Pope Francis vs. Joel Osteen

“The best of God’s saints must drink the bitter potion; the dearest of His children must bear the cross. No Christian has enjoyed perpetual prosperity; no believer can always keep his heart in constant tune.” – C.H. Spurgeon

Truth be told, I wasn’t a fan of Pope Francis. Aside from our doctrinal differences, I felt he was too liberal when it came to his political positions, particularly concerning immigration. It’s easy to tell other countries such as the U.S. to be more accepting and not to build border walls when you live in the Vatican City which is surrounded by 39-foot-high walls with armed guards.

That being said, I do admire the fact that Pope Francis lived a relatively modest lifestyle. Not only did he turn down his $200,000 annual salary, but he chose to live in a 3-room apartment called Suite 201 in the Domus Sanctae Marthae (the House of Saint Martha) instead of the more palatial papal palace.

In fact, I saw a meme on social media earlier this week that contrasted Pope Francis’s humble abode with the $10.5 million River Oaks mansion owned and occupied by televangelist and megachurch pastor Joel Osteen. The 17,000-square-foot residence includes six bedrooms, six bathrooms, three elevators, five fireplaces, and a separate guest house and pool. Osteen also maintains ownership of his previous home, a $2.9 million mansion that is a mere 5,600-square-feet in size.

My friend, God does not promise us a bed of roses this side of Paradise. On the contrary, Jesus told His disciples that they would face various trials and tribulations… and that the world would hate them because it first hated Him (John 15:18). The good news, Jesus said, is that He would be with them every step of the way (Matthew 28:20) and that He had already overcome the world (John 16:33).

As Charles Spurgeon, the “Prince of Preachers”, masterfully put it…

“Perhaps the Lord gave you in the beginning a smooth and unclouded path because you were weak and timid. He moderated the wind on account of your weakness, but now that you are stronger in the spiritual life, you must enter upon the riper and rougher experience of God’s full-grown children. We need winds and tempests to exercise our faith, to tear off the rotten branches of self-reliance, and to root us more firmly in Christ. The day of evil reveals to us the value of our glorious hope.”

Live modestly, my friend… follow Christ’s example (not Joel Osteen’s)… abhor and ignore false teachers and their deceptive words… and wait until heaven to get your mansion.

“In My Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you?” John 14:2 (BSB)

- Rev. Dale M. Glading, President