Devotions: The Truth of What We See

 

Better is a little with the fear of the Lord
Than great treasure and turmoil with it.

Proverbs 15:16 New American Standard Bible 1995

 

Yesterday I mentioned envying those who seemed cool but were people of violence. This verse expands on that thought. It is better to have only a few earthly possessions accompanied by a fear of God than to have great wealth and a lot of problems. Again, this envy is based on appearances. Social media heightens this problem. We only see the best. We don’t get to see the messy, every day life of people. In the same way, when we look at the wealthy or seemingly prosperous ways of the wicked we only see the outside. We don’t see the pain and sorrow that comes with a life of sin. Of course not everyone who has wealth is a bad person, this is a generalization. The point is that if we have to choose between a poor life with Christ or a rich life without Him, it is better to be poor. From the outside we don’t get to see the problems that come with a lifestyle of sin. Maybe it will bring more of the earthly things we think we want like fame, popularity and possessions, but it also brings a lot of heartache and pain. The greatest of these is the separation from God. Sadly, most of them don’t know that the greatest ache they feel is really due to not having God in their lives and the enemy will do everything in his power to keep them from realizing it. What they truly seek and lack is Him; that is the void they keep trying to fill. Unfortunately they keep looking to more crime, more money, more sin to fill it. It can be hard to be “good” and feel like it is causing us to miss out on life, but by following God’s ways what we are missing out on is pain and misery. God is all knowing and all in control. He made life so He knows the best way to live it. We cannot go wrong by following His instructions. Instead of changing what we do or how we live, we need to change our perspective and priorities. Instead of desiring the life of the wicked that has a lot of stuff with a lot of pain, we should desire to please God and the fulfillment that brings. Yesterday I mentioned desiring to be like the women in action movies, but what I couldn’t see was their inner character what day to day life for them would be like. I can’t have the live I have now and be like them. A woman like that would not stay home with her family, serve in her church or go to Bible study. I need to realign my desires and perspective with God. I need to value what is truly important and not what I see. That is the key to contentment.

What do you desire and value? Does a life of godliness seem bland and uncool? Ask God to help you redirect your desires and values. Ask Him to show you the truth of what you see rather than just the outside. Ask Him to help you be content.

 

 

 

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