WIIFM

“Your words have been arrogant against Me,” says the Lord. “Yet you say, ‘What have we spoken against You?’ You have said, ‘It is vain to serve God; and what profit is it that we have kept His charge, and that we have walked in mourning before the Lord of hosts? So now we call the arrogant blessed; not only are the doers of wickedness built up but they also test God and escape.’” Malachi 3:13-15 NASB

What profit – “What’s in it for me?” WIIFM has replaced WWJD. As we survey the cultural landscape, we are impressed not by the compassion of the partisans, nor by their renunciation of power or glory, but rather by their yearning for recognition. Bigger edifices to human validation litter the landscape, built on mountains of debt and chasms of sectarianism. All, of course, in the name of God. But not, it seems, in the name of the God of Israel. He seems to prize humility, anonymity, hesed, forgiveness and unity. Not the kinds of commodities that command tithes for more mortar. I wonder if our religious self-assurance isn’t far more akin to the temples of Egypt than the wastelands of YHVH. Ah, but we all love slaves, don’t we—as long as we are the ones in power.

The children of Israel were not atheists. They were not agnostics. They had plenty of religion, enough for everyone to imbibe. But YHVH was not pleased. Their religion was a spirituality of profit, a devotion to gain. “Bigger, bigger, bigger,” they sang in melodic tones. YHVH accused them of arrogance. Arrogance? How could this be? Arrogant people are full of pride. “But we worship you, O Lord.” Arrogant people are pompous. “But we bow our heads and close our eyes, O Lord.” Arrogant people are immodest. “But we wear the robes and carry the sacred implements.” Ah, zedim (Hebrew – arrogant) is the word for proud. Three elements characterize the zedim: presumptuous self-importance, rebellion and willful disobedience. In other words, doing what we think serves God’s interests rather than doing what God directs. “Spiritual” acts for personal (or corporate) gain are vanity before the Lord.

Notice how Malachi characterizes these protestors. They claim justifiable ignorance. “How have we spoken against You?” God answers. “You have called the arrogant blessed. You have idolized those who act wickedly. You have tested My sovereignty. You considered your deeds and thought you would escape.” Isaiah says much the same thing. The ethics of God’s kingdom have been reversed. Humility has fallen victim to self-esteem. Righteousness has been converted to correctness. Grace has replaced obedience. Sovereignty is superseded by bureaucracy. The god of this world is profit, inside or outside the Church.

What must we do? How can we repent for our corporate sin? Arrogance is not only individual. Return to the ways of the Lord. Make compassion more important than programs. Give grace the feet of obedience. Turn away anger. Produce the fruit of hesed in all its flavors. Forgive, especially those who do not agree with you. And exercise justice for the sake of the children and the children’s children. Love is vacuous without the verbs of Exodus 34:6-7. Tithing is useless. Weeping in front of the altar is a sham. Revivals are fiction. Unless! Unless the character of YHVH becomes the behavior of His people.

Topical Index: profit, zedim, arrogant, Exodus 34:6-7, Malachi 3:13-15