Saturday, August 18, 2007

American dream? ... American lie


What is the American dream? Well, people have different ideas, but the general idea is: attend some college to get a higher education, start up a career, store up a large "nest egg," get married to your perfect mate, have 2.5 kids (supposedly that is the average household), purchase a home with a white picket fence (can't be any other color!), maybe get a dog, acquire materials of need AND want, retire, perhaps travel, and then ... well ... die.


What a dream, huh? Not even! If that is all there is, that's a nightmare!


Don't get me wrong. Most of these are not bad in themselves, BUT... having them be the primary focus in your life is.


Remember what our Lord said concerning the very basic needs we have for our survival; what we eat, drink, and wear: He said, "...take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that we have need of all these things. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. Take therefore not thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day [is] the evil thereof." (Matthew 6:31-34)


As Christians, what we seek is not what the world seeks after. As Christians, our God's kingdom, our God's righteousness, is what we should be seeking after.


Sometimes, however, I believe that we lose our focus, especially in a country that is driven by money.


Christian, I have a question for you: Have you personally ever put your trust in how much money you have in your bank account more than the One who, in reality, provides for your every need?

The bottom line is, don't give into the lie that life consists of the things in which we possess, which is really covetousness. Jesus taught us that life is much more than that.

Seek His kingdom & Righteousness first,

One Clay Soldier among many