What has the most influence? Money or Love?
In jest i put up a tweet yesterday asking a simple question.
"What is worse? The things we do for money or for love?"
I was just walking around stretching my legs, and then i began probing the question further. You know me.. Ponder away Mr. drug store philosopher!
At this stage in my life i am not really chasing after love or money. Been there. Done that. But i have done some stuff that I am not proud of for both. As have we all I would bet.
What got me thinking about this in the first place? Well, I saw a girl who was working in an open booth at the mall. I took one glance at her and she had this defeated expression on her face. She really didn't want to be there. But someone was paying her to be there. In that one glance I could tell that she sacrificed a value. In her value hierarchy, she let one fall down a tier or two because she needed to make some cash.
Mammon won.
She bent the knee. She succumbed. She gave in.
She is not alone.
Another glaring example is that people get into the sex or drug industry because of money. They become completely numb to their values and start worshipping the almighty dollar. The values they learned from Sunday school are outweighed by more pressing needs or maybe even desires.
Surely, you can relate to this.
I was shopping at Target today, and i noticed how all the girls in there looked like they were ready to be discovered by a talent agent. I had on sweats, my hat was backwards, i was sporting my mean goatee, and i didn't even bother to see if my shirt was right side out (LOL aka chick repellent). I felt out of place for sure. But all I needed was some soy milk. Do I really need to dress up for that?
This experience brought me back to a conversation that i had with a lady quite some time ago. She said that she took the hour or so to get ready because even if she is only going to Wal-Mart, that might be the day she meets Mr. Right. That might be the day! Every day, might be the day as it turns out. Quite some time has passed.
It's obvious that we bend the knee in certain areas for love or for money. But do we bend the knee as much for God? Do we sacrifice certain values for Jesus? Do we serve our selfish desires or follow Him?
I can hear the Spirit saying:
Rev 2:4-5 …. thou hast left thy first love. (5) Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; ……
Remember that time when you were first on fire for Jesus? Remember the things you gave up for Him? Remember when the knee bowed to Christ over all other things?
I challenge you to examine your actions. In everything a person does, it is in service to something or someone. Every action has a cause.
Periodically pause throughout the day, and do a heart check. Why are you doing what you are doing? Who or what is it in service to?
A littler further down in the same chapter of Revelation Jesus says:
Rev 2:23 ....I am he which searcheth the reins and hearts: and I will give unto every one of you according to your works.
Who is pulling your heart around?
Money?
Love?
or
Jesus?
"What is worse? The things we do for money or for love?"
I was just walking around stretching my legs, and then i began probing the question further. You know me.. Ponder away Mr. drug store philosopher! At this stage in my life i am not really chasing after love or money. Been there. Done that. But i have done some stuff that I am not proud of for both. As have we all I would bet.
What got me thinking about this in the first place? Well, I saw a girl who was working in an open booth at the mall. I took one glance at her and she had this defeated expression on her face. She really didn't want to be there. But someone was paying her to be there. In that one glance I could tell that she sacrificed a value. In her value hierarchy, she let one fall down a tier or two because she needed to make some cash.
Mammon won.
She bent the knee. She succumbed. She gave in.
She is not alone.
Another glaring example is that people get into the sex or drug industry because of money. They become completely numb to their values and start worshipping the almighty dollar. The values they learned from Sunday school are outweighed by more pressing needs or maybe even desires.
Surely, you can relate to this.
What about love?
I was shopping at Target today, and i noticed how all the girls in there looked like they were ready to be discovered by a talent agent. I had on sweats, my hat was backwards, i was sporting my mean goatee, and i didn't even bother to see if my shirt was right side out (LOL aka chick repellent). I felt out of place for sure. But all I needed was some soy milk. Do I really need to dress up for that?
This experience brought me back to a conversation that i had with a lady quite some time ago. She said that she took the hour or so to get ready because even if she is only going to Wal-Mart, that might be the day she meets Mr. Right. That might be the day! Every day, might be the day as it turns out. Quite some time has passed.
What about God?
It's obvious that we bend the knee in certain areas for love or for money. But do we bend the knee as much for God? Do we sacrifice certain values for Jesus? Do we serve our selfish desires or follow Him?
I can hear the Spirit saying:
Rev 2:4-5 …. thou hast left thy first love. (5) Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; ……
Remember that time when you were first on fire for Jesus? Remember the things you gave up for Him? Remember when the knee bowed to Christ over all other things?
I challenge you to examine your actions. In everything a person does, it is in service to something or someone. Every action has a cause.
Periodically pause throughout the day, and do a heart check. Why are you doing what you are doing? Who or what is it in service to?
A littler further down in the same chapter of Revelation Jesus says:
Rev 2:23 ....I am he which searcheth the reins and hearts: and I will give unto every one of you according to your works.
Who is pulling your heart around?
Money?
Love?
or
Jesus?
This really made me stop to ponder. Thank you!
ReplyDelete-mikkoaladyname
"In everything a person does, it is in service to something or someone. Every action has a cause. "
ReplyDeleteRight on! If we see our actions as service that gives us the right perspective. Who do we serve? What is the source, the motivation, the cause of even the little things?
Mark 9:41 "Truly I tell you, anyone who gives you a cup of water in my name because you belong to the Messiah will certainly not lose their reward."
The floods here in Australia impacted me in a way I'm not all that proud of....coz I had to ask myself this question....how would I feel if I had to abandon my home, knowing I could have nothing salvaged from it on my return. I gotta say, it gave me that "sinking feeling". I'm working on a video about it....coz it gave me lots of food for thought....what is more important, God or mammon...that kind of stuff. Yikes!!
ReplyDeletePenelope