Command those who are rich in this worldʼs goods not to be haughty or to set their hope on riches, which are uncertain, but on God who richly provides us with all things for our enjoyment. 1 Timothy 6:17 (NETFull)
The monkey watched from the safety of his high branch as an African man chained a clay jar to a tree. The man hid something colorful inside the jar and left. The monkey caught a sugary scent. He climbed down and reached a nimble hand to the candy. The mouth of the jar was too narrow to withdraw his closed fist so he dragged the pot toward the safety of his own tree with his arm inside.
The chain clinked taut.
The monkey clamped his fist tighter around the candy and howled. The noise attracted the man who slowly pulled the chain and the monkey toward a cage. The little animal refused to abandon his sweet prize, instead, he screamed in panic. In that situation, what else could a monkey do?
“Let go,” the Lord says to me. “Open your hand from the things of the world and live in freedom.”
Jesus would have me be smarter than the monkey, and yet, I keep mental fists around popularity, health, comfort, my bank account—the list goes on. Like the monkey, I clamp down on my expectations of what I think I should get.
The devil’s chain is not long. While I grip temporal gifts, Satan draws me toward eternal imprisonment. The only breakable link between me and his hellfire is where my own palm seizes earthly privileges. My one hope is to open my hand.
My heavenly Father has a better supply program in mind. He watches over me to provide for all of my needs and some of my wants but, not all, so I’ll learn to discern between the sacred and the superfluous. This is the way life is supposed to work, me looking to my Provider and him looking after me. Simple, dependent gratitude with no debasing monkey fist.
Prayer: Giving Father, I will thank you for each bite of life.