All That Glitters is Not Worth Your Soul
We live in a society which encourages selfishness. Unfortunately, as humans we don’t need all that much encouragement. We are born inherently selfish. Putting our own wants and needs above the person next to us comes naturally and easily. The harder task, and the one with the greater reward, is to place ourselves as a servant to others. This is one of the great messages of Christ. He spoke often of the importance of not valuing our own desires and idea of worth over that of someone else. In fact, Jesus declared, “For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” (Mark 10:45)
In today’s reading, Jesus tells us, “Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions” (verse 15). Years ago, there was a popular commercial which has stayed with me. A man was showing all his earthly possessions and naming the cost. This included his home, his large tv, his boat, his car, and finally his riding lawn mower. At the end, after listing the price of all these extravagant items, he looks into the camera with an overwhelmed smile and says, “Somebody help me.” I think of that commercial every time I am tempted to chase after things. Anytime I look at what I have, or what I can afford, and think it somehow doesn’t compare, I see the look of emotional drowning on the man’s face from the commercial. Living within our means has become a lost art in our world today because, as a society, we have given into selfishness.
Were we to live as servants of others, we would see the resources we have much differently. Instead of looking at an instance of abundance as a way to pay for that newest and latest shiny new toy, we would look for lives we could bless. Instead of charging astronomical bills we never could pay, we would find contentment with where we are and what we have. Let us remember Christ’s words in Matthew 16:26, “For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul?” We were not placed upon this earth to amass a grand fortune. If the Lord blesses you in that way, praise God! Imagine the good works you could do in His name with the funds He has given you! If you find yourself in more lowly position, praise God! Imagine the glory and honor you can give to your Savior by placing His love, mercy, and redemption higher than a new car or boat. Material possessions don’t matter in the grand scheme of things. When we get to Heaven, we will place all crowns of glory we have received at the feet of Jesus (Revelation 4:4). All the jewels and gold in the world will be worth nothing save to honor our King. We cannot take it with us, and its value only comes from how we see it. Therefore, let us set covetousness aside. Let’s stop focusing on what we can gain and care more about what we can give. How we can serve matters far more than how we can be served. If the Son of God could humble himself as a servant to sinful mankind, what then can we do?
(Written by Keegan Harkins.)
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