In the book “Hope Lives: A Journey of Restoration” the author (Amber Van Schooneveld) includes discussion questions at the end of every weeks reading.  Below are the reflections of a man pursuing to live a life of  “God centered” purpose amongst the struggle of living in American prosperity.  Be inspired.

1. What was the most challenging truth you’ve considered this week?

I actually had to include three answers, as I got challenged so many times!  (1) Me sitting in my prosperity and not fully pursuing Isaiah 58 is counter to what God’s vision is for His world and His people.  Page 13 said “Is this pleasing God?  Is this His vision of what His world should look like?”  (2) I need to stop telling myself I am in any way frugal, moderate, etc in my stewardship.  I spend more on a date night with my wife than what many (millions…probably billions…) in this world earn in a year.  I really do mock Proverbs 30:8-9 (“Give me neither poverty nor riches!  Give me just enough to satisfy my needs.  For if I grow rich, I am deny you.”).  (3) I am incredibly self-centered.  I don’t want to engage with others if it is in anyway inconvenient.  Very similar to what my pastor shared in service today about focus on me, my family, and others that I like…but nothing beyond that.

2.  Consider whether material wealth has paralyzed you in the past.  What step can you take to ensure your wealth won’t block your compassion?

First, continue experimenting with giving away all excess in 2009.  Second, need to continue to shine a light on my lifestyle which reduces the “excess” noted in point one.  The current is so strong in Dallas, so it makes it so easy for me to miss the mark here.  I need to keep pressing here and be challenged by those who love me.  Third, I need to have more exposure to poverty.  I need to be intentional about not avoiding poverty…as my typical day doesn’t naturally cross much poverty.

3.  Consider whether you’ve been living as an individualist – too busy to look to the interests of others.  What can you do to live with the interests of others as a priority in your life?

I love the quote on page 27 which really convicted me in my sin – “My ‘take care of myself’ attitude has isolated me…my individualism wins out over Jesus’ love for the poor, breeding my neglect of others.  I’ve slowly and subtly accepted the lie that helping myself [and my family] first is wise, justified, and just good sense.”  I think I am purposeful about combating these world problems with my excess but only after I lavishly spend on myself and family first.  My luxuries (schools, clothes, spacious house, vacations, etc) are more important to me than the basic needs (minimal food, shelter, and clothing) of others.  It is sick.  If the basic needs of others were important to me, I would not give out of an excess that is calculated after I spoil myself rotten.  I think one solution for me is to think of ways to be a sacrificial giver where I sacrifice (using term sacrifice loosely) in a tangible way with the specific goal of giving to meet a specific need.  For instance, begin skipping a couple meals a week in order to free up funds for giving.  Or changing the venue for date nights to something cheaper.  I love Francis Chan’s quote in a recent sermon when folks say they can’t give quite as much because they are saving for an emergency…and Chan says “Oh, I get it, you are saving for an emergency, and you don’t consider little girls in brothels of people starving to death an emergency.  What you really mean is you are saving for an emergency in your life.”

4.  How can you develop a heart for the needs of this world, not allowing yourself to become numb by all the stories?

(1) Keep exposing myself to injustice and specific needs.  (2) Pick something and go deep.  Make it personal.  For example, the stuff with Stephanie and Jennifer with Pure Hearts in Thailand.  Similar in looking for something where I live.  (3) Invest in people, so I am more emotionally linked in and increase my burden.  Do this both internationally (by keeping up through one person) and locally.

5.  How can you make sure that your love for the poor is rooted in the love of Christ, not guilt or obligation?

(1) I need to be in the Word daily.  There is simply no other substitute for this in my life.  When I spend deep time in the Word, I am transformed more into Christ…and I can quickly be untransformed when I am not in the Word!  (2) Prayer and meditation…especially when doing this through the Word.  (3) Check my heart when I am frustrated, angry, or discouraged in my service of others.  Likely leads to confession…

6.  Sit down with your budget and evaluate whether there are luxuries you’ve been classifying as needs.  Consider whether your finances are as God would have them, and where they might need tweaking.

I mentioned this above.  I think there is lots of tweaking, and I am convinced more tweaking is necessary than I see…as the current is so strong that I am numb to the real delineation between needs and luxuries.  I think the nucleus of any discussion on stewardship is home and savings.  On the home front, my wife and I have discussed over the past year that we are committed to more kids to fill the home, or moving.  On savings, I think I have a reasonable list of things to save for (which I have already largely saved for), though I could be very wrong about the reasonableness of my list.  Given I think I have the right list and have saved, I am trying to give all excess in 2009.  So far so good, but I still have six months to get very greedy, insecure, etc and start saving more!

7.  Pray through Isaiah 58 several times, asking God to use it to change your heart.  Discuss with others what inspires you in this passage.

Okay, so I have spent some time on this, but I really need to spend some extended time in this before providing a full answer.  Here are my initial notes.  (1) End of verse 7 really hit me where Isaiah references the previous sections about whether to feed the hungry, provide the wanderer shelter, and clothe the naked…and then says “not to turn away from your own flesh and blood.”  Ouch.  As I mentioned earlier, I have a different stand of needs for me and my family…but Isaiah (really God) calls these hungry, homeless, and naked my flesh and blood. I intend to noodle more on the verse and unpack.  (2) Verse two mentioned “seeking Him daily” which I think I am guilty of not doing consistently in the way prescribed in Scripture.  (3) Verse three “in the day of your fast, you seek your own pleasure.” GUILTY.  (4) Overall, the passage reminds me of Matthew 10:39 and the concept of finding life by giving it all up.  (5) I am the Israelites in this passage – seeking God incompletely due to my love for comfort, safety, and tidiness.