Jesus said, “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you” (Matthew 6:33 NKJV). He was speaking about food, clothing and such like. Just before that in verses 19-20, our Lord said, “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Luke 12:15 records Jesus saying, “…For one’s life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses.” The apostle Paul wrote, “For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and clothing, with these we shall be content. But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and harmful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition” (1 Timothy 6:7-9).
Many years ago, I saw a man on a television show making a confession. He said, “All my life has been devoted to making money. In doing so, I have lost all my friends and most of my family. Here I stand in my late eighties not far from standing before the Lord in Judgment, and I am spiritually destitute.” Jesus told the rich young ruler, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me” (Matthew 19:21). Jesus told His apostles, “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven” (Matthew 5:16).
We educate our children so they can make all the money they can and buy all the things they want. Our Lord Himself showed us the relative importance of things; He didn’t own anything. The happiest people in our world are those who live their lives in service to God, glorifying Him in and through the way they live. If you love your children, set them down at a young age and tell them that you are going to educate them so they can make a comfortable living and enjoy the comforts of life, but first teach them about God. Tell them, “I want you to learn how God created you.” Tell them how sin came into the world through Adam and Eve. However, let your children know that God devised a plan so that when our physical bodies die, our spirits can live with Him forever. Make sure that your children understand that God sent His Son from Heaven to be born of a woman. Tell your children that Jesus Christ preached and taught for about 33 years before He allowed Himself to be our sacrifice on a cross. Impress upon them that He shed His blood as a sacrifice so that we can all have forgiveness of our sins. Further, relate to your children that Jesus Christ left us His Word to direct us; the New Testament is our road map to Heaven. Have them study it every day of their lives. Tell your children that you want them to be faithful servants all of their lives, glorifying our Lord through the way they live. Let them know that is the only way to achieve true happiness and contentment – a spiritual life.
