I Am a Lily!

What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit his very self? If anyone is ashamed of me and my words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when he comes in his glory and in the glory of the Father and of the holy angels.

Luke 9:25-26

Many years ago I heard a very rich man say that “Money is not a blessing from God; rather it is an awesome responsibility.” The man who made that statement had plenty of money and he loved the Lord so he really did know what he was talking about.

The list of people who have become rich by buying a ticket and winning the lottery is not impressive. I have never heard of someone winning the lottery and then being praised, respected or otherwise honored for it. In fact becoming rich by winning the lottery brings with it lots of troubles, temptations, and lawyers! I have heard of untold numbers of people who without the benefit of riches lived praiseworthy lives and were respected and honored by others.

So why is the life goal of many people simply to “make a million dollars?” Actually in today’s economy the goal would be more like fifty million. Inflation even impacts our greed doesn’t it?

We want to become rich because we believe that money will keep us secure and provide for us the things that we need. We believe money will take away the uncertainty in our lives. There is a long list of other lies that Satan has spread about money.

The Apostle Paul once said that the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil! Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.

The truth for me as a follower of Jesus Christ is this: My bank account is in heaven. Everything I need will be supplied by my Father and His hand will sustain me in every trouble. His riches are unlimited and He even clothes the “Lilies of the Field.” The lilies don’t work and yet God provides for their needs.

I then work, not because I am providing for myself and my family. I work because there is work that God has prepared for me to do and I must be about my Father’s business. God is responsible for providing for my needs!

God will not lay me off or fire me and His paychecks are never late and they never bounce.

No follower of Jesus is ever “out of work.”