Distracted by Stuff

[Ncdataman]

For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.


—Matthew 6:21


Matthew 19 records a conversation between Jesus and the rich young ruler, who may be the only man in the Gospels who came to Jesus and actually went away in worse condition than before.

This was a man who had been raised in a very religious home. The Bible says he had great wealth. But something was missing. He wanted eternal life. So he came to Jesus with a question: "Good Teacher, what good thing shall I do that I may have eternal life?" (Matthew 19:16).

Jesus told him to keep the commandments. And when he wanted to know which ones, Jesus started reciting them. Why? Because if this rich young ruler had been honest and would have done some reflecting, he would have recognized that he wasn't as good as he thought he was. Jesus quoted the law, because the law is a moral mirror. The law wasn't given to make us righteous, but to show that we are not righteous.

But the rich young ruler didn't get that, so Jesus told him, "If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me" (verse 21)..

So the story of the rich young ruler ended in sadness. Matthew tells us, "But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions" (verse 22).

Jesus was laying his finger on the primary sin in this man's life, which was the love of earthly things. Jesus was asking this man to dethrone his wealth and enthrone the Savior. But he wasn't willing to do so.

Like this man, we can easily get distracted by stuff today. And far too often, we think only of the here and now and very rarely of the by-and-by.


From Harvest

 

[MatthewFive]

I'm one who doesn't care much for money or material things. Possessions are simply things I use for entertainment purposes and money is something that is needed in order to acquire these possessions. If a fire took away all my things, but left me unscathed, I would have the benefit of being free of the material things that bind me to this earth.

It is only after we've lost everything that we're truly free to accomplish anything. Isn't it true that living a modest life with humbleness is better than being bound to the earth by the things we work so hard to acquire? In order to build wealth in Heaven it is best not to love the earthly things we possess.

Money can't buy happiness, nor should it be able to. If one's heart is bound to money, then the riches of life itself have gone unnoticed.
Psalm 23 states "The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want." If the only thing you really want is to be able to walk beside the still waters and lie in green pastures, then the worthlessness of material possessions is easy to see. I would rather have nothing and live in the house of the Lord instead of building a mountain of worldly goods that I'm afraid to part with.

 

[jari]

the rich man didnt know about "savior" yet.

22But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful: for he had great possessions.

23Then said Jesus unto his disciples, Verily I say unto you, That a rich man shall hardly enter into the kingdom of heaven.

24And again I say unto you, It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.

25When his disciples heard it, they were exceedingly amazed, saying, Who then can be saved?

26But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible.

by the law it would have been impossible to be saved but with God all things are possible and he needed Jesus as savior.

 

[Peace Seeker]

If a fire took away all my things, but left me unscathed, I would have the benefit of being free of the material things that bind me to this earth.

That's the way I have often felt about my possessions, which are really God's. I am glad I am not one that is caught up in the futile emptiness of chasing after riches and other worldly things. They don't bring happiness, otherwise millionaires wouldn't commit suicide, etc. Riches aren't evil of course, just our love of them.