After coming through a natural disaster where homes may have been destroyed or the city infrastructure may have been shakened, often times, in the aftermath, you may hear someone say that “we should focus on what is important in life”? Usually meaning that we should focus on those things that money can’t buy like family, love, joy, and peace. If you are familiar with the iconic movie, “Forrest Gump”, you may remember my favorite line from the title character that also highlights this point. It was when Lieutenant Dan shared with Forrest that they were able to make millions from their shrimping business because a major storm virtually wiped out the competition. Forrest’s response was “good, that’s one less thing”. In that moment, Forrest realized what many of us forget. Not only is money not everything, but it is only one of several things that make up life. It should not be our sole pursuit, nor will it bring us what really matters in life. Jesus helps to put this truth in perspective in Matthew, chapter 6, verses 24 through 26 where he says:
“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. Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you eat or drink; about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?”
“Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes?” Yes, money serves a purpose, and yes money is important. But it shouldn’t drive us. It shouldn’t be our primary pursuit. Jesus reminded us that we can’t serve both God and money. So we need to ask ourselves; is money our pursuit or is God? In a strange way, Forrest Gump also helps us to put things in perspective. For those of us who have been blessed with enough money so that food, clothes and shelter isn’t a daily concern, we realize that this provision is only “one less thing” - one less concern; that life is comprised of more than what money can buy. Though this is true, every believer should take heart in the rest of what Jesus said; “Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?” If we are able to truly put our faith and trust in God; if we seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, Jesus explains that God will take care of the things that money can provide as well.
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I believe that we can all learn something from Forrest Gump. Because upon learning that he had been blessed with enough money that all of his physical needs were met, he responded by saying, “good, that is one less thing.” To mature believers, having enough money to take care of our physical needs is only “one less thing” to concern ourselves with. In fact, that shouldn’t even be a concern because Jesus explains that God will provide for us. But in truth, God will likely use money to meet our physical needs. However the provision of having our physical needs met is only one less thing because Jesus reminds us that life is more than that. So I would encourage you to pursue God, not money. Either one may serve as a source of security. But money is only an illusion of security, and God is true security. Dependence on God is the only way for a mature believer to live. Because when we have him, not only will he take care of our physical needs, but he will be the source for all of our other needs as well.
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