Having It All
and the worries of the world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the desires for other things enter in and choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful Mark 4:19
Deceitfulness –The “worries of the world” really means “getting my share of the pie.” But getting my share is only one side of the story. Jesus describes the other side as the “deceitfulness of riches”. The first problem is my concern with not having enough. The second is the seduction that accompanies having more than enough. Jesus is echoing an ancient plea: “that I not be full and deny You and say, ‘Who is the LORD?’ or that I not be in want and steal, and profane the name of my God” (Proverbs 30:9).
This world age believes that riches are the answer to life. What I want is just all that I want. That will be enough. But Jesus knows that the heart of man is never satisfied with enough. Why? Because the root of my sin is my desire to be the god of my life and that desire can never be satisfied. So I will substitute whatever I can to fill that desire and I will always come up short. If the worries of the world are about not having enough, the deception of riches is thinking that this world can fill my need.
We don’t give much thought to the deeper truth of Jesus’ remark. There is an almost tactile pleasure with “more than enough.” We are seduced by the desire of “more”. That’s the meaning of the Greek word apate. Riches seduce me. Riches make me think that I am in control of my own destiny. Riches make me think I can have life on my terms. Riches make me believe I am independent. Please remember the cardinal rules of this age: first, the world never gives anything that it cannot take away and second, the world always expects payment. Only God gives freely. The world will let you borrow, but you will pay dearly for the privilege.
You’ll tell me that you are not subject to this deception. You tithe. You don’t spend lavishly. You save. You know that God is in charge. But the zero-sum game entices us all.
How can I justify my purchases for goods and services that fill my wants when I know a family in Honduras that lives with constant malnutrition? How can I imagine a vacation when I have seen children begging in the streets? How can I think about that new car, that extra coat, that sixth pair of shoes when I have watched a father walk half a day to reach the church service?
“Lord, do not allow me to have too much so that I will say, ‘Who is God?'”
The Christian lives by a different code: hunger for righteousness. Is that what gnaws at you?
