I have found in coaching Football – sometimes the players get a little apathetic – get the blazes, go through the motion, seem to be doing everything in slow motion. It becomes necessary for the coach (so to speak) to jump-start those players to light a fire under them; to get them going again in full speed.
To do this, you must get their attention. It may take a glare -some loud words, an appropriate tirade, and as one Southern Coach said; you may have to “pitch a fit” to get the players focused again and moving in the right direction.
I believe someone in the 2nd Scripture reading is trying to get our attention, – to get us focused. They use some very strong language. Woe to you rich, your fine clothes have grown moth eaten, – your gold and silver have corroded and their corrosion shall be a testimony against you. Weep and wail over your impending miseries.
Some of us here – might be quick to say to ourselves – that does not apply to me. I am not rich. I have trouble paying my bills. I can’t save any money. I am on a fixed income.
I believe there is a challenge in this Scripture for all of us no matter what our economic status in life is.
I would like to lay that challenge out – in just a few well chosen words and allow each one of us the opportunity to think about it for ourselves this week.
1. Does whatever amount of money we have; a lot or a little, – whatever possessions we have acquired, are they controlling us?
2. Do we have certain possessions, clothes, money, cars, CD’s, DVD’s, TiVo, smart phones, objects, – that we treat with more tenderness, care and concern than we do people (even our own family?)
3. Have we sometimes forgotten the saying:
“The world uses people and loves things;
Christians love people and use things.”
I close with this story: -
Once upon a time there was a little rich boy. His grandparents made millions of dollars in constructing big machinery. His parents were bright, beautiful, and wealthy. The little rich boy grew up in an 88-room mansion with pools, a tennis court, a basketball court and a nine hole golf course in the back yard. There were cooks to cook, butlers to serve, nurses to supervise, maids to clean up afterward – chauffeurs to drive the little rich boy to school.
But the little rich boy was ashamed, embarrassed – he couldn’t handle his family’s wealth. He ran away from home; he never invited any of his friends or classmates to visit; and he dirtied up new shoes or clothes – so he could be just like everybody else.
The little rich boy didn’t find out until he grew up that it isn’t how much you have but what you do with it, that a lot of middle-class people are more hung up with money than the rich, that real wealth is freedom from self-centeredness and real poverty is being so attached to whatever you have – lots or a little – that it controls your life.
We need to remember:
God doesn’t look at your bank accounts.
God looks at us.
What will God see?
