Money is not everything. People worry more about money than they do about God and their salvation, but many like to leave things until the last minute because they think they decide for God, forgetting that man plans but God decides.
Nowadays, materialism and money have changed people’s thinking; they want to set God’s will aside, pretending that if there is no money, there is no life. When they get money, or a promise of money, they forget their home, family, friendships, and everything that has to do with God to “follow the money.”
It is true that people need money; it is true that God Himself said that by the sweat of your brow you will earn your daily bread, but that does not mean the need for money should lead to madness, stress, arguments, and manipulation, because money is temporal. But our God is eternal.
It is written in 2 Timothy 3:1-5 that we are living in difficult times, where people will become lovers of themselves and lovers of money, abandoning God. Often, this happens without people even noticing; it starts in a way that seems harmless, and later, when they look back, they realize they have drifted away from God and grown cold toward the things of God.
If two people live together, one must support the other on God’s path, whether in marriage or simply in the family. We, as neighbors, must love and support one another so that we do not abandon God’s path for anything, making every effort to stay on it. Because attached to God we can do all things; separated from God, we can do nothing (John 15:5).
It remains a very childish behavior to think that if someone departs from God’s path, they are hurting others. It may seem so, but it is not true, because we must remember that in the end, we all must give an account to God personally. If someone turns away from God’s path, their brothers and sisters might miss them at church, but the consequence will come to them personally, for the enemy is lurking.
Suddenly, the things of the past begin to return because a breach has appeared in their protective wall, a door they left open themselves. Smoking might return, drinking might return, the lack of respect for oneself and others might return, bad words become active, and thus the person will see that the precious time they had for God becomes just a word, but they are no longer a doer.
Respect for God, for ourselves, and for our family is of great value:
Respect between husband and wife (Ephesians 5:33).
Respect between parents and children (Ephesians 6:1-4).
Respect in the family (Romans 12:10).
Special respect for your wife (1 Peter 3:7).
Be listeners and doers of the word (James 1:19).
Respect others in private and in public.
Respect is also part of our integrity.
Dirty words are a strong indication that respect is absent.
When we have the fear of God, respect is reflected in our life, in our home, family, and marriage.
Respect cannot be negotiated; it must be valued. Sincerely, Pastor Marcel Balootje.