Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom. Sell your possessions, and give to the needy. Provide yourselves with moneybags that do not grow old, with a treasure in the heavens that does not fail, where no thief approaches and no moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
Luke 12: 33-34
What dims my light? I hate to admit my fears, but those worries and uncertainties sometimes push my light under a basket.
You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house.
Matthew 5: 14-15
In a recent sermon, our pastor pointed out that beneath our fears lie idols we tend to serve instead of trusting God[i]. In another appropriate note from my personal devotions, I am reminded that an untested faith is only theoretical. In other words, can I “put my money where my mouth is?” Is what I claim to believe authentic when my fears get in the way? For the last month I have been challenged on my fears. This week God gave me another big challenge. I recognize my fears, and I know they stem from a basic idol of greed.
Income tax season has arrived—a matter of dread for most of us. My taxes this year were ugly, but I swallowed the big lump in my throat, wrote the checks and headed toward the post office. A brutal wind of twenty miles per hour and gusts to thirty-two mph bombarded me as I walked out my door and scurried down to the garage. When I got to the post office, of the three envelopes I had to mail, I had just two. The missing envelope held the most money, of course! My first reaction was panic.
The wind snatched the envelope out of my hand and someone will find it and spend the money. Woe is me!
My mind whirled about and attempted to calm my fears. I prayed as I drove back home to search for the missing envelope. I went through all the possible scenarios: Not the wind, but maybe I dropped the envelope in the garage getting into the car; maybe I left it on the kitchen counter; maybe, maybe, maybe. If my check was gone, I knew I could call the bank and put a stop payment on the money, and my accountant could provide me with another voucher.
When I arrived home, I didn’t find the envelope in the garage. I stood in the wind and scanned the parking lot, the lawn, the woods, and the swampy area behind the lawn. No sign of the envelope. I opened the door to the staircase up to my apartment. Lo and behold! The envelope. I had dropped in on the stairway. If my neighbors all the way up the stairs were home, they would have heard me yelling praises to the God I claim to love and trust. (I hope I didn’t wake up the fellow who works the night shift!) I yelled. I did. I yelled praises and thanksgiving. Only God could have prevented a wind gust from blowing the envelope miles away; only God could have kept someone from picking up the envelope and using the money for their own pleasure. I knew they couldn’t really cash it, but this did test my faith.
… for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.
1 Peter 1: 6-7
My focus on finances dims the Light of Jesus in my life. You may have similar fears or another of up to seventy-one negative emotions[iii], “various trials,” to dim your light. I want to allow God to challenge me and help me to trust Him more and more each day to help me yield up my greed, and whatever else I haven’t seen as a light-dimmer in my life.
Anything that places
time,
effort,
or material
above my relationship with the
Lord Jesus Christ is
an idol.
Challenge: How can we consider what may stand in the way of our relationship with Jesus and allow Him to challenge our faith?
Prayer: Thank you, Lord, for the challenges meant to bring us back into the Light of Your presence; help us to come to you daily with our struggles with the idols designed to destroy our relationship with You. Because of Jesus, and in His name, Amen.
“You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.” Matthew 5: 14-16
[i] “Jesus is the Answer to All Our Doubts and Fears,” 15 Feb. 2026; Rev. Matt Purdy, Carlisle Reformed Presbyterian Church.
[ii] This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY
[iii] 71 Negative Emotions: A List of Negative Feelings Examples – Happier Human
