Two People Burden With A House

[LadyKay]

I hope I can explain this in a way so that it does not sound like I am complaining. First off I am very thankful  for what I have and thankful for my little apartment. I had a house and lost it and since then I have this fear of ending up homeless( long story)  I attend a lady's only Sunday School class on Sunday morning. We share our concerns with each other from time to time. Today these two women  were talking about how they both have an extra house that they are burden with. They do not know what to do with the houses rather to rent them or sell them. They complain that they have gotten bad renters and are afraid to rent so the houses are standing empty and they do not know what to do with them. They asked for prayer about what to do with their houses. I could not help myself but when we were praying, all I could think about is it feels so unfair that I worry about becoming homeless, and these two women feel that having an extra house is a burden that they need prayer for.

[Openly Curious]

praying   

[JohnD]

To some degree, this is how Americans appear to the rest of the world.

Watching 60 Minutes tonight I saw the living conditions in Kenya. A thing I saw first hand in 1979.

It was quite the reminder.

And quite humbling.

We beg and beg God for things. Or we work ourselves half to death to maintain a lifestyle. Or both. And as soon as we have anything we complain about it or want more or newer or bigger.

I was quite angry over the declining middle class to preserve the wealth of the rich, but now I just pity them. Yeah there was a greater social balance in this country and the world under free enterprise. But this is not heaven or utopia. It's the most hell believers in Jesus will ever know... and the most heaven unbelievers in Jesus will ever know. 

The Bible speaks of the deceitfulness of wealth. The biggest deception I have found is the lack of appreciation for what one has (wealthy by the world's standards or not). You never really truly know how good you have it until it is taken away. The worldly solution is to get more things or money or power. And after a certain point that means taking these things away from others... even their ability to earn a simple living, forcing them into poverty. Such greed also devalues money and therefore the worldly wealth possessed.

Matthew 6:19–21 (AV)

19 Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal:

20 But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:

21 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

Matthew 22:36–40 (AV)

36 Master, which is the great commandment in the law?

37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.

38 This is the first and great commandment.

39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.

I understand your concerns about homelessness and even the near possibility of it. I've been there. And in truth we do not realize how close we are on a daily basis to losing everything because of some false sense of security in things of the world. I am not making some sanctimonious statement when I say have faith. I am saying have faith because it helps you to have it. God honors faith. And it eases our fears. And it puts into perspective what the devil and our sin natures would have us going stir crazy over.

If you are in a dire situation then do not be too proud to ask for help. There are people with means who do help others out of jams. Even ones you might think are too big or too ongoing for them to help with. 

If it really concerned you at that meeting, ask yourself 'why did I not suggest they consider donating one house to the poor?' Not meaning you... but maybe donating it to you... I do not know your situation. But I suspect you would not say that about donating at least one of the houses to the poor because of how it would make you look in your Sunday School Class. Sadly, most of us worry about things like that. It keeps us from speaking up to defend others and from witnessing to people... I would not suggest having an attitude other than pragmatism for such a suggestion in Sunday School.

Pastor Mile McPherson once said, "Everybody's got problems. And everybody's problems are bigger than everybody else's. Or so it seems. But our problems are not as big as we think they are. You'll know this for sure when you find others who really have big problems." 

Wise man.

The deceitfulness of wealth principle applies to all in every situation (financial or otherwise). And were we as concerned about the welfare of our fellow human beings as we are about ourselves, the world would be a much better place to live in for everybody. The biggest mistake in America (next to turning its back on Christ) is abandoning the Golden Rule which most everybody lived by (believers or not) and started serving self.

I am not singling you out Lady Kay. Nor am I scolding you. I am scolding all of us. And in so doing I am also trying to point out a perspective that will give you peace and contentment in any situation. I hope and pray this helps.

Edited November 23, 2015 by JohnD

[gdemoss]

It is all part of living in an iniquitous lopsided world that is heading for destruction.  One must wonder how it could end up so bad with the Lord having been given all authority in both heaven and earth.  Or how one can claim to have received the grace of God through Christ yet not have that same grace to give unto others.  

But then I see that there are 7 seals that need to be broken before the kingdom can come.  And then will they know that tge Lord reigns!  

I would love to have the burden of excess real estate.

[Guest]

I hope I can explain this in a way so that it does not sound like I am complaining. First off I am very thankful  for what I have and thankful for my little apartment. I had a house and lost it and since then I have this fear of ending up homeless( long story)  I attend a lady's only Sunday School class on Sunday morning. We share our concerns with each other from time to time. Today these two women  were talking about how they both have an extra house that they are burden with. They do not know what to do with the houses rather to rent them or sell them. They complain that they have gotten bad renters and are afraid to rent so the houses are standing empty and they do not know what to do with them. They asked for prayer about what to do with their houses. I could not help myself but when we were praying, all I could think about is it feels so unfair that I worry about becoming homeless, and these two women feel that having an extra house is a burden that they need prayer for.

I feel empathy for you, and don’t think you are complaining.  Losing a home and then fearing becoming homeless are very dire concerns.  It’s at times like this when it’s good (by God's grace) to find fellowship with those who share your concerns and sufferings.

[gdemoss]

Psa 102:1

[[A Prayer of the afflicted, when he is overwhelmed, and poureth out his complaintbefore the LORD.]] Hear my prayer, O LORD, and let my cry come unto thee.

[JustinM]

The US isn't responsible for Kenya's poverty, so we shouldn't feel ashamed for being more prosperous than that country.  If Kenya had been a Judeo-Christian society like the US was at its peak, they wouldn't be so impoverished.

My advice, the ladies that are concerned about bad renters should ask the church to get involved to help them find good, trustworthy renters in the congregation, or sell the home.

[*Zion*]

The US isn't responsible for Kenya's poverty, so we shouldn't feel ashamed for being more prosperous than that country.  If Kenya had been a Judeo-Christian society like the US was at its peak, they wouldn't be so impoverished.

My advice, the ladies that are concerned about bad renters should ask the church to get involved to help them find good, trustworthy renters in the congregation, or sell the home.

Do you even know Kenya's history?  Do you know your own country's?  Sorry, this to me is absolute ignorance.  

What I do agree with is that the ladies should ask for help getting good renters.  My suggestion would be LadyKay.

[JustinM]

The US isn't responsible for Kenya's poverty, so we shouldn't feel ashamed for being more prosperous than that country.  If Kenya had been a Judeo-Christian society like the US was at its peak, they wouldn't be so impoverished.

My advice, the ladies that are concerned about bad renters should ask the church to get involved to help them find good, trustworthy renters in the congregation, or sell the home.

Do you even know Kenya's history?  Do you know your own country's?  Sorry, this to me is absolute ignorance.  

What I do agree with is that the ladies should ask for help getting good renters.  My suggestion would be LadyKay.

Don't try to equate British colonialism with American exceptionalism.

[*Zion*]

The US isn't responsible for Kenya's poverty, so we shouldn't feel ashamed for being more prosperous than that country.  If Kenya had been a Judeo-Christian society like the US was at its peak, they wouldn't be so impoverished.

My advice, the ladies that are concerned about bad renters should ask the church to get involved to help them find good, trustworthy renters in the congregation, or sell the home.

Do you even know Kenya's history?  Do you know your own country's?  Sorry, this to me is absolute ignorance.  

What I do agree with is that the ladies should ask for help getting good renters.  My suggestion would be LadyKay.

 

Don't try to equate British colonialism with American exceptionalism.

You just have no idea, seriously.  I'll leave it, because I just don't want to get into it.