Years ago, when I was a businessman, I
was sitting in a sales meeting with a
room full of my colleagues, and my boss
stood at a podium addressing us, and my
boss made the following comment.
He said, the one with the most toys
at the end is the winner, and everyone
agreed.
And I went out to lunch that day
with my business partner at his club, and
at lunch he told me what wanted engraved
on his tombstone, three words, win, win, win.
And I went home that day and told
my wife what my business partner had said,
and I asked my wife what it was
that I wanted on my gravestone, and I
told her it was this, only one life,
which will soon be past, only what's done
for Christ will last.
Our culture teaches us that materialistic things are
the most important things, and the world system
says it's the one with the most toys
that wins in the end.
So we buy into that philosophy and go
about accumulating as much of this world as
we can, as we fill our storehouse with
toys of bass boats, and golf equipment, and
expensive cars, and the latest gadgets, and the
newest brands of what we enjoy, until we
have convinced ourselves that we are now prosperous.
But there was another man who thought along
these lines as well.
He was a prosperous farmer.
You can find his story, friends, in Luke's
gospel in chapter 12.
And our Lord Jesus had something to say
about this man and his worldly philosophy.
In Luke 12.15 we read, And he
said unto them, Take heed, and beware of
covetousness, for a man's life consisteth not in
the abundance of the things which he possesseth.
In other words, it is the one with
the most toys at the end who is
the biggest loser.
But many Christians today, around the world and
especially in America, place great emphasis on the
materialistic things in life and accumulate as much
of the world as they can while the
world waits to hear the good news of
Jesus Christ.
The need for Bible translation in foreign languages
goes unfunded, while 1,200 native languages still
do not have even a Gospel of John
in their native tongue.
Oh, why should that concern us?
So long as we ourselves can buy ourselves
the latest sports equipment or the newest flat
screen TV.
So long as we are fat and happy
and given 10% to our church, that's
all that matters.
Isn't that what's all that's required of us?
That's how we think.
But our thinking is wrong.
Many God-called ministries are closing their doors
for want of support because church folk have
to buy themselves more material goods to have
more toys so they can win at the
end.
Their mindset is like the prosperous farmer from
Luke who said to himself, And I will
say to my soul, soul, thou hast much
goods laid up for many years.
Take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry.
But God said unto him, Let thou fool
this night, thy soul should be required of
thee.
Then whose shall those things be which thou
hast provided?
So is he that layeth up treasure for
himself, and is not rich toward God.
Maybe before we go out to buy that
unnecessary expensive Christmas present, we should think of
poor pastor in Africa who longs for a
Bible translation in his native tongue.
Only one life will soon be passed.
Only what's done for Christ will last.