Priorities

I got a lesson in priorities this week. I still feel bad for my loss because someone stole most of my pen collection. It's not just the monetary value, but the sweat behind growing my collection. When I first realized that my collection was gone, I had a empty feeling in the pit of my stomach. My thoughts were confused and centered around “If I had only done this.” or “If I only had looked there.” I was distracted from doing a thorough job by acquaintances who were well meaning. I didn't focus on what I was doing! The pen collection meant much to me, but did it mean too much?

.

Luke (KJV) 16:13 “No servant 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.”

.
You cannot be a slave to both wealth and God! “Mammon” is material wealth. Being wealthy isn't wrong, but loving wealth is!
.
1 Timothy (KJV) 6:10 “For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.”
.
Loving money (or possessions) is wrong! It steals thunder from God! Men have stolen and been killed because they want what money can buy. Others just like to accumulate wealth for the thrill of it all! By coveting (longing) for wealth you err! Money (wealth) will bring sorrow!
.
My sorrow is that I lost what was most valuable to me of my possessions. God sometimes sets us back onto a straighter path. After a surge of emptiness I came to realize that maybe I was placing the beauty and value of the pens over the beauty, love and value of Christ. That helps! I recognized that my devotion to pens wasn't nearly as important as my devotion to God. That's what counts! I hate to say it, but I either separated myself from my pens now or later. They have to go! As with all mammon, the worth of those pens will be as the value of gold in heaven which will be the pavement on which we walk!
.
My prayer for me. God relieve me of the stress associated with this loss for in the eternal scope of things it's trivial. Thank you for all that you do for me and providing the very life I cherish. Let me put the things of the world into their proper perspective and my priorities for joy in you and eternal hope! Amen.