The world is not enough, and it will never be. What does it profit to gain the world and lose everything? Easy, none! You profit nothing, yet, this concept seems foreign. Everything is so in your face! Riches and wealth, power, sex, “love”, etc… The allure of worldly things is seductive. It’s like you “gotta catch em all!” There is a story in the Bible that talks about this. Do you know the prodigal son?
If you know, you know. For those who don’t, let’s talk about him. There was a wealthy man who had 2 sons. The younger son told his father, “Father, give me my share of the estate” (Luke 15:11). I’m sure the father had reservations, but he divided the property between his sons.
Soon after, the younger son journeyed to a distant country and squandered his ENTIRE inheritance on worldly pleasures. He was left with nothing and in need. What made matters worse was famine struck the whole country. One can only imagine what he was thinking. Our flesh would call him an idiot, stupid, and a fool. That wouldn’t be nice to say, no matter how true.
Desperate times call for desperate measures. With nothing left, he hired himself out to a citizen of that country. This citizen in turn sent him to feed their pigs. He longed to fill his belly with what the pigs ate, but no one fed him. Imagine being so hungry that you’d consider eating what the pigs ate because no one fed you. What would you do in this situation?
Well, he came to his senses. One could assume after lamenting, he realized he didn’t have to be there. “How many of my father’s hired servants have more than enough bread, but I perish here with hunger” (Luke 15:17)! So he gathered himself and thought about what he should say to his father.
“18I will arise and go to my father, and I will say to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. 19I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Treat me as one of your hired servants’ “(Luke 18-19).
So, he made his way back to his father. While still a long way off, his father saw him in the distance. Filled with so much compassion, his father ran to his son and embraced and kissed him! This is a great act of love. This is the heart of a good father. Even though his son made a massive mistake, he forgave him and rejoiced at his return.
“Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son” (Luke 15:21). His father paid him no mind as he continued to rejoice at his son’s return. His father commanded his servants,
“Bring quickly the best robe, and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet. 23 And bring the fattened calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate. 24 For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found…“ (Luke 15:22-24).
There is more to this story, so I encourage you to read further. There are multiple lessons to be learned from this, but I only want to touch on 1. Chasing vanities, chasing the wind – these things will leave you empty.
Many of us, believers and nonbelievers alike fall into this web of deception and lies. That chasing after love, materialistic things, riches, and more will satisfy our needs. Our fulfillment doesn’t lie in the things of this world but in God’s sufficiency.
If you know Him, trust that He is enough. If you don’t know Him, come to Him. Put your faith in Someone who won’t leave you empty. Remember, the world is not enough, and it will never be.
theOlivetbee 