There’s a lot pressing on my mind, Father, but I would ask that You would enable me to focus on Your word for this time. Amen.
Luke 16:14-15 (<<click here to read the passage)
When I read these verses, one of the first things to come to mind was Hans Christian Anderson’s story, The Emperor’s New Clothes.
The familiar story is about two swindlers who convince an emperor that they can supply him with magnificent clothes that are invisible to those who are stupid or incompetent. The emperor and his officials seeing empty looms but wanting to avoid being thought of as fools, pretend to see the clothes. Heading off for a procession before the whole city, in his new “attire”, everyone plays along not wanting to appear inept or stupid… until a child blurts out that the emperor is wearing nothing at all!
The Pharisees, hearing Jesus’ teaching on a proper attitude toward money “scoffed at him” for they “dearly loved their money” and honestly, they had the notion that their wealth was a sign of God’s approval. They, like the emperor, thought they were all that, but God is not fooled. They appear to be “holy” and “righteous” and above all the riffraff, but God knew their hearts – they in reality were laid bare before Him.
The Amplified Bible states that their hearts encompassed their thoughts, their desires, and their secrets. Jesus says, “What this world honors is detestable in the sight of God.”
Our culture – and for that matter many cultures – place great emphasis on material wealth. But as we spoke of yesterday, the problem arises not necessarily from wealth itself, but when wealth becomes “king” and rules all. And in the process, God is moved off the throne of our hearts to make room for “more important” things.
Many struggle at some point in time with keeping up with the “Joneses”. Everybody else has this, that, or the other thing. They get to enjoy those things and we want to enjoy them, too! It’s only fair! …right? But at what price? What do we give up to “have it all”?
More people than we know are over their heads in debt, so they can get what everybody else has got. At some point in time, we’ve got to draw the line – enough is enough!
For those of us who strive to follow Jesus, our goal must be to invest not in the temporary, “here today and gone tomorrow” wealth but we must strive to invest in the eternal. Possessions don’t even factor in. It’s what we do in our relationships with each other that truly impacts eternity for His Kingdom. And if wealth can help us to accomplish that, fine… but it cannot and should not, be our sole goal.
Lord Jesus, enable us to put wealth in its place. May we use what we have to benefit ourselves and others, but may it always take second place in deference to You. Amen.
Sept 2nd, 2020, Tues, 1:19 pm
