“What I’m trying to do here is get you to relax, not be so preoccupied with getting so you can respond to God’s giving. People who don’t know God and the way he works fuss over these things, but you know both God and how he works. Steep yourself in God-reality, God-initiative, God-provisions. You’ll find all your everyday human concerns will be met. Don’t be afraid of missing out. You’re my dearest friends! The Father wants to give you the very kingdom itself.
“Be generous. Give to the poor. Get yourselves a bank that can’t go bankrupt, a bank in heaven far from bankrobbers, safe from embezzlers, a bank you can bank on. It’s obvious, isn’t it? The place where your treasure is, is the place you will most want to be, and end up being.
Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved.
When we were children, people would often ask us, “What do you want to be when you grow up?” My friend Martha would always reply, “I’m going to be an entrepreneur.” None of us really knew what that was at the time – except Martha, maybe! – but it surely sounded impressive. I had no clue then that someday, Greg and I would be “entrepreneurs” and build our own business…or where God would take us in the process!
I can tell you firsthand that it is easy to become preoccupied with the inner workings of your own business…to concentrate on making that next dollar so that you can pay the bills and expand your operations. But relationships with people lie at the very core of pretty much every business you can imagine…customers, employees, suppliers, and auxiliary staff. Our own business relied on daily interaction with all of these groups, and a breakdown in communication at any point could create a ripple effect of major proportions.
One of the things that Greg and I determined from the outcome was that we were not “in this” to become wealthy. Our business was about serving people…specifically, helping people who lived in recreational vehicles (RVs) find opportunities for work as they traveled. It was strange at first to meet people who would say, “You changed our lives”…but as we cultivated our business and its relationships over eighteen years, we realized that this was truly the case for thousands of folks. There were retirees who wondered “What’s next?”…young families who wanted to take their children on the road and give them a “hands-on” education but didn’t know how they could afford it…and every demographic in between.
We also supplied employers of all kinds with a mature, reliable, diverse workforce. We literally spent every day for 18 years putting people together…generally in a positive way. And in doing so, we were never hungry…our bills were always paid…and we always had enough. I don’t tell you this to “toot my own horn”…but to make a point related to this scripture passage. Here goes…
If your goal in life is to make millions and “be rich and famous,” you have not studied Jesus’ words in Luke 12. If you are so preoccupied with your own life and “getting”…getting ahead…getting a new house, car, boat, piece of jewelry, or whatever personal “stuff” you wish to acquire…getting recognition and accolades for your “success”…or whatever you have established as your goal to “get”…you cannot possibly be paying enough attention to God’s giving. If you have made it all about you (even if you say that you haven’t) and are wholly focused on achieving that next rung on the ladder…you are probably missing out on the biggest rewards of all. I would suspect that your mental and physical health are both suffering…and you are probably not where you would like to be in your personal relationship with God – or with others!
This is all fixable…and it can begin today! Look around at those in your midst who are most contented and fulfilled. Notice I didn’t say “successful”, because most people only think in monetary terms when we use this word. Look for people who don’t seem stressed…who seem to always be doing something for someone else…whose every conversation is not about money – how to get it, spend it, or how hard it is to pay the bills. Look for the person who is more concerned with meeting the needs of others than driving the newest car or “movin’ on up to that deluxe apartment in the sky”.
Look for people who are more concerned with serving others in their profession than how much money they are making. There are more than a few people in this world who make life more comfortable for you and me every single day and are grossly underpaid for doing so. Yet they find satisfaction and joy in their work, because they don’t focus solely on money and acquisitions. These people have most likely learned to store their treasure in heaven rather than on this earth. They have learned to bless others in order to be blessed. They understand that “God-provisions” trump earthly possessions and accolades any day of the week. And they are grateful for what He has given and where He is taking them. They know that their future includes the “keys to the Kingdom”…and they are focused on getting there… in God’s style!
We can all enjoy this same “success”. God desperately wants us all to be on this path…to be His “entrepreneur’s”…not the world’s. I am so grateful for God’s stewardship and blessings. I am forever indebted to Him for giving us Jesus...for guiding our steps as we built a business that focuses on helping others. I am thankful that every day, God shows me ways to serve Him by serving others…and I hope I am sufficiently faithful and obedient in my efforts on His behalf.
What about you? Where is your focus? What sort of “entrepreneur” are you…and where are you storing your treasure? Have you recognized God’s tremendous blessings in your life…and are you genuinely grateful. Will this be the day that you begin to shift your attention to the things that are important to Him…and reap His rewards in the bargain? Don’t you think it should be?
©2014 Debbie Robus
No comments:
Post a Comment