Inside Out and Upside Down
A friend recen
tly decided to buy a car because his was wearing out. Sounds like a simple thing, but it turned him inside out and upside down.
His problems buying the car illustrated what can happen to a person when he is consumed with the pursuit of things. He became despondent because he could not close the deal and had to leave what he desired sitting in the parking lot. His despondency turned to depression.
Being denied the object of desire is not a feeling people like. In this age of instant gratification, having someone say no to what we want is difficult to accept. What often follows is a time-consuming attempt to fulfill our desire. When that happens, focus shifts from important things (like serving God) to useless things (like getting what is desired).
This is one of Satan’s traps. Focus is something that must remain constant. Shifting focus away from serving God to the accumulation of things has troubled many people. Simon the Sorcerer was a person who obeyed the gospel and embarked on a life of serving God (Acts 8:13), but his focus shifted from that service to the gratification of a desire.
Simon, who had been used to a life in which people paid attention to what he said and did, saw the apostles impart the Holy Spirit (Acts 8:17). Simon offered the apostles money to be able to do the same. His focus had been shifted from the service of God to the attainment of power. He was not interested in having the gift, but to grant the gift as the apostles had (Acts 8:20). His request was met by strong condemnation from Peter. The apostle told him, “Repent, therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the thought of thine heart be forgiven thee,” (Acts 8:22).
To his credit, Simon realized his sin and decided to turn from it. So should all whose focus falls from God on the pursuit of things or power for personal benefit.
Materialism is a very real trouble in our world. Because the world is composed of things, it is easy to believe things are more necessary than God. We must remember things will burn up (2 Peter 3:10). A person may find himself turned inside out and upside down by the pursuit of things that will be nothing more than ashes.
Our eternal souls are worth more than that aren’t they?
