A young man in his early career, while doing his work that he loved and had joy doing it, was offered by another company a position that would give significant increase in pay. He thought that his family could surely have benefitted financially from such a move. There was one problem. He hadn’t been looking for another job because he loved his current role which was growing into a calling.
BUT THE MONEY . . .
He called his father, then in his seventies, and explained the situation. Though his once-crisp mind had been slowed by strokes and strains of years, his answer was crisp and clear. “Don’t even think about the money. What would you do?”
In an instant, his mind was made up. The money would have been his only reason for leaving the job he loved! He said, thanks, Dad.
Jesus devoted a substantial section of His Sermon on the Mount to Money and Fondness for it. He taught us to pray not for an accumulation of riches but for “our daily bread” (Matt. 6:11) He warned against storing up treasures on earth and pointed to the birds and flowers as evidence that God cares deeply about His creation. “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, but store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal, For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. (Matt. 6:19-21) and “Seek first His Kingdom and His righteousness and ALL these things will be given to you as well” (Matt. 6:33).
DO NOT WORRY
“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air, they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life”?
“And why do you worry about clothes? Look how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon, in all his splendor, was dressed like one of these. If that is how GOD clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will He not much more cloth you, O you of little faith”? (Matt. 6:25-30)
MONEY matters. But money shouldn’t rule our decision-making process. Tough times and big decisions are opportunities to grow our faith in new ways. Our Heavenly Father cares for us.
No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both GOD and MONEY.
Never confuse temptation with opportunity.
