What Matters?

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. [1 John 2.15-16]

Here is about as good a description of the "world" as can be found in the Bible or elsewhere.

The world is all about:

• physical pleasure
• greed
• pride

Does that sum up today's society or what?

It occurs to me today that it will require effort to overcome these worldly things if we are to live in this world. Victory over these things will not come naturally or easily. It will be necessary to purposefully identify these things and willfully avoid them. Why? Because nothing about these things pleases the Father God.

Everything about physical pleasure, greed and pride present danger to the Christ follower. However, as an exception, that is not to say that a person cannot enjoy physical pleasure, or having something nice, or being satisfied with accomplishments. However, it in is the attitude that preserves this exception that the danger lurks.

Most of the time when we are focused on the exception is our indicator that we are in fact controlled by it.

To the person NOT controlled by physical pleasure, greed and pride, these things simply do not matter. They do not matter.

So, the question must be asked: "What matters to me?"

Father, I am sad to say that I have pursued the exception most of my life. Please forgive me this wrong and, by Your Spirit, help me to walk in what really matters - loving You and loving mankind.