We cannot have divided loyalties

By David Woodbury

I am intrigued by the mountains of goods piled by the side of the road on council clean-up days, a sight quite unknown in my younger days. I guess it says something about society today in the manner in which we accumulate and dispose of possessions in what is now a consumer society.

I came across a YouTube clip recently which listed to top ten wealthiest Christian leaders. I cannot verify the authenticity of the claims but what was obvious was the multi-million dollar homes, cars and aircraft these people possessed. One even had a fleet of aircraft. As I watched I wondered how these people justified their lavish and extravagant lifestyles in light of Jesus who said: Foxes have dens to live in, and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place even to lay his head. (Luke 9:58 - NLT)

I suspect that there is a subliminal influence at work today in society, even in the Christian community, that finds a certain sense of security in material possessions, and perhaps it is very difficult to resist that subliminal influence. There is an inbuilt need within human beings to feel secure and all too often that need is stimulated by modern society, with all the promotional advertising that seeks to persuade us that we can feel more secure by acquiring material possessions.

While we may well wish to return to a simpler lifestyle the reality is that the world we live in in the 21st century is a very complex and, at times, confusing existence and it is difficult to acquire an authentic Christian perspective on life. John has some very sound and practical advice for us: Do not love this world nor the things it offers you, for when you love the world, you do not have the love of the Father in you. For the world offers only a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see, and pride in our achievements and possessions. These are not from the Father, but are from this world. And this world is fading away, along with everything that people crave. But anyone who does what pleases God will live forever. (1 John 2:15-17 - NLT)

John commences by zeroing in on the very heart of the problem: what it is that is the centre of our love and existence, and perhaps at times, that is difficult to really identify and may well change during the various stages of our lives. Consequently, there is an ongoing and intentional need to periodically re-evaluate what it is that is at the centre of our existence.

As we move through the various ages of life there are changing and competing claims on us that need to be assessed and to which we must respond.  Our modern society is very good at throwing up new and, what often appear to be, very valid claims on our lives and time, and we need a filter through which we can evaluate them. This passage from John provides us with a very clear and fundamental Christian lens through which we can see life from God’s perspective.

The reality of humanity is that we cannot have divided loyalties. Whether or not we are willing to admit to it, some person or thing will dominate the central focus of our lives and our way of living. Jesus summed it up very succinctly when he said; Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be (Matthew 6:19-21 - NLT). As confrontational as it sounds, the reality is that it is impossible for us to have God’s love living within us when our love and desires are focused on the transient things of this world.

For the world offers only a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see, and pride in our achievements and possessions (v16). This world we have to live in is alluring and illusional and the reality is that gullible humanity is all too easily be seduced by the pleasures of this world. We crave every new novelty that titillates us through our magazines, the internet and on our TV screens. However, as John points out, the world can only offer; whether or not we indulge is a decision we must make.

We are bombarded on a daily, if not hourly basis with options, many of which, on the surface, seem quite reasonable and legitimate, and we can understand how many are distracted and captured by this process. As a Christian, we need to have some sort of filter in our lives that will enable us to sort out, evaluate and determine what God would have us do. Paul has a very firm grip on the process when he writes: So letting your sinful nature control your mind leads to death. But letting the Spirit control your mind leads to life and peace. (Romans 8:6 - NLT)

The bible is a mine of guidance in building defences against the intrusion of a self-centred world. It enables us to focus ourselves outside our narrow mindset and allows us to see others through the eyes of Jesus. Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too. You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had. (Philippians 2:3-5 - NLT) We need to install in our lives, the filter of the attitude of Jesus.

In the 21^st century, the major influence of our time comes via the visual and we are beguiled by what we see with the subliminal message seeking to stimulate our self-centred desires. Sadly, the society around us all too often assesses others by what they achieve and what they possess, and Christians are not immune from this influence and these temptations. In a society that is becoming more inner-focussed and less Christian, those who name the name of Jesus need to be acutely aware of their own inner attitudes, and the actions that flow from them.

I think John’s message is fairly clear and easily understood; If we follow the way of this world with all its excesses and self-centredness, the love of the Father is not in us. We are chasing that which must inevitably fade away and that which we must lose for: this world is fading away, along with everything that people crave. But anyone who does what pleases God will live forever.

The reality is that the things that give our lives real meaning are rarely material – they are essentially experiences and relationships, in particular, our relationship with God.

Video meditation: All my days and all my hours (Click on or paste link)
https://youtu.be/nLzgiuzRWEA