The headlines each day are filled with accusations of deceit and misdeeds. Often these issues boil down to an individual or group trying to increase their personal holdings of finances or power. We see the same principle carried out beginning with satan seeking to be "like God", or having similar power and influence in the world. We see it throughout history with the rise and fall of empires and nations. We see it more recently with the infamous Bernie Madoff who used deception to take millions upon millions from unsuspecting "investors". We see the same principle at work in persons in political power, who would say or do whatever it takes to gain influence, power and/or money.
We see those in hollywood who spend insane amounts of money on cars, clothes, weddings, houses and the like in an effort to find "happiness" and notoriety.
On a much smaller scale, we may be able to identify some of those same traits in friends, family and, God forbid, ourselves. Let's take a look...
1 John 2:15-17
The Message (MSG)
15-17 Don't love the world's ways. Don't love the world's goods. Love of the world squeezes out love for the Father. Practically everything that goes on in the world—wanting your own way, wanting everything for yourself, wanting to appear important—has nothing to do with the Father. It just isolates you from him. The world and all its wanting, wanting, wanting is on the way out—but whoever does what God wants is set for eternity.
Really? Is the author really saying that desiring to the point of planning to attain "stuff" leads us away from God? Uh, yeah... pretty much.
Matthew 6:19-21
The Message (MSG)
19-21 "Don't hoard treasure down here where it gets eaten by moths and corroded by rust or—worse!—stolen by burglars. Stockpile treasure in heaven, where it's safe from moth and rust and burglars. It's obvious, isn't it? The place where your treasure is, is the place you will most want to be, and end up being.
If you have time, read the whole 6th chapter of Matthew in the Message translation. The concept is both broadened and made more concise...
Think about what you desire. Is your focus on God or on goods?
