“If you have built castles in the air, your work need not be lost; that is where they should be. Now put foundations under them.” –Henry David Thoreau
“Any god who promises to fulfill all of our desires is the devil in disguise.” –Donald W. McCullough
I heard not too long ago that in the pews (oops, seats) of the church sit “future billionaires” along with future professional athletes, musicians, businessmen, etc. each vocation mentioned had something to do with money or glamour. I never heard it once mentioned: future missionaries, future cooks, future farmers. Everyone wants to look for the pie in the sky or the garden variety type of life. Few will pick up their cross and carry it.
There is the thought today that “God will make me great.” Now ponder that for a minute. Before going further, let me say that the above professions are not necessarily wrong in themselves. However, the attitude and the heart behind why they want that profession might be something to reevaluate. It is important to remember that the Holy Spirit primarily seeks servants.
The questions need to be reaffirmed, “Who is the greatest?” “Who is the richest?” If a person has been given wealth by the Lord, what then is his responsibility? Is it to hoard, to gloat, or to lord it over others? It seems as if we get too caught up in our special little dreams, or in some cases, grandiose dreams, that we don’t really bring the Lord into the picture and ask Him what He wants with our lives.
What would be wrong if a person wanted to be a hog-farmer? After all, how many people do you know that don’t like bacon? But to think that God may want me to slop the hogs for a living, well, that just ain’t kosher. Hmmm, it’s better to be a doorkeeper in the house of the Lord….
On the other hand if you are made great, then the Lord has allowed it for a reason. The problem is that so many are not good stewards of the blessings that God has bestowed upon them. They waste it on themselves or they seek more blessings, more blessings, and for what?
“He has shown you, O man, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?” –Micah 6:8 (NKJV)