimately when we live in God's holiness we live in balance in a number of ways: our appetites, our relationships, our emotions, our work life, and since we've been on the subject, you can add our finances. And here's what I've observed in my lifetime: though the number is starting to grow, there are very few people out there who actually live a balanced life when it comes to their personal finances.

So today – I’m going to ask this question: What is the overall objective when it comes to money? What am I trying to do? What is the one thing I am trying to accomplish with my money?

Now that question has a variety of answers for a variety of people.

There have been times, I must admit, and I would imagine so must you, when poor planning has brought about some serious problems in my life. And there have been times when I could have sworn that I DID plan things — it was just a lousy plan. I didn't take things into account; I didn't foresee real issues that could possibly (and often DID) pop up.

It's good to plan, for sure. If you are engaged in an important endeavor, it is good to think through the things that could happen that might be obstacles or challenges along the way. But here's the deal: you can plan and plan and even think of potential pitfalls and come up with contingencies, and there will still be times when things go awry - things totally out of your control, and things that frankly, you never thought of.

So how does GOD want His people to plan? I've unfortunately been a part of teams where it ended up that WE thought something was a good plan and then WE asked GOD to come alongside us and, essentially, bless this mess (as it turned out). Many believers live their lives like that: God, these are my plans; I'd like to invite you into my plans. When, as it turns out, God is asking us, His people, to find out HIS plans, and to find ways that we can fit into those plans, rather than vice versa.

This is what the next part of James' letter is all about: not presuming what the future will hold, and what plans you will accomplish, but to humbly ask God to guide and direct you where HE wants you to be, doing what HE has assigned and empowered you to do for HIS glory and HIS plans.

This last week in our Staff Meeting, I said some things out loud. And they weren't horribly critical. I think that they were just funny observations (at least in MY mind). And the staff basically told me how awkward it was to hear them. I told them that's what popped into my mind. And that's when Ethan said, they pop into our minds, too, Trey - but those tend to be INTERNAL conversations with us! 🙂

That was funny. But then it got me thinking, in light of this week's message: how often do we let things slip out of our mouths with no filter at all; things that SHOULD have stayed as INTERNAL conversations that flow out of our mouths. Now again, mine weren't critical at all… having fun with people's names, as I recall. BUT I have to admit that there have been times when what comes out of my mouth IS critical. And like Thumper's mom, I would do well to listen to the advice: If you can't say something nice…don't say anything at all. Especially if I'm not saying things in a helpful way.

Sometimes the things that come out of my mouth have been downright judgmental. And THIS is exactly where we find ourselves in our study in the book of James: slander and unrighteous judgment. And it shouldn't be surprising. Again, James is writing to those who had been a part of his congregation, people in the First Century Church in Jerusalem. And the times they were facing were getting tough. But these were REAL PEOPLE who were learning how to "do life together" in Jesus - people who in many instances came from completely different backgrounds, with the only thing they had in common (often) WAS their faith.

Several years ago Barbara Walters interviewed General Norman Schwartzkopf, one time commander of Operation Desert Storm in the Persian Gulf. When asked about the cost of the war in terms of human life the general began to cry. Walters rather bluntly inquired, "General, aren't you afraid to cry...?" To which the general replied, "Barbara, I'm afraid of a man who can't cry!"

Here is a soldier who’s been trained to be tough, a man who’s seen more death and destruction than I know I will ever see and yet doesn’t apologize for his tears. In fact he's afraid of the one who can't cry.

Many of us aren’t so much afraid of tears as we are ashamed of tears. Maybe it’s because of the steady stream of messages we get: stop crying, shake it off, only babies cry. Crying makes us feel vulnerable, and we fear being vulnerable.

But in that same vein, I also have come to realize by experience that sometimes the absolute best thing you can do is to break down when you realize things are not as they should be. And things are NOT good. The situation is NOT funny. And sometimes you just have no choice but to cry.

That's a part of what we get from the next verse in our study, as we are in James chapter 4. Turn with me to James 4 and let's look at verse 9: "Be wretched and mourn and weep. Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom." (ESV)