No Idol Zone!

“It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.” (Mark 10:25 ESV)

We don’t see ourselves as rich. This country has a higher standard of living that much of the world can never reach. You might be struggling with money trying to make ends meet, but at least you are paying for “something,” even if it is something you never consider, like water, sewer, or electricity. How many cars do you have? Get a new phone every year or two? Computer, tablet, how about those, both? How often do you travel for pleasure?

Jesus is using humor to illustrate a point. There is nothing that says Christians have to be poor. On the contrary, we are blessed, and God blesses us here on earth with everything we need. Many will never have electricity, water, or “something” they have to pay for; some have nothing, and it is these who will have riches in heaven.

Wealth is fine as long as it does not detract from the Glory of God. When we place things above God, we have lost God. We become idol worshipers and worship the mighty Benjamin. We should always place Christ first in our life. We should always worship with passion and faith and serve God, not the mighty dollar.

I am sitting in the middle of the woods right now as I write this on my computer, with electricity, having a glass of water from my well, all of which make me rich in the eyes of the world. But before me is the wealth of creation. Wealth I can never possess, a wealth created from nothing. I recognize that nothing I have is mine; it is the Lord’s. It is He who empowers me; He gave me skills to use; he who gave me the drive. He also broke, humbled, and put me in my place in the order of the kingdom, making me His adopted child.

As Paul wrote, “For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.” (Philippians 1:21 ESV). Make this your motto daily, and you will have riches beyond your imagination. Make this your motto and serve no idols; serve the Lord.

Grace and Peace!