Monday, January 25, 2010

We've all fallen, fallen real hard.

I went to the gym today with my mother and after I was done with my workout, I got my belongings and waited for my mother outside of locker room so we could meet up and leave. As usual, I was waiting for her for a while so naturally I took out my phone and started playing with it. (iPhone's are the most useful thing on the planet).

I decided to check the recent news and situations (especially Haiti). So, I did and there was an article put out today about how Haiti is asking for $3 billion to reconstruct and rebuild the nation of Haiti because of the earthquake. It was to make permanent homes for the 200,000 people that currently have no roof over their heads, other damages (ex. roads), and also for other governmental issues. Currently the U.S and the other nations that are involved in the rebuilding of Haiti are having meetings and such to see what they can possibly do with this request. Canada has been and is the longest and biggest aid to Haiti thus far. Canada is a dominantly French speaking country and many Haitian communities are scattered throughout Canada. As for the U.S., Hilary Clinton has said that she would be holding meetings and discussing this request with other government officials and the U.S. would have a concrete answer for them in the next 30-60 days.

I honestly think that that is a long time to think, but then again it is a big request. Also, the other 14 or so nations that are helping out need to be on the same page and they all need to collaborate together as well. Think swift, think hard.

This brings me to my point. Post reading this article, I was wondering about the issue of "money" or "currency". We all have money, some amount at least. Our parents have money and the world runs on money. The economy would fall if all of a sudden the biggest bank in the world was blown up and pretty much the whole world would be in ruins for a couple of years or even decades.

So, where did this all begin? I was pondering and hovering this idea of where currency even began because we know that it isn't a God-made thing.
"Therefore render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s." -Matthew 22:21b.
We also know that in the creation account of the world in Genesis, no where can we find anything about money or currency. To be more on point and more in detail we see that Abraham had "possessions", Scripture never mentioned that Abraham had "money".

This made me think of how money started. Did some man or woman just randomly say, "Alright. This is money and everyone needs to have it to gain anything material." I don't know how it started, but it seems to me like a religion.

Currency is definitely a man-made idea and it has succeeded exponentially.

Money runs the world. If one has no money, one pretty much has no life. We can all agree on that, no? What would happen if someone has no money? They end up on the streets, begging for it, and hoping to get lucky to get even one coffee to drink.

This also brings me to my second thought of "tithing" or "tithes" in the Church system. Tithing is definitely biblical and it can be found in Genesis as well.
"And blessed be God Most High, who delivered your enemies into your hand." Then Abram gave him a tenth of everything. - Genesis 14:20.
Abraham is at an altar of worship, and He gave to God a tenth of what he had. A tenth of his possessions, 10% of everything that He had.

So where does the church get this idea of 10% of our income or our salary? I can say for the most part, many Korean cultured churches run tithing or can explain tithing as this: Giving 10% of your weekly income. Don't misunderstand me, there are people that give 10% of their time and commit themselves to missions every year, and such, but where do we get this idea of 10% of our money going to the Church as "true tithing"?

I guess that article of Haiti requesting $3 billion just sparked my brain to go beyond and search for the deeper reasoning of money or currency. It was just a catalyst to it, but I know that this post or my thoughts don't change anything. Money still holds it's power and value (which sucks by the way).

But, Christ will descend in the same way He ascended into Heaven. He'll come down on the clouds with fire and the whole earth will shake.


Pray for Haiti my brothers and sisters.

Signing out,
Charles

4 comments:

  1. i agree money is def. manmade, and it started out with trading! which resulted in currency of course. but yeah the world is doomed haha

    you go to the gym with your mom? thats cute hahah

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  2. once in a while when she needs to go sauna and relax. i just go with her to accompany her and go eat or something after. i know its cute. im a mommas boy for life.

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  3. tithe is mostly an old testament concept. you'll see many times in the OT where people gave up 10% of their crops or livestock or land.

    The NT mentions tithing only in reference to common practice by Jews and to OT tithing moments like Abraham tithing to Melchizedek. While it does not say much in terms of the "10%" amount, there is a lot in the NT that talks about being generous with what we have (1 Cor 9:13).

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