Seek First His Kingdom

Seek First His Kingdom

The short excerpt is by Tim Keller of New York City, and the Scripture verse is Matthew 16:16  What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul?

Adversity and blessings can show you the idols of your heart.  Cynthia Hymal used to write for the Village Voice, and she lived in New York City for many years and got to know a lot of people when they were struggling artists, actors and actresses.  Afterwards some of these people would hit it big and become celebrities, so she knew a lot of people before and after.  Here is what she says about celebrities.

 

 I pity celebrities, I really do.  Sylvester Stallone, Bruce Willis and Barbara Striestand were once perfectly pleasant human beings, but now their wrath is awful.  I think when God wants to play a really rotten little joke on you, He grants you your deepest wish and giggles merrily when you want to kill yourself.  You see, Sly, Bruce and Barbara wanted fame.  They worked, they pushed, and the morning after each of them became famous, they wanted to take an overdose because that giant thing that they were striving for, that famed thing that was going to make everything okay, that was going to make their lives bearable, that was going to provide them with personal fulfillment and happiness had happened, and they were still them.  The disillusionment turned them howling and insufferable.

 

But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness . . . (Matthew 6:33)

 

Champions, have a great week!-David Vining