For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
Matt. 6.28-34
28"And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? 31So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' 32For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
Today was a day for me to consider the continued struggle with what I would call along withmany—the externals.You know?The stuff that we all are concerned about—
Clothes, looks, passions all the stuff on the outside—all the stuff that we consumers get consumed with—
On the other hand—I actually believe that many look the other way when considering the above mentioned and pass it off as—I’m o.k., I don’t do the big outside stuff—I don’t cheat and steal and whatever else on the outside is big—so I can seek after money and nice clothes with labels and I can pursue whatever I want as long as I’m not committing the big ticket items.
Here is my personal deal for the day as I read Matt. Chapter 6.First, I did not read it with other people in mind—I heard from the Lord today as I wrestled with “my treasures”.Yes, I considered my treasures, my heart, my passions, my stuff on the inside that is lived out the way I pursue my life.
I do very much want to build a ministry built on the “right” things.I thought about my passions, my heart and came away moving past ministry and into my ego.Is my student ministry working toward reaching campuses, students, moving from group to ministry about my ego?Is it about big?Is it about large for me?I came away from this day of contemplating Matt. 6 evaluating the reason why reaching students is my passion and my heart and dealt with this:That I am about reaching students because it is right.That reaching students and building a ministry that is focused outward is right—why?Because reaching students is not about big—although big will be the result—it is about all the students that are unreached because in truth not many have thought beyond themselves. I want students to see and learn first hand that where their treasure is-- will show itself-- in the how and what they pursue-- 24/7 and hopefully they will be more like the one they call Lord and Savior. That is my passion, that is my heart, that is where my treasures are.
Selfishness is actually a very large part of Matt. 6People, myself included that only think about themselves think and move toward the externals as the fix—the clothes, the stuff all the trimmings somehow make us happy.The Words of the Christ prove the sadness of selfish living.Selfishness is based from a heart that is all about the person.People that struggle with the stuff have not yet trusted Christ for all of their needs and wants.In truth, my treasure is where my heart is—and reaching students is my heart.Why?I think I know the truth to this—its because, I have seen first hand what selfishness does to families, to churches, to people that love Christ but think its all about them.A youth group is developed for safety, for protection, for fun, for personal gain.
I have learned over many years of personal stuff with the Christ that I matter as much as others that don't even know Him personally--And that keeps me on track.Yes, I understand my fallen heart, I also understand my redeemed heart—and my redeemed heart says to pursue the stuff that matters—others, building ministries that make a difference for all.
My selfish fallen heart continues to say it is all about me. I believe that is a battle for every honest follower of Christ. The handles for dealing with the above mentioned struggle-- denial. I believe the most fulfilled people, students and parents are those that have learned to make thier passion---others.
To allow the passion of Christ to rule their hearts and their lives.
Jesus did not teach that that is o.k.Jesus showed His disciples about passion from within lived out—by emptying Himself, becoming nothing, taking on the form of a servant and going to the cross—
His passion?His heart?The world that needed Him more!
But seekfirst his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.
