By Dr. Thamsing Lamkang
The world today, we can simply say that ‘the love of money’ seems to destroy everything, no doubt about it. Politics is good for many reasons but when the politicians try to muscle their power through money, it destroys. It is evident, nowhere is no secrets that destroys the peaceful co-existence of the people living together as one-humanity. The politicians use money to sell and buy their power and it becomes their god. They’re capable to rule and destroy the dreams of common people, simply by making some arbitrary decisions! There almost exists a conflict of interest between materialism and any other cause, including people’s live. Satan uses material things to lord it over men. Thus, greediness owns everything, showing the world that he is rich and powerful.
In a decade’s past people became more selfish and greed for money, motivated in craving more than others, and it’s a big ‘SIN’. Being jealous of neighbors and not wanting to settle for anything below their level, it’s also a big ‘SIN’. And it has to do with money and political power. The wrong mind-sets to have more than others, I don’t care what happens to others! The Election could be a good time to examine the power of money in politics, and that hampered the peaceful coexistence of people living together in peace and harmony.
Men’s reaction seems to oppose anything that does not promote money or power. Basically the society in Northeast India is grounded in this; the interplay between money, politics and power. It is the reason why those who have huge financial assets are able to dominate. And the powerful people are those with money. It is, what’s more, a philosophy of life, the philosophy of material success, of power and, often, of political deceit. But wise people know the limit of being rich and powerful, yet, they can’t ignore, because God is not their priority in life!
The seriousness of the matter is that these ‘enemies’ can rob your spiritual reward. Always remember that if you give into the pressure, if you allow them to govern your lives. They are real enemies which infiltrate your lives without you realizing it. They make you think in the same way as the rest of the society; you feel obliged to have the same motivating force, and give importance to the same things. You then stray from your own objectives, and so you have your prize taken away, which is in God. In the ‘Olympic Games of our spiritual life’, money and power stops you from participating and winning the most important prize, the crown of ‘Eternal Life’.
Unfortunately, it’s not only these external enemies that you are concerned with. Equally dangerous are the enemies inside your lives. Yes, although it seems hard to believe, your own sin is your worst enemy. It shows itself in hundreds of different ways, egoism, pride, envy, jealousy, giving into temptation… and the worst of it is that you are often unaware of what is happening and taking place around you because of your wrong and negative decision making.
Millions of people base their hopes on material possessions which have no future, others grasp at religions which make no sense, and many are full of fear for what could happen. There are men and women who are cheated by those who ‘buy and sell the truth’, people who are not concerned about their final destiny. Many go to hell by way of false teaching, sects and the so-called ‘enlightened ones’- many people whose future is eternal condemnation.
We should be ready, ready to do battle against the enemy that wants us to disqualify your receiving the crown of life, whether it is from outside or within you. We have the right to work for the eternal crown; no one should take it from you or allow others to lose that crown, because it is Everlasting. Don’t let others walk on your shoes. Don’t strike and sin for the sake of retaliation but be rather kind and gentle for Christ sake and you’ll be rewarded with ‘the crown that’ll last forever’. God has promised us the victory in these kinds of situation.
What you do on earth determines your reward in heaven! On the day you die, what will you take with you? You may have all the money in the world-but it’ll all stay here. You may have all the admirers in the world-but they’ll stay here. You may enjoy the best social position that you know, but when you die, you won’t take that position with you. You may have the most beautiful houses, material possessions, land, and cars-but will all stay here. You may have everything necessary to live the good life-but one day you’ll have nothing. You’ll leave everything behind.
One of the greatest moral stories being told even today is about the Great Emperor Alexander: When he was on his dying bed he was asked for his last dying wish. He told his minister; let both of my hands be put outside the coffin box. His minister asked him my lord, if your people question me, what does it means to keep the Emperor’s hand outside the coffin. He said, “Let the world knows that, even the Great Emperor like me dies without taking a single penny, but an empty handed.” So that my people will not pile up wealth, instead use their wealth for the welfare of others, especially to comfort the poor and needy. Can we learn something out of it?
If you’re believer don’t let the love of money take away your Eternal Crown. The important thing about money is ‘whether it’ll save your life or it destroys’. We shouldn’t forget that the Government fund is regarded as God’s money; you’re only entrusted to manage and deliver for the purpose. How do you handle that you’re entrusted with, it will determine your destiny!
The last but not the least, the Bible says in Col. 2: 18 “Do not let anyone…disqualify you from the prize”.
