FAST TRACK TO DOUBLE LOSS
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
Verse for Today
2 Corinthians 8:15 - As it is written, "He who gathered much did not have too much, and he who gathered little did not have too little".
The world always prompts the children of God to go fast into its fields and gather as much material wealth as possible. It provides covetable avenues for investing these so that the returns will be several folds. But when they reach a time of evaluation, they would realize that even though they gathered a lot and used up all their time gathering more and more, their total is almost as much as any poor person who gathered very little. Those who did not have the fortune to gather a lot and lament over lost opportunities would find that they also get as much as those who gathered a lot. They all get to meet their daily needs and then they fly away from this world. So the question is whether it was wise to spend a lot of time and effort to gather a lot. These material attractions have the peculiarity that the more one gathers, the more one wants to gather and they would not know when to stop and rest. They often do not known how much they have and where all of these wealth are. All countries of the world report that there are billions of dollars or rupees which belong to people, but are never claimed by any one and so they all go to the public funds. There are those who gather a lot and invest it in stock markets and such other wise investment portfolios, but they do not realize that unless they loose, others cannot gain in the stock market. So there are innumerable people who invest in such ventures and try out their 'luck' and finally loose all that they have. But if we seek after the kingdom and God and its righteousness, all that we need will be given to us by our Heavenly Father to meet our daily expenses. He will enable us to gather enough to meet our needs so that we can continue to seek after God's righteousness in our lives and that of others.
The average Christian finds that he is given extremely attractive incentives by the world to go after more and more wealth and invest to double it every few years. But it is usually going to be like the extra manna Israelites gathered and found it to decay. When the basic need is met, the extra looses its value and become rotten so that no one can use it, or someone misuses it all. When God gave principles for Israelites to live together as a society, He instituted tithes so that the eleven tribes would work and give a tenth of their earnings to the Levites who were to work full time as priests in the temple. It seems the Levites got a bit more than everyone else. The idea is that we do not compare and try to establish a competitive system, but get what the Lord gives for our daily needs and be satisfied in it. When we know that the Father gives liberally to all who ask Him, there is no need for any anxiety about our needs, but to trust Him. So we are to dispel anxiety and greed and live with contentment by using all our extra time to serving and worshipping the Lord, and minding His business in this world. Actually a child of God is expected to live for God and His business and not just for one's own desire for gathering more and more material wealth. The Father who feeds the sparrows and dresses up the lilies will look after us also. But this does not mean that we do not work and become lazy. Let us confess our greed and passion for more of this world's wealth which will become rotten, and develop a passion for God and His Word while He meets our needs and makes us contended people.
1 Timothy 6:17 - Instruct those who are rich in this present world not to be conceited or to fix their hope on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly supplies us with all things to enjoy.
Thought for Today
Those who try to gather more and more truly waste their time, effort, energy, skills and their existing resources in the process, not realizing that at the end they would not be able to carry these with them to their eternal home.
Verse for Today
2 Corinthians 8:15 - As it is written, "He who gathered much did not have too much, and he who gathered little did not have too little".
The world always prompts the children of God to go fast into its fields and gather as much material wealth as possible. It provides covetable avenues for investing these so that the returns will be several folds. But when they reach a time of evaluation, they would realize that even though they gathered a lot and used up all their time gathering more and more, their total is almost as much as any poor person who gathered very little. Those who did not have the fortune to gather a lot and lament over lost opportunities would find that they also get as much as those who gathered a lot. They all get to meet their daily needs and then they fly away from this world. So the question is whether it was wise to spend a lot of time and effort to gather a lot. These material attractions have the peculiarity that the more one gathers, the more one wants to gather and they would not know when to stop and rest. They often do not known how much they have and where all of these wealth are. All countries of the world report that there are billions of dollars or rupees which belong to people, but are never claimed by any one and so they all go to the public funds. There are those who gather a lot and invest it in stock markets and such other wise investment portfolios, but they do not realize that unless they loose, others cannot gain in the stock market. So there are innumerable people who invest in such ventures and try out their 'luck' and finally loose all that they have. But if we seek after the kingdom and God and its righteousness, all that we need will be given to us by our Heavenly Father to meet our daily expenses. He will enable us to gather enough to meet our needs so that we can continue to seek after God's righteousness in our lives and that of others.
The average Christian finds that he is given extremely attractive incentives by the world to go after more and more wealth and invest to double it every few years. But it is usually going to be like the extra manna Israelites gathered and found it to decay. When the basic need is met, the extra looses its value and become rotten so that no one can use it, or someone misuses it all. When God gave principles for Israelites to live together as a society, He instituted tithes so that the eleven tribes would work and give a tenth of their earnings to the Levites who were to work full time as priests in the temple. It seems the Levites got a bit more than everyone else. The idea is that we do not compare and try to establish a competitive system, but get what the Lord gives for our daily needs and be satisfied in it. When we know that the Father gives liberally to all who ask Him, there is no need for any anxiety about our needs, but to trust Him. So we are to dispel anxiety and greed and live with contentment by using all our extra time to serving and worshipping the Lord, and minding His business in this world. Actually a child of God is expected to live for God and His business and not just for one's own desire for gathering more and more material wealth. The Father who feeds the sparrows and dresses up the lilies will look after us also. But this does not mean that we do not work and become lazy. Let us confess our greed and passion for more of this world's wealth which will become rotten, and develop a passion for God and His Word while He meets our needs and makes us contended people.
1 Timothy 6:17 - Instruct those who are rich in this present world not to be conceited or to fix their hope on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly supplies us with all things to enjoy.
Thought for Today
Those who try to gather more and more truly waste their time, effort, energy, skills and their existing resources in the process, not realizing that at the end they would not be able to carry these with them to their eternal home.
For further spiritual help: todayintheword@gmail.com
No comments:
Post a Comment