WHY GOD MADE SO MANY POOR FILIPINOS[1]

 

By Abner P. Dizon

( Download the sermon in PDF format )

 

Key Text: Luke 18:22 “When Jesus heard this, he said to him, "You still lack one thing [if you want to be perfect].[2] Sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me."

 

Question: How do you define “poor?”  (What categorizes a person as poor?)  How many of you think you are poor?

 

When I was in my English class in MCU, I heard the musical, “Fiddler on the Roof.”  Tevye, the main character, during one of his monologues said: “Lord, I don’t know why you made so many poor people. I realize it’s no shame to be poor. But it’s not an honor either!”  Then he goes on singing a list of what he would do if he was a rich man.

 

If you were a rich man or woman, what would you do with your riches? If you were rich, where do you think you would be now?

 

The other day, my son saw a sign in AUP[3] elementary school: “Lost…Reward: P2,000.” He said: “I want to be the first to find that.” I asked what he would do with the money.  He said: “I would give P1,000 to PFM. Then I would give P500 to Abe. Then I would give P200 to Mama. The rest I would use to support myself!” When we arrived home, however, he started revising how much he would give and how much he would keep!

 

Have you noticed that when we have little, it’s easy to give?

 

Illustration: There was this pastor who had a member that used to be very poor. When this man was poor, every time the pastor visited, he asked the pastor to pray for his business. That member eventually became rich. He invited the pastor to his home. Once inside, the rich man welcomed him. The pastor asked him how he is doing. He said he is doing great. “But I have a problem, pastor. And I find it hard to sleep because of it. That’s why I called you.”  The pastor sat down and listened.  “You see, when I started my business, I was really just in a hand-to-mouth existence. I faithfully gave my tithes. But now I am earning hundreds of thousands of pesos now. I decided not to give tithes anymore. I hope you understand.” The pastor said: “May I pray for you?” They knelt down and prayed: “Father, thank you for the wealth and prosperity that you have showered on this brother of mine. Please do not give him anymore money….”  The man said: “What?, wait… Don’t say that!”  The pastor opened his eyes and said: “Well, being faithful to God was not difficult to you when you were poor, so let’s ask God to take away your riches so you can be faithful again!”

 

There is nothing wrong about being rich – about having lots of money. The problem is when you learn to love money. It becomes your god. (Anything you love more than God is your god.)  Greed or covetousness.

 

This was the problem with the rich young ruler in Matt 19:16-24

16 Now a man came up to Jesus and asked, "Teacher, what good thing must I do to get eternal life?" 17 "Why do you ask me about what is good?" Jesus replied. "There is only One who is good. If you want to enter life, obey the commandments."

18 "Which ones?" the man inquired. [because he knows so many commandments! Maraming alam na BAWAL!]  Jesus replied [the 10 Commandments], "'Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not give false testimony, 19 honor your father and mother,' and 'love your neighbor as yourself.'"

20 "All these I have kept," the young man said. "What do I still lack?"

21 Jesus answered, "If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me." 22 When the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had great wealth. 23 Then Jesus said to his disciples, "I tell you the truth, it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. 24 Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God." (NIV)

 

That is why Jesus says, "It is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven.”  Matt 19:23

Not because money is bad. Rather because “Love of money [GREED & COVETOUSNESS] is the root of all evil.” (1 Tim. 6:10)

 

A story is told of a devout man who inherited a great wealth. He was asked by his priest what he will do with his inheritance. He said, he said: “I will give 1/3 of it to the poor; 1/3 to the orphans; and 1/3 to those serving the church.” As he thought about it, he said to himself: “I will keep the 1/3 because I am one of the poor. Then I will keep the second 1/3 because I am already an orphan. Finally, since I am serving the church, I also ought to keep the last 1/3.” He ended up keeping all of it!

 

Greed, like most sins, is deceitful. I’ve heard of more than one pastor who left he ministry to go into treasure hunting, saying that he would use the treasure to support God’s work. Why doesn’t God let them find it?

 

Remember the Story of Ananias & Sapphira? Acts 5:1-11 (NIV)

1 Now a man named Ananias, together with his wife Sapphira, also sold a piece of property.  2 With his wife's full knowledge he kept back part of the money for himself, but brought the rest and put it at the apostles' feet.

3 Then Peter said, "Ananias, how is it that Satan has so filled your heart that you have lied to the Holy Spirit and have kept for yourself some of the money you received for the land?  4 Didn't it belong to you before it was sold? And after it was sold, wasn't the money at your disposal? What made you think of doing such a thing? You have not lied to men but to God."

5 When Ananias heard this, he fell down and died. And great fear seized all who heard what had happened. 6 Then the young men came forward, wrapped up his body, and carried him out and buried him.

7 About three hours later his wife came in, not knowing what had happened.

8 Peter asked her, "Tell me, is this the price you and Ananias got for the land?" "Yes," she said, "that is the price." 9 Peter said to her, "How could you agree to test the Spirit of the Lord? Look! The feet of the men who buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out also."

10 At that moment she fell down at his feet and died. Then the young men came in and, finding her dead, carried her out and buried her beside her husband.

 

The problem is not money or property. There is no ECONOMIC CRISIS in heaven!  God’s treasury is not BANKRUPT.  The problem is the heart. What will that heart LOVE. The GIVER or the GIFT? Christian discipleship is about heart transplants – not liposuctions or implants! 

 

Notice that God is not after your money or property. He is after your heart and your salvation!

 

Their Problem: Good for husband and wife to be united in good things, but not when they are confederates in evil! (Sort of reminds you of whom?)

·        Adam and Eve, agreed to eat the forbidden fruit - one in disobedience.

·        Ahab & Jezebel – the vineyard

 

1.      PRIDE & AMBITION.  They want to be praised and regarded highly (Barnabas gained respect). Ayaw pahuhuli. Ito yung laging nuuna sa pagbibigay ng testimony. Pero deep within, he or she wants the praises of men. Jesus said: “Natanggap nyo na ang ganti nyo!”

 

When you give to the Lord, do you desire recognition? “Give credit to whom credit is due” – pero kanino nga ba ang tunay na credit dapat? Di ba galing sa Dios ang lahat ng yaman? Bakit kailangan pang sabihin – “Donated by…so and so.”  “Ipinagawa ni GMA…” Advertisement, dahil tatakbo uli next election!

 

2.       HYPOCRISY[4].  Good outside, rotten inside.  You may deny yourself of many things, pero if your motives point towards putting you up, that’s hypocrisy.  Parang yung nagsabi na: “I’m so proud that I am humble!” I’m glad I am not like this publican!  Problem with hypocrisy is it is LIVING OUT A LIE. How do I live out a lie? By saying something I am not. But the worst lie – is LYING to God himself! We believe our own lie so much that we even hope to deceive GOD!  Some people brainwash themselves into believing a lie. And they succeed. But there is no real change of heart.  Christian discipleship is about heart transplants – not liposuctions and implants! 

 

Can God give you lots of money? Can He give you a huge mansion? Can He give you an expensive car? Can He send you to London or to New York all expenses paid?

 

II.  Why did God not shower the Philippines with so much money like America?

 

An acquaintance of mine blamed Pres. Roxas for asking for Philippine independence for America. He said if we remained a Commonwealth, we’d be spending dollars now and we’d be American citizens! We won’t have to go to Hawaii because the Philippines would be just like Hawaii!

 

I believe the reason why God did not shower as much wealth to this country as to richer countries is because He wants to shower us with spiritual blessings more than wealth.

 

God can provide for all your needs.  If you submit yourself to Him, His promise is:

31 Do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' 32 For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33 But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” Matt 6:31-33

 

The problem with people is that they seek after food, drink and material things FIRST, and God is either left out or is the last in their lives.

 

It should be the other way around. Submit yourself fully to God, and Paul assures us that:

“God will supply [meet] ALL your NEEDS according to his glorious riches…” Phil 4:19 (NIV)

 

Some say, only my NEEDS – not my WANTS! But we are told:

Ps 37:4 “Delight yourself in the LORD and he will give you the desires of your heart.” (NIV)

 

I like Paul’s insight in Rom 8:32, “He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all-- how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?” (NIV)

 

Many of us want to have a better life – more money, nicer houses, more appliances, vehicle, etc.  Many want go to the U.S. or London or Saudi. But let’s not exchange money for a relationship with God.  As Jesus says, “What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits [loses] his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul?” (NIV) Matt 16:26

 

I really like Ps 37:25: “I was young and now I am old, yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken or their children begging bread.” (NIV)  And in Ps 84:11, we are told “…no good thing does he withhold from those whose walk is blameless.” (NIV)

 

God can and will provide for you as long as we are faithful to Him. I don’t care if the Lord does not give me a pajero and a multi-million peso condominium. Because I know He has promised that He will not forsake me nor let me go begging for food. Why did God make so many poor Filipinos? Because he does not want us to forfeit our souls. Because He wants us to be richer in things above. And because He wants us to trust in Him more than in riches.