“The young man said unto Him, “All these things have I kept from my youth up; what lack I yet?” Jesus said unto him, “If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shall have treasure in heaven; and come and follow Me.” But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful; for he had great possessions.” Matthew 19:20-22
The popular lottery game, Mega-millions, is at an all-time high! I know what you are thinking, “Choke me, oh Lord with wealth!" All jokes aside, it is with some degree of gratitude that most people accept wealth. The problem is not wealth; it is the love of wealth /money and the things it can buy. Many of these things have become our modern-day idols; yet, they are not the only things. There is the obsession with beauty, youth, fame, etc., which can also become idols. Like everything else in our lives, anything that competes with our Love for God can become an idol. If you recall, God tested Abraham’s Love for Him by asking him to sacrifice his only son.
Jesus gave us the recipe for understanding whether our specific idol is more important to us than our Love for God. As he told the rich young ruler in Matthew 19:16-24, ask yourself if you would eliminate your “idol” in order to fully follow Him.
After working with more than a few millionaires, I have found that many of them, except the “nouveau-riche,” prefer that others not know of their wealth. Their belief is that, it often skews the relationship in favor of their money; and, because of their wealth, many find themselves questioning the integrity of their interpersonal relationships. So, what if you found out the person you were dating was rich, would they become more beautiful? More lovable? More marriageable? Wealth and the other “things” we cherish can be compelling; they can easily persuade us to change our values, transforming us into someone we cannot recognize in the mirror.
Most people believe that a winning lottery ticket's ability to transform their bank accounts from zero to $1 million will bring them happiness; however, with more wealth comes much more responsibility, so be careful what you wish for. When your time comes, and God asks you to give up your idol, will you be willing like Abraham, steadfast like Job, or, will you simply walk away from God like the rich young ruler? L.
Study Reference: Matthew 6:19-21, 19:16-25
From:"The Lottery Ticket." In The Master's Hands: 365 Daily Devotions For Everyday Living.
Copyright © 2014 by Lavona E. Campbell
photo: Pieter-Dirk Uys /S. African Theater
The popular lottery game, Mega-millions, is at an all-time high! I know what you are thinking, “Choke me, oh Lord with wealth!" All jokes aside, it is with some degree of gratitude that most people accept wealth. The problem is not wealth; it is the love of wealth /money and the things it can buy. Many of these things have become our modern-day idols; yet, they are not the only things. There is the obsession with beauty, youth, fame, etc., which can also become idols. Like everything else in our lives, anything that competes with our Love for God can become an idol. If you recall, God tested Abraham’s Love for Him by asking him to sacrifice his only son.
Jesus gave us the recipe for understanding whether our specific idol is more important to us than our Love for God. As he told the rich young ruler in Matthew 19:16-24, ask yourself if you would eliminate your “idol” in order to fully follow Him.
After working with more than a few millionaires, I have found that many of them, except the “nouveau-riche,” prefer that others not know of their wealth. Their belief is that, it often skews the relationship in favor of their money; and, because of their wealth, many find themselves questioning the integrity of their interpersonal relationships. So, what if you found out the person you were dating was rich, would they become more beautiful? More lovable? More marriageable? Wealth and the other “things” we cherish can be compelling; they can easily persuade us to change our values, transforming us into someone we cannot recognize in the mirror.
Most people believe that a winning lottery ticket's ability to transform their bank accounts from zero to $1 million will bring them happiness; however, with more wealth comes much more responsibility, so be careful what you wish for. When your time comes, and God asks you to give up your idol, will you be willing like Abraham, steadfast like Job, or, will you simply walk away from God like the rich young ruler? L.
Study Reference: Matthew 6:19-21, 19:16-25
From:"The Lottery Ticket." In The Master's Hands: 365 Daily Devotions For Everyday Living.
Copyright © 2014 by Lavona E. Campbell
photo: Pieter-Dirk Uys /S. African Theater
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