Then He said to them, “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of possessions.” Luke 12:15
“No matter what our aims may be, no matter how spiritual, no matter how intent we think we are upon the glory of God and His Kingdom, greed and passion enter into our work and turn it into agitation as soon as our intention ceases to be pure. And who can swear that his intentions are pure, even down to the subconscious depths of his will, where ancient selfish motives move comfortably like forgotten sea monsters in waters where they are never seen!
In order to defend ourselves against agitation, we must be detached not only from the immediate results of our work – and this detachment is difficult and rare – but from the whole complex of aims that govern our earthly lives. We have to be detached from health and security, from pleasures and possessions, from people and places and conditions and things. We have to be indifferent to life itself, in the Gospel sense, living like the lilies of the field, seeking first the Kingdom of Heaven and trusting that all our material needs will be taken care of…”
Thomas Merton in No Man is An Island (New York: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 1983) 110.
Watch out for greed and beware of passion. These maladies can afflict any generous person. Anyone who desires money to accomplish things for God will often end up agitated when things don’t go as they hope. Ever fall into this trap? I have more times than I can count.
These are false powers that swim like “sea monsters” in the depths of our lives. What a great word picture Merton uses! Detachment from results and attachment to Christ sets us free from these powers in our lives. Indifference to earthly things is the pathway to peace and life.
In some ways Christ far exceeded my expectations on this Brazil trip, and in other ways, I could feel, in Merton’s words, agitated. Rather than allow unrealized results to steal my joy, I give thanks for all God did. By not focusing on specific results, but on Him, I actually saw fruit I never could have imagined.
Perhaps you can relate to this? You have focused on Christ and He has surprised you with wisdom, insight, or blessings you never dreamed. Today I need rest and renewal as I fly to Buenos Aires, Argentina. But more than that, I just need more of Christ. Join me in seeking Him first today.