Thought for Thursday
Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 1 John 2:15
Most companies discourage their full-time employees from having part-time jobs or from operating their own businesses on the side. That’s because most employers know that those extra-curricular jobs often take energy and devotion away from their full-time employment. They also know that many good employees often leave their employment to pursue those extra-curricular jobs. The Lord Jesus said as much when He declared, ‘No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon’ (Matthew 6:24). That is the principle that is addressed in today’s text.
Picture if you can the first man born into this world, Cain, as he prepares his little altar of sacrifice, and loads it with the finest fruit and vegetables that his fields and orchards and gardens can produce. As he completes his preparation, Cain looks upon it with pride. There is little doubt that the offering was impressive, and Cain’s pride might well be understandable from an earthly viewpoint. It represented much toil and sweat and skill. To Cain, it was wonderful. But to God, it was unacceptable. The produce had come from a cursed ground, the preparation effort had come from guilty hands, and the presentation had come from a prideful heart. The offering was contrary to God’s requirement for a sinless substitute. Cain’s love for the world and the things of the world was wrongly placed. In contrast, his brother Abel’s offering was made in humble submission to God’s requirements and with a love for God’s presence. The difference between these two men still marks all of humanity today.
While we are living in this world, we must make use of this world’s resources for our daily needs. We must provide for our families and fulfil our obligations. So we apply ourselves to accomplish this. This is not loving the world and its things. Not unless we make our pursuit of money, education, power, and possessions the primary goal and purpose of our lives. If we do that, there is no room in our hearts for God. There will be no time to appreciate Him as we ought. There will be no desire to serve the Lord’s people as we are taught or to spread His Gospel as we are commissioned.
What is the primary reason you got out of bed this morning? To pursue your love of the world and its things, or to pursue your love of your Father in Heaven? -Jim MacIntosh