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What Price Your Soul?
Thanks
to media advertising using fashionable celebrities, we are constantly bombarded
by attractive and seductive images telling us in order to be happy we need to be
rich, slim, youthful,
and
we need lots of branded possessions.
These images are fuelling our culture’s headlong obsession with possessions.
This is the age when materialism is the religion of the day. The modem cathedrals where people go to act out their worship are giant shopping malls, out-of-town retail parks and even car-boot sales.
When people are feeling depressed they go for some “retail therapy”. Buying a new suite, a new camera, a new computer gadget or a new car, fills us with excitement. But will the rush last? If you’re lucky it may last until the credit card statement arrives!
AN ALTERNATE VIEW
To our consumer age the words of Jesus may seem archaic and quaint. But there is wisdom in his teaching and he knows us better than we know ourselves. He said:
Luke 12:15 Take heed and beware of covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses.
Adverts tell us that our lives are enriched and bettered by the things we own. Jesus contradicts this materialistic viewpoint. Our lives are not the sum of the things we own.
In the world around us people are valued by their possessions. You are considered successful if you have a big house and a big car. But Jesus tells us that our possessions do not make up our life. Things we own are not who we are, they are only the image, the mask, the show.
Having possessions is not a sin. At no time did Jesus advocate poverty as a correct or desirable lifestyle. Covetousness, however, is a serious problem. It is so damaging to our life that the Tenth Commandment forbade it.
Exo 20:17. You shall not covet.
Covetousness is the insatiable desire to own, to have for one’s self. With such a disease in our hearts we become focused on self. Obsessive behaviour results and jealousy and envy spoil our character. “If I can’t have that, why should they.” It’s not fair, why should they have that.” We believe the “When — Then” lie.
“When I own that, then I will be happy.”
Covetousness has been called the Mother-of-all-sins. It is because of covetousness that someone breaks the eighth commandment and steals. It is because of covetousness that someone breaks the seventh commandment and sleeps with someone who is not their married partner.
A covetous heart can never be satisfied. It equates possessions with importance and money with power. Such a heart will never be happy or content until they have just a bit more — always a bit more.
If we love money, we will use people. If we love people, we will use money. Money is a great servant, but a real tyrant as a master.
WHAT PRICE YOUR SOUL?
Mark 8:36-37. For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?
There is something more important than our achievements, our possessions and our status. Our soul is our eternal possession and is immeasurable value. Few people would deliberately sell their soul; people neglect to take care of it, with the same disastrous consequence.
In the rush for power, for possessions or for pleasure people loose sight of what is important. They loose their integrity, their morals erode away and their standards fall. Families are sacrificed on the altar of career. Many a household is “careering” out of control.
People lose their health in trying to make their fortune, and then they spend their fortune trying to buy back their health.
A LESSON FOR OUR TIMES
Luke 12:16-21.Then He [Jesus] spoke a parable to them, saying: “The ground of a certain rich man yielded plentifully. And he thought within himself, saying, ‘What shall I do, since I have no room to store my crops?’ So he said, ‘I will do this: I will pull down my barns and build greater, and there I will store all my crops and my goods.
And I will say to my soul, “Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years; take your ease; eat, drink, and be merry.” But God said to him, ‘Fool! This night your soul will be required of you; then whose will those things be which you have provided?’ So is he who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.
This
rich man had a spirit of independence. His wealth brought a guarantee for the
future. It provided, he thought, security and would result in happiness. No more
worries! Many people today have a similar attitude as they trust in their
pension plans, health schemes and investments.
But this man’s goods could not provide a future, because this man had no future.
Having riches is not sinful.
But riches can be an idol - they can take the place of God in our lives.
This can happen in two ways. Firstly people can adore and serve riches. Secondly people can put their trust in riches. God is to have the place of honour in our lives, he alone is to be worshipped, and it is Him who we are to trust.
THE ANSWER
I Tim 6:7-10. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and clothing, with these we shall be content.
But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and harmful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition.
For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith In their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.
We are all just passing through this world. So why should we concern ourselves with the hoarding and ever increasing our material possessions, which we shall soon leave behind.
We are warned us that when the love of money is in the heart, then the life-fruit can be tainted with all sorts of evil. The result of such fruit is sorrow.
Rather then grabbers and hoarders, the Bible encourages us to be generous, and promises that God will be generous to us in return..
Prov 19:17. He who has pity on the poor lends to the LORD, and He will pay back what he has given.
Luke 6:38. “Give and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you.”
God does not want us to be poor or struggling. But he wants us to get a priorities right, and to understand that joy, peace and satisfaction cannot be bought, but they come from having a healthy and well cared for soul.
3 John 1:2. Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers.
It’s time to
leave the rat-race and follow Jesus. It’s time to invest in your soul.
Let’s Pray
Father God, thank you loving me. Thank you for sending your Son Jesus to die for me. Sorry for the things that I have done wrong.
Please forgive me as I ask you to forgive those who have hurt and wronged me. Help me to take care of my soul. Show me how you want me to serve you. Amen.
