Perspective

I sat and watched my wife, Traci, and our daughter,Mackenzi, playing the other day.  Mackenzi was laughing and everyone in the room had smiles.  The cost?  Zero dollars.  

 

I walked outside at around 9:00pm one night.  It was warm.  It’s summer time and it’s to be expected.  The sun was giving its last breaths as it fell behind the horizon.  A few fireworks were spotted in the distance as 4th of July wasapproaching.  I smiled with contentment.  The cost? Zero dollars.

 

One morning I woke up and got dressed for work.  Before heading downstairs my youngest daughter, Piper, woke up and ran to me.  “Daddy, Daddy.” She said.  I checked her sheets, no pee-pee.  “You didn’t pee the bed Piper! Good job!” I said.  We high fived and laughed.  The cost?  Zero dollars.

 

Perspective.  It’s all about your perspective on life built by your relationship with Jesus Christ.  

 

Of course it takes money to pay the mortgage/rent/car note/groceries/bills.  We all know this. We can’t help but be motivated by money.  But it can’t rule your life.

 

The rat race keeps us moving constantly.  We chasepromotions, more money, better car, bigger house, latest fashion, and latest technology.  It’s all by design to take our mind off of things that are most important in our lives.  The chase of success turns into greed.  The greed turns into a variety of immoral decisions.  Wars are fought over greed.  Politicians are making important decisions that affect us all based on illegal under-the-table money transfers.  Hard working Americans are getting laid off due to companies employing outside of the country or going electronic all to save dollars.  Forests are being cut down to make room for shopping centers so that cities can become congested with population so that everyone makes more money.  Moms and Dads are traveling 200 or more days per year so that they can get that promotion at work, yet they’re missing out on their son’s championship game or their daughter’s balletrecital.  Is it worth it?  I’m not saying that you shouldn’t work hard or that you should drive your family to bankruptcy because you’ve taken less money or quit your job.  I’m only recommending that your focus not be on the financial gains.  Take a look at your parents, or grandparents.  Notice how they’ve slowed down?  Yes they’ve worked hard to deserve what they’ve earned.  But they realize that life is passing them by rather quickly.  

 

But why can’t we recognize this at a younger age?  

 

We’re all going to die.  It’s the honest truth.  It could be at age 99 or it could be in 2 hours.  It’s inevitable.  Where are your priorities?

 

“Set your minds to things that are above, not on things that are on earth.”  Colossians 3:2

 

“You cannot serve both God and Money.”  Luke 16:13

 

Isn’t that perfect?  God knew we as humans would be in this predicament.  He’s telling us to focus on him and on Godly things; family, love.  If your heart is elsewhere, then you’re headed down a slippery slope.  Take a look at today’s society.  There’s more focus on material possessions than ever before, and we’re in some of the darkest times in human history.  This isn’t a coincidence.Some people laugh at Christians when they offer 10% to tithe at church, as if the church is “pulling one over on those silly Christians.”  They’re missing the point.  God knows our heart is easily influenced by money.  If we’re comfortable enough to give 10% of the money we earn to the church, then we’ve successfully surrendered our dependency on money for the love of God.  That’s a win.    

 

Sometimes people think that being a Christian or that following the bible is just obeying a set of rules.  But I compare it to when my parents would tell me not to touch something hot.  It’s not because they were being mean, it’s because they loved me.  They didn’t want me to get hurt.  If they told me to be home by 9, it wasn’t to crack a whip and be a dictator.  It’s because they didn’t want me out at dark and putting myself into a situation where I might get hurt.  It’s because they loved me.  And God loves you.  

 

Imagine the thing that you love more than anything.  That’s God’s love for you.  That’s his love for everyone.  He’s laid the path and written the blueprint to show us how to live the best life possible.  He’s told us things to be aware of.  He’s told us what to avoid.  Life can be simple.  Everything, good and bad, can be beautiful.  It’s all about your perspective.