Trivial Pursuits

The Bible constantly warns us of two things: the pursuit of the temporary--stuff, and the pursuit of "rubbish"--the accolades of men. The reasons are obvious--but so often trivialized; which is, I suppose, to be expected. But not condoned. When our hearts are set on stuff, they are not set on the permanent--the spiritual, the "things above." And as Jesus warned us, stuff, and the worries that inevitably come with stuff, turn fruitful lives into barren lives. The things of this world are the weeds that choke out fruitfulness. "Love not" is His command. "Don't pile up" is His command. There is no satisfaction to be found in the temporary because it doesn't last. How big is your pile of stuff?
The desire for the accolades of men, the "rubbish" as Paul calls it, turns us into men pleasers. It makes our obedience eye service. Such an attitude sabotages any hope on our part of coming to know Him in all His fullness. If the voices I listen to, if the rewards I crave, are not His--are not His Spirit's leading and the Father's "well done," I lose the inner confidence of His love and our relationship is strained at best, quenched at worst. There is no satisfaction to be found in the works of the flesh--the hay and stubble of human effort designed to conspicuously gain man's approval. They will not survive the test of fire. And "fiery trials" are a certainty not a perhaps in the life of each one of His children. How big is your pile of rubbish?
And sometimes those two desires intertwine, do they not? We seek stuff to gain the approval of men. We accumulate in order to impress. And what a collection of garbage that will be. And then we spend our days enveloped by worry and anxiety and insecurity lacking the contentment that can only be found by resting confidently in His love, His provision, His Spirit's inner peace and witness. Beware. Don't let your heart, your love, be wrapped up in the trivial nature of stuff. Don't let your confidence rest in the fickleness of man's approval. Don't let a heart of good soil be inundated by the weeds of earth's worthless treasures.
"Having food and raiment" let us be content. Having a heart that longs to do only those things that please Him let us bask in His loving assurance as His faithful bond-servant and His beloved child. Do you really need more than you have? Do you really need another smile instead of His? And yes, those are rhetorical questions. In our hearts, we know the answers. In our lives lets by His Spirit's empowering grace live the answers day by day.