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)
The monkey watched from the safety of his branch as a 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, with his arm still inside, he dragged the pot toward the safety of his tree.
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 more intelligent than the monkey, 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 should get.
The devil’s chain is not long. While I grip temporal gifts, Satan draws me toward eternal imprisonment. The one breakable link between me and his hellfire is where my palm seizes earthly privileges. My only available option is to open my monkey fist and trust Jesus.
Prayer: Giving Lord, I set my hope on you alone.