Are you also blinded by covetousness?
Dear Friends,
Today’s attached devotional shows a man who is blinded by covetousness
and is missing his purpose in life. Don’t let that be your story! God
bless you.
Because of Calvary,
John Janney
Hebrews 13:5 (ESV)
5 Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”
I Timothy 6:6-10 (ESV)
6 But godliness with contentment is great gain, 7 for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world. 8 But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content. 9 But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. 10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs.
“Twenty years ago, a discouraged young doctor in the East of London…was visited by his old father, who came up from a farm in the country to look after his son.
“‘Well,’ he said, ‘how are you getting on?’
“‘I am not getting on at all,’ was the disheartened answer. ‘I’m not doing a thing.’
“The old man’s countenance fell, but he spoke of courage and patience and perseverance. Later in the day, he went with his son to the ‘Free Dispensary,’ where the young doctor had an unsalaried position, and where he spent an hour or more every day.
“The father sat by, a silent but intensely interested spectator, while twenty-five poor unfortunates received help. The doctor forgot his visitor while he bent his skilled energies to this task; but hardly had the door closed on the last patient when the old man burst out ―
“‘I thought you told me you were not doing anything,’ he thundered. ‘Not doing anything! Why, if I had helped twenty-five people in a month as much as you have done in one morning, I would thank God that my life counted for something.’
“‘There isn’t any money in it, though,’ explained the son, somewhat abashed at his father’s vehemence.
“‘Money’ the old man shouted, still scornfully, ‘Money! What is money in comparison with being of use to your fellow men? Never mind about money. You go right along at this work every day. I’ll go back to the farm and gladly earn money enough to support you as long as I live; yes, and sleep sound every night with the thought that I have helped you to help your fellow men.’” [The Speaker’s Bible IX, edited by James Hastings and Edward Hastings, (Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, n.d.), p. 113]