Every time I return from a trip to the West Coast, I am overwhelmed by materialism. Something about L.A. makes me think I need a better car, bigger house, or Botox!
The concentration of wealth, beautiful people, and great weather is a sight to behold. It is easy to be distracted by it all and focus on materialism. There is so much opulence that one has to constantly reign in the want of more.
Matthew 6:33 tells us to seek first the kingdom of God. In that passage, Christ redirects His disciples away from the outward kingdoms of His day. He was perfectly aware of the expectation the Jews had of the coming Messiah. In their minds, Messiah would come to defeat earthly kingdoms - the Romans.
When Christ came in a lowly manner, He was unrecognized by those looking for an earthly kingdom reign. Christ challenged their view by saying that His kingdom is internal and invisible.
Today, He wants to reign in our hearts and warns against earthly kingdom distractions. To do so, requires our full attention.
Christ knew the well-being of our souls depended on seeking His kingdom above all others. Temptations gain power when we don’t focus on His kingdom first. There is much to distract us from seeking His kingdom.
So every day, whether we live in Malibu, Calif., or Paducah, Kentucky, we have to remind ourselves where to direct our attention—His kingdom and His righteousness. And this requires us to be intentional.
My trip was a great reminder to constantly seek His kingdom. I must not only set my affections on God, but also seek his holiness and know Him more each day. The promise is that when I do this, He meets my needs.
It’s natural to seek materialism if you had no understanding of God. Our focus would be on creating wealth and accumulating more stuff. But once we pledge our allegiance to Christ, we see the contrast between the natural and spiritual worlds. And Christ’s reassurance to us is the opposite of the gods of the worldly kingdoms. In God’s Kingdom, He takes care of the natural when we seek the spiritual. When He guides, He also provides.
Check out Dr. Linda Mintle’s newest book, Letting Go of Worry. For more advice from Dr. Linda, go to www.drlindahelps.com.