A Greener Hue

Yesterday we kicked off the week discussing contentment. Over the next three days our focus will be on three things opposite of contentment, lust, greed, and envy. Today we look at lust.

According to Websters, lust means a desire to gratify the senses or appetites; to feel an intense desire for something. In the bible lust denotes a strong desire for ANYTHING, usually with a negative connotation. When I think of lust what comes to mind is sexual impurity, however lust may be financial or material possessions.

A funny conversation got going a few weekends back when my family was here for a visit. We were talking about lawns and how your neighbors lawn tends to always look greener and thicker than yours. My sister had a great point when she said, 'Have you ever gone over to your neighbors lawn and looked at your lawn from their vantage point? You lawn will actually look greener and thicker.' When I tried it, she was right! When I am looking directly down on my lawn, I see the weeds, the dry patches, and the unevenness, however when I look at it from my neighbors perspective, it actually doesn't look too bad. Hence, the grass is always greener on the other side of the fence. Isn't it interesting that money is green too?

I think that is a great way to describe lust. When we look to our neighbors, our co-workers, friends, family, even to material things such as a different car, food, clothes, homes, and the list goes on; we see it from a different perspective. However if we look at it from another vantage point, does it really look all that appealing. What if we looked at if from a biblical driven vantage point. What if we stepped into the shoes of another less fortunate person and then looked at our current living situation? Would the hue of our grass look greener?

In 1 Timothy 6:10 - 11 it states, 'But if it's only money these leaders are after, they'll self-destruct in no time. Lust for money brings trouble and nothing but trouble. Going down that path, some lose their footing in the faith completely and live to regret it bitterly ever after.
But you, Timothy, man of God: Run for your life from all this. Pursue a righteous life—a life of wonder, faith, love, steadiness, courtesy. Run hard and fast in the faith. Seize the eternal life, the life you were called to, the life you so fervently embraced in the presence of so many witnesses.

I highlighted the word money and I want you today to substitute whatever action, thought, or possession in it's place that you have been lusting after. Lust for food, a new home, new clothes, a new car, an other's husband/wife, etc....

Lust can allow us to lose our footing in faith completely. Even Christians can go astray and live to regret it.

Instead, we have been instructed to pursue a righteous life and to run hard and fast in our faith.

Once you had identified that strong desire ask God to replace it with a desire to know Him more in an intimate relationship. That your mind would be filled with love, faith, joy, endurance, and gentleness; as we take a moment and truly look at our current state from an other's vantage point. I think we will be surprised to see just how 'green' our situation is!

Blessings,

Jill