SET FOR LIFE

Is the human desire to be "set for life" a sinful desire? Should one avoid at all costs the desire to live from great abundance?

I used to think that one's desire to have abundant resources from which to live was the source of sin. When I heard of someone winning the lottery or signing a huge multi-million dollar contract I had to really try not to be envious. When I saw someone who seemed to have no financial worries, I could not help but imagine myself living with no financial worries.

As they always do, the words of Jesus in Matthew 13:44-46 set me free to see that the desire to live from perfect abundance is not the fundamental problem. Listen to Jesus describe the human desire to be "set for life."

The Parable of the Hidden Treasure - Again, the kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and hid; and for joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.

The Parable of the Pearl of Great Price - Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking beautiful pearls, who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had and bought it.

The Kingdom of God is described by Jesus as a search for the perfect abundance. The problem is not the search for the best. The problem can occur when we find something that leads us to sell all we have to obtain it. We better be right!

Adam and Eve were living from perfect abundance when they were led to believe that the knowledge of good and evil was the true treasure or pearl of great price. They sold the garden of Eden and fellowship with God to get it. God never condemned their desire for abundance. He condemned the lie that one can be "set for life" apart from Him.

In Psalm 23 David reveals how he found the way to live from abundance. "The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want." Was he sinning by finding this kind of life?

Jesus told the rich young ruler to sell everything he had, give it to the poor and follow him. Why? Because following Jesus is to find and follow abundance. Letting go of his wealth would set him up for life and Jesus was appealing to his desire to be set up for life.

Discipleship involves a decision about what abundance is and where abundance is located. We are wrong when we try to destroy our desire to be "set for life." We are wrong when we think anything or anyone can set us up to live abundantly except Jesus.

He who has Jesus lacks nothing. Remember He is perfect abundance that dwells in you the next time you are tempted to see yourself as lacking what you need to be "set for life."