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 So,
if it is true that orienting our lives on the pursuit of gathering
earthly treasures is unwise, and orienting our lives on the pursuit
of heavenly treasures is compellingly wise; of Jesus words are true,
if He was the greatest teacher and philosopher of all time, then why
are so many people living contrary to them?
Why do the world’s most energetic, creative,
excited, and successful people seem to be throwing their lives away
in the pursuit of wrong treasures? Can all those smart people be
wrong? The answer is, “Yes!”
I was invited by a very successful businessman
to lunch at an exclusive restaurant. During that luncheon, person
after person came by to say hello to my friend and then was
introduced to me. I met more multi-millionaires in one setting that
most people will meet in a lifetime. And in that environment it
seems to me that it would be the height of arrogance for me, half
their age, a quarter of their IQ, a microscopic portion of their net
worth, to stand up in front of them and say, “Excuse me, but you’re
doing life all wrong!”
Put yourself in my shoes and ask yourself if
you would have said something or would you have asked for a job or
loan?
And still, the words of Jesus ring through my
mind. He once said, “What would it profit a man to gain the whole
world and lose his own soul?” What Jesus is saying is that if a
person gets on the average 70 years of life on this earth, what is
70 years compared to eternity? And Jesus went on to teach that the
decisions you make in that short period of time has dramatic and
sometimes consequential impact on your “forever.”
So Jesus would say to us to make right
choices. Make wise choices! No matter how hard the right choices
are. No matter how they may appear to your friends at work! No
matter how much they cost you. No matter how they may make you look
to your family! If they position you favorably for eternity, make
those choices wisely. Because you will enjoy the payoff of those
decisions “forever.”
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“What would it profit a man to gain the whole world and lose his
soul?” Bad choice! As one good old boy preacher once said so well,
“Ron, you’re going to be dead a whole lot longer then you’ll ever be
alive.” (A little backwards I know!) The month
of January will be a special series of messages and workbook that we
will all use together to move our lives back to God’s financial
plan.
You are about to embark one new chapter in your
life that holds the potential to change you, your family, and your
finances in ways you may not have felt were possible. This is the
day you join many in saying, ENOUGH!”
To help make this journey more meaningful, I
invite you to open your Bibles and open a special workbook prepared
by myself for the people of Lincoln Christian. After reading God’s
word and using the workbook, you will be asked, “What just went on
between me and God?” And trust me, something is going to happen.
I’m thrilled to welcome you to the day of new
discoveries. Welcome to the day of living financially wise.
Welcome to the day you stopped orienting your life on the pursuits
of wrong treasures. Welcome to: “ENOUGH!
[Ron Otto,
preaching minister, Lincoln Christian Church]
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