We watched “The Greatest Showman” last night. I have watched this musical several times. It is quite possibly the greatest musical to come out in the last 40 years. The music, choreography, film editing, and story are incredible. If you have not watched this movie, it should be on your must watch list.
It is easy to get caught up in the business of life. Most of us do not have to deal with the challenges of being successful and being great leaders in our industry. Most of us are “normal people”, going to work and taking care of our families. Yet, we all deal with the same struggles. We work extra because we don’t want to be left behind. No matter how much we achieve, it is never enough. There were many things I did not get to do when I was younger because my parents could not afford it. I don’t want my kids to have to experience that. But costs go up and we have to make choices. One of the choices I make is to not pay for everything. It is good for my kids to learn how to make tough decisions. I often tell my kids, “You can do anything in life you want to do, but you can’t do everything.”
I think most of us struggle with that to some degree. I want to believe that I’m different and I will be the exception. I can do it all. I want to be that person who can help everyone, do all of the projects, fix every problem, and still have time for my family. The part that seems to suffer and gets put off until tomorrow most often is my prayer and bible reading time. That may be a good indicator of which master I am serving.
“No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.”
Matthew 6:24
But I’m not serving money. I don’t work long hours and sacrifice my family time to make a few extra dollars. I am not a slave to money. If that’s true, why is my time with God one of the first things to get rescheduled? Why am I always trying to fit that into my “spare time”? If I am not trying to serve this world, why do I try to have all the things and do all the things that others are buying and doing, while my time with God is pushed off to tomorrow? Maybe I don’t have all, or any of those things. My big Ford 12-passenger van is clearly the status symbol that everyone is longing to get their hands on. But it goes back to the heart. Am I satisfied with the big van that God has given me that meets all of my needs, or am I constantly longing for something nicer? Again, having that “something nicer” is fine, as long as it is a tool in your toolbox being used, and not a display piece. Am I satisfied with what God has given me, and am I actually using it to build His kingdom?
Serving money is more than just putting off building a relationship with God and his people. It is the longing and desire for things. A longing that becomes more important than our longing for God. In our fast paced, consumer driven world, it is easy to forget that God provides everything we need.
When my focus is on building my kingdom, I sometimes find myself justifying my personal desires. I want to build the kingdom of God, but I could be much more effective at it if I only had … So, I’m going to put off serving God for now and work hard so I can invest in that “tool”. I’ll serve God after I get that tool, or after I retire and have more time and it will be awesome. When I am trying to build my kingdom, I find that it is never enough.
You can do anything in life that you want to do, but you cannot do everything. Whose kingdom are you building?
“Now fear the Lord and serve him with all faithfulness. Throw away the gods your ancestors worshiped beyond the Euphrates River and in Egypt, and serve the Lord. But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.”
Joshua 24:14-15
Great article. I like your saying of you can do anything but not everything.
I am ashamed to say that I, too, seem to fit God into my spare time. That becomes a habit after having children, and the habit sticks around after they’re grown when we supposedly have more time. Time dissolves into a vapor.
Thanks. It’s funny the things we change because of kids.