The Right Perspective

Mathew 6:19-21

19Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal:  20But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: 21For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

In recent years I’ve become much more frugal in my spending habits.  Some would say cheap, but I’ve come to a point in  my life where I don’t like to waste money.  There are things out there that I really want, things I would like to have, the question is how much do I really need them?  Are they really that important?  Will I use them or will they sit around and collect dust?  I never impulse buy anymore.  When I go to a store and see something that I want I ask myself all of those questions.  I think on it and pray about it for awhile before making a decision.  Some things just are not as important as we think they are.  Just because we want something doesn’t mean we need it.

What is really important to you?  What is it that your life revolves around?  Your house, car, bank account, job.  What is it that you want most in life? What are you willing to sacrifice for? If you want something bad enough, you will make whatever sacrifices you need to in order to get it.

Jesus tells a parable about a man who found a pearl of great price and went and sold all that he had so he could buy it.  I know of people who have blown hundreds and even thousands of dollars on get rich quick scams and all they ended up with was a smaller bank account.  Their focus was in the wrong place.

Too many people in this world live for making money and accumulating stuff because they have a skewed perspective of what is important.  Stuff is temporary.  The new always wears off eventually or someone steals what we have.  If we put our trust in the wrong things then in the end we loose everything.  Our focus needs to be on God and his best for us.  Treasures on earth are fleeting and temporary, but treasures that we place in Gods storehouse last forever.

I watched the film Soul Surfer yesterday about the young surfer Bethany Hamilton who lost her arm to a shark a few years ago.  She had plans to become a pro surfer. She had been surfing since she was five years old and she was at the top of her game when the attack happened.  It would have been easy for her to just give up and feel sorry for herself, but she didn’t.  Through all that happened to her, she never lost her perspective.  Her focus remained on God the whole time.  Sure she went through times of doubt, but she wanted to serve God more than anything else.  She learned how to surf with one arm and now she is a pro surfer and an inspiration to people all over the world.  God used her to inspire others with disabilities not to give up.

We need to keep our focus on God.  Where our heart is, there is where are treasure will be.  Our treasure is Gods best for us. If we allow God to use us then we will experience his best and have treasure in Heaven.  God gives us gifts so they can be used by him to bless us and others.  God has given all of his children gifts, but it’s up to us whether we let him use us or not.  No matter what your gift or your station in life, God can and longs to use you.  Don’t waste your gifts.  Store up treasures in Heaven and experience Gods best.

If you have never trusted Christ as your personal savior you can do that now by simply asking him in faith to come into your heart and cleanse you of your sins.  He is at the door knocking, but he wont come in without an invitation.

If you have been living out of his will and going your own way and you want to come back it’s as easy as saying  forgive me Lord for turning my back on you.  I want to return to your fold and give my life to you.  He will take you back. Don’t let another minute pass without getting right with God.