This past week, I helped an older gentleman who was looking for literature on reverse mortgages. The man was kind of in panic mode. He was scrambling to find a way to get adequate finances to take care of his and his family’s living expenses now that his funds had been depleted. He was a retired man and said he was 85 years old.
There was a sense of immanence in his disposition. He wanted literature to help him understand reverse mortgages ASAP. The library’s collection didn’t have the specific type of books he was looking for. The best we could offer was to find pertinent books and order them. They’d be available to him in about 4-6 weeks. This caused me to reflect.
I am a big fan of planning for the future, a trait have have more intentionally developed because of the foresight of my wife. We just started investing this year as a way of saving for our retirement, as well as what we had already put in through our previous jobs.
Having said that, it was hard not to notice the state of panic this gentleman was in. He seemed to be referencing a reverse mortgage service he saw online. For me that was a bit of a red flag, as many services offered online are infomercials. The way he was acting led me to believe it was a service marketing fear to get people his age to buy their services (preying on the elderly). I can’t help but think that in his state, He likely does not have a relationship with Christ. I do believe that is the difference.
One of TGP’s executive co-pastors is in his 70s. Yet you don’t see him fretting about the need to have six figures in liquid assets in order to rest at night, as this man was saying. I can’t help but believe the difference is one of perspective. It seems the man I was helping has a primary focus on the the wealth of this world and how he can accumulate as much as possible in his own wisdom. Our co-pastor has lived a life dependent on the Lord to provide his needs, through prosperity and drought. To that end, he has his eyes set on the God of Heaven, seated in eternity.
Our Lord has promised provision for those faithful to him. It may not be a cascade of wealth and luxury. However, he will provide. Our needs will be met. He will give us wisdom for finances, along with relationships and faithfulness, if only we ask and act on what he shows us. Looking to God as our provider is the best security we can hope for. The comfort we find in confiding in Him will show itself in the attitudes we adopt. When we get worked up about the things of this world, it is an indication that our sights are not on the God of heaven. Any Christian who’s walked that walk can attest to it happening from time to time. Yet, when we get worked up about the things of Heaven, it spills over into how we relate to people, finances, work, everything.
In what ways do you struggle with getting worked up over temporal things? What can you do to realign your focus on the things of God. As Philippians 4:8-9 says “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. What you have learned[e] and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.”
What is true, honorable, just, pure, lovely, commendable, excellent, and worthy of praise in your life that you can focus on? Putting your mental energies toward those will change your perspective, which can alter your actions. The result will be experiencing the Peace of God as you experience His presence.