Measuring Life

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Luke 12:15 - Then He said, "Beware!  Guard against every kind of greed.  Life is not measured by how much you own."

While at first glance this seems so simple, the complexity behind monitoring this in our lives is SO challenging.  We so easily drift towards measuring life by earthly standards, rather than Heaven's standards.  

The backstory here involves someone coming to Jesus and asking him to tell his brother to give him his portion of their father's estate.  Jesus, rather surprisingly, responds by saying, "Who made me the judge over this situation?"  In other words, don't drag me into your conflict.  The bigger issue here isn't the inheritance, it's what's driving your emotions.  Then He goes on to explain the bigger picture ... GREED!  Where we so easily think that the amassing of wealth and possessions will lead to freedom, it can actually lead us to bondage. 
  • It can cause us to judge people based on what they've acquired or achieved.  End result - PRIDE! 
  • It can draw us into a quest for more and more, never truly being satisfied with what we have. End result - DISCONTENTMENT!
  • It can lure us into relational conflict centered on temporal things.  End result - STRIFE!
We have to continually be aware of what we are measuring life by.  Jesus said in John 17, "And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent."  So how do you measure life?  The bible says by how well do you KNOW God and how much of His nature is being DISPLAYED through you.  Let God's Word keep you focused on what's really important and be careful not to be lured towards temporal, worthless pursuits driven by fleshly motiviations.

 

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