An Encouraging Word

I was visiting with a couple recently who is struggling in their marriage. It was obvious that they loved each other yet both of them were frustrated and unhappy. As we continued to talk about their situation, it became obvious to me that the issue was money. One was a saver and the other was a spender. I asked a few pointed questions and soon discovered that this married couple had over $10,000 in credit card debt in addition to car loans, student loans, and a mortgage that is more than the value of their  home.

On the outside, they look like a successful family. They have a nice house, two new cars, and three kids.  But the stress of unpaid bills was taking its’ toll on their marriage. They were buying things they did not need with  money they did not have to impress people they did not like! Sound familiar? It should. The family above could be many in our church today.  

 Our culture measures success by the size of your house and the make and model of your car. With credit so easily available, we no longer have to wait until we can afford it, we can buy it now and pay for it later. And while the standard of living in America has surged in the last 50 years, the moral and spiritual standard has plummeted. We have in essence exchanged spiritual and moral values for material possessions and worldly success. The result is described best by Jesus in Matthew 16:26 when He says, “For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul?”

This Scripture, spoken over 2,000 years ago, is just as applicable today. Men are neglecting their families chasing money and attempting the climb the ladder of success. Women are forced to (or choosing to) get a career in order that they can maintain the standard of living that they have become accustom. So the cycle continues. The standard of living continues to increase, while spiritual and family values decrease.

Some call it the rat race of life. It is a cycle that once begun, is hard to stop. It is a never ending cycle of working  and buying and working and buying some more. It reminds me of a song by Simon and Garfunkel many years ago. One line of lyrics say, “Like a rat in a maze, the path before me lies. And the pattern never alters, until the rat dies.”    As I shared this song with a friend he said, “The problem with the rat race is that even the winner is still a rat!”

In Ecclesiastes 5:10, the Bible says, “He who loves money will not be satisfied with money, nor he who loves wealth with his income.”  As we enter a new year, I want to encourage you to examine your life and see where you are in the rat race. As you look back on the past 10-20 years, how has your standared of living increased? How has your spiritual life increased? Could it be that you need to make some changes? Could it be that your priorities need to be adjusted? I encourage you today to make God and family your priority over money and possessions. When it comes to the rat race, the many people say that the one who dies with the most toys wins! Pastor Ralph Hall told me last week he heard it a different way. He said that the one who dies with the most toys is still dead!

 

Be encouraged,

Pastor Rob