We can lust for money or worry about it. Either way, Jesus has something encouraging to say about both.
1. Materialism
Is our attitude towards wealth one of the Spirit or of the world? A spiritual person stores up treasure in heaven by being generous to the needs of the Gospel and to the poor and needy.
“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” (Matthew 6:19-21 NKJV)
Are our eyes focused on the things of heaven or earth?
“The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are healthy, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eyes are unhealthy, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness!” (Matthew 6:22-23 NIV)
Do we serve God or money?
“No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other; you will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and be enslaved to money.” (Matthew 6:24 NLT)
Materialism drives politics, advertising, business and is at the heart of many false promises of the world. Yet, when we get our eyes off money and onto God, then true happiness comes.
2. Worry
For some people, materialism of a different kind is the cause of many troubles, worries about just making ends meet. But it is not just the poor who worry, the head that wears the crown of leadership in a society with endless woes, does not sleep well at night either.
Anxiety is a cause of many problems, but we are encouraged to focus on God’s kingdom and His righteousness and all the things we worry about will be added to our lives.
I tell you not to worry about your life. Don’t worry about having something to eat, drink, or wear. Isn’t life more than food or clothing? … But more than anything else, put God’s work first and do what he wants. Then the other things will be yours as well. Don’t worry about tomorrow. It will take care of itself. You have enough to worry about today. (Matthew 6:25-34 CEV)
A spiritual discipline is to learn to be only concerned for today. After all, didn’t Jesus teach us to pray ‘Give us this day our daily bread?’ It takes time to learn to give all our worries to God, and sleep easy at night.
