R. Wayne White
Type: Bulletin
God Is Just Pretend
I spend a lot of time on the Dallas freeways as I drive to and from home and area hospitals. Often I am surprised by what I read there. Part of my time is spent reading bumper stickers that folks place on their vehicles. Although I have never understood the urge to make a statement from the bumper of my own vehicle, I guess there are others who just feel compelled to make such statements. Some are funny and others are thought provoking, and still others are simply sad. Just the other day I saw one that I had never seen before, and I am afraid that it speaks of a very prominent attitude held by many Americans. I saw the sticker on the back of a very expensive, high-powered, and extremely impressive car which probably said volumes about it’s owner.
The statement on the sticker simply said,
God Is Just Pretend. Why am I not surprised when I see that kind of statement on the back of something that screams aloud the fact that the driver is probably wealthy, independent, and in need of nothing, including God.
There is nothing more difficult than keeping a right relationship with God while enjoying all of the benefits of having a lot of money at one’s disposal. When I can provide myself everything I think I need, and do so in abundance, then who else is there for me to rely on for anything? The driver of this car had been drawn very effectively into Satan’s web of perceived self-reliance, and dependence on God or anyone else was not entering his mind. How deceiving wealth can be.
Brethren, I challenge each of us to be extremely careful when it comes to the blessings we have received from God. The more He blesses, the more we can be deceived into thinking it is because of our own intelligence and acumen that we are accumulating what this world has to offer.
There is a story in Luke twelve that tells of a wealthy man who forgot all about God and believed that
God was just pretend and God called him a fool. I must remind us all, including myself, that we do not have to be poor but God does call us to be
poor in spirit. We will not all be wealthy in this world’s goods, but if we are, we need to be very sure that we, through God’s help and guidance, control our wealth and that it is never given the opportunity to control us. I firmly believe that we are richer than we think we are and in deeper danger than we would ever want to admit.
May God give us wisdom and insight in regards to our wealth.
For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro
throughout the whole earth,
to show His might in behalf of those
whose heart is blameless toward Him.
You have done foolishly in this;
for from now on you will have wars.
2 Chronicles 16.9
—R. Wayne White
Webb Chapel Church of Christ
Dallas, TX
