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It is a mistake to expect blessings as an obligation of God

For the last few weeks I have been entering data for my business that I began three years ago. I finally found a class management program that suited both my needs and my price. Reviewing what I have done over the last three years has given me a big picture perspective that I am using to plan my future business practices.

For new readers, I run a Christian gymnastics school and all my clients are Christians. Anyone may come into my program, nor do I discourage non-Christians from participating.  However, I make it clear to all who enroll that I always speak from a Christian world view, and speak freely to the children and parents regarding Christ and His Church.   If they do not accept that, then they can find another school that appeals to their world view.  Consequently all my customers trust in Jesus Christ.

The point of this post is to address the attitude that Christians have regarding God blessing them.  We are all familiar with Christians who out right manipulate others by worldly means, bouncing checks,  looking to be the exception to the rule.  There have been several families that I had been grieved by who would pay late, or expect some other special favor.  I would struggle as a Christian businessman in how I dealt with them.  I wanted to minister grace to them as fellow heirs of the gospel, but would end up resenting them for their taking advantage of me.  Nonetheless, I know that my Father will take care of me no matter what behavior I encounter from my customers.

Yesterday I found myself reviewing a family that I loved and respected.   The father is a youth pastor and brought his daughters into the program a year and a half ago.  When I made the decision to rent my own warehouse space to set up my gym,  it was necessary to raise my tuition to meet the increase in cost.   This family wanted a special deal for them and I could not give them one, so they quit.   While entering their data into my new program, I realized that they had been asking for special deals all along.  I did not really notice it because I so much enjoyed their family.

To my surprise I felt the grief of the Holy Spirit within me.  I could not understand why I was feeling this grief.  Despite their getting a deal from me,  I had no regret in giving them one because of my own pleasure in working with them.   As I inquired of the Lord why I felt this grief  I realized what it was.

I say this as being guilty of this offense, too, so I am not pointing my fingers at anyone.  As Christians we all think that because we are in covenant with God and are now His children, that we have the right to expect blessings from God everywhere we go.  In deed, the clergy system promotes that belief as they try to sell us their 10 steps to procuring  God’s blessing.  But it is a lie.  We have no right individually to any blessings from God at all.  There is only one man who has the right to God’s favor at all times, and that is Jesus Christ.

We misuse the word “blessing” because we don’t really know what it means.  According to the Oxford Concise Dictionary of English Etymology it is an Old English compound word bled-sian which means blood covering.   It is an old church benediction which implies that since something or someone has been covered in the blood (of Jesus) they have special favor, or bliss (which is a derivative of bless) from God.

Favor is given to Jesus Christ by God and all that abide in Christ.  So, you might be thinking that we do have the right to expect favor from God because of our being “covered in the blood.”  If you think that you are both right and wrong, which is my point.

The first consideration is “abide in Christ”.   There is only one way to abide in Christ and that is through self denial and dying to self.  Do you see the contradiction?  If you are expecting favor, then you are not in self denial.  Self denial is surrender to God in what ever He desires for us in Christ.   When Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego refused to bow to the statue of Nebuchadnezzar they knew God could save them but were willing to perish if God chose not to save them.   They denied self to abide in Christ.

The second consideration is Jesus Himself.  He suffered all righteousness.  He went the extra mile.  For example, when Peter said that Jesus paid the tribute, Jesus corrected him later in showing that He and the children were exempt, nevertheless, so as not to offend He instructed to Peter to get the money fishing and to pay it (Matt. 17:27).   Jesus did not expect special treatment, even though He was God in the flesh.

Paul told the Philippians:

Phil 2:5-9
5    Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:
6    Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:
7    But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:
8    And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.
9    Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:  (KJV)

Because He is God in the flesh, Jesus had the right to expect royal treatment, yet He did not take it.  Because He denied Himself, even unto the suffering of the cross, God has exalted Him above every name.

This family that I still love expected special treatment, and when I did not give it to them, they left.   It grieves the Holy Spirit because they can not see the pride that their attitude is creating.

But not all my families are like that.  One family had a son who broke his leg  playing baseball.  They had just paid the tuition and now he can not take the class.  Even though it was through no fault on my part, I offered to refund the tuition.  I wanted to help this loyal family to my program.  When the mother asked me why I was willing to do this, I replied, “Because the righteous do what is right even to their own hurt ” (paraphrase of Psalm 15:4).   To my surprise, she refused the refund because it had nothing to do with me and they were honoring their part of the agreement.  This family is a righteous family.

We do not have to assume that God will always give us a deal.  He does give us great deals so I am not saying that doesn’t happen.  What I am saying is that if we abide in Christ and suffer all righteousness, we can and should pay fair market value for everything if it is within our means to do so.    God owns the cattle on a thousand hills.  We can pay the fair prices for goods knowing that God will always provide us the resources we need if we are abiding in Christ.  I praise God for the deals that I have gotten.  He does bless us with many wonderful experiences.  But I do not expect Him to do so that way all the time.   The only thing I expect is that He will take care of everything in any way that He pleases because I am trusting His Son.  When I am selfish, I have no expectation of blessing from God, even though I know His utter goodness and have experienced blessings from Him even then.

We should be willing to pay the fair market value without expecting a deal.  If we get it, praise God, but we should not be looking for it. That is His prerogative, not ours. He is no respecter of persons, or, in other words, He is always fair and just.  He is just to both sides of agreements.  Saints should not take advantage of anyone, and especially other saints.