Chasing Carrots

Scriptures: Ecclesiastes 1:14, Matthew 6:19-34

Chasing Carrots

The idea of chasing carrots comes from the carrot and stick metaphor first written about in the mid-1800s. Imagine a cartoon drawing of a donkey with a carrot dangling just out of reach. The rider holds the carrot on a long stick and uses it to motivate the donkey to race. For the donkey, the reward is always just one more step away.

Do you ever feel like the donkey?

Long before the 1800s, King Solomon lamented the futile pursuits in life as nothing more than “chasing after the wind.”

Have you ever tried to catch the wind? It’s always just one more step away.

The tricky thing about “just one more step” is that there’s always just one more step. Just a few more years in this job, or once you graduate, or as soon as you get married, or when the kids are older, or when your faith is stronger, or when you can afford the next thing that promises happiness. Just. One. More. Step. 

There’s a better way to live. You can step off the performance treadmill. There is so much more to life than bigger and better. 

Jesus addressed this frenzied quest for more in Matthew 6. As you read Jesus’ words today, try this. Take a deep breath and empty your mind of your concerns. Imagine you’re there as He’s teaching. What are you sitting on? How does the air smell? How does His voice sound? What else do you hear? What do you see? What is unraveling inside of you at the sound of his voice?

After you’re done reading today’s Scripture with the method above, here are two questions to consider. Wasn’t it nice to slow down and be around Jesus? How can I make more room for Jesus in my life?

Pray: After reading today’s Scriptures, pray and ask God to slow you down enough to hear from Him throughout your day. 

Scriptures: Luke 4:1-20, Matthew 9:27-31, John 8:12, John 1:14-18, Mark 16:15

Chasing Fame

The Greek word for fame—phēmē, pronounced fā’-mā—is used only twice in the New Testament. It’s often defined as speech, report, or news. Here’s how phēmē is used in Luke 4:14 KJV:

And Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit into Galilee: and there went out a fameof him through all the region round about.

Where was Jesus returning from that caused a fame of Him to spread through the region? Let’s get context. In Luke 1, we hear about Jesus’ coming birth. In Luke 2, He’s born and grows into a boy. In Luke 3, He’s baptized. Finally, in the first several verses of Luke 4, Jesus is fasting and being tested in the desert by Satan. This brings us back to Luke 4:14. 

Then Jesus returned to Galilee, filled with the Holy Spirit’s power. Reports about him spread quickly through the whole region. Luke 4:14 NLT 

In today’s reading, you’ll take in the whole story of Jesus’ test in the desert. Jesus was fasting in the desert for 40 days and in the middle of it, Satan himself tempted Jesus with the wrong kind of food (Luke 4:3-4), fame (Luke 4:5-8), and faith (Luke 4:9-12). Each time, Jesus rejected the temptation and responded with God’s Word.

Luke 4:14 fame is not always the kind we chase, is it? We tend to go after the kind Satan offers Jesus in the desert. Supply without satisfaction (Luke 4:3-4), splendor without sacrifice (Luke 4:5-8), and salvation without surrender (Luke 4:9-12). 

Think about recognition at work, social media likes, and praise from others. It feels good for a moment, and then you instantly crave more. If we’re honest, we’ve all likely experienced times when we wanted to be noticed or well-known for something. Similarly, Satan offers Jesus money, influence, and power. Jesus was tempted just like us, but He didn’t take the bait. 

We’ll also read about Satan’s final temptation to Jesus—asking Him to jump off a building so God would have to catch Him. Have you ever tried to pray a prayer that forces God to do things your way, in your timing? It’s not very honoring to God—which is why Jesus responds by saying we shouldn’t test God like that. 

There’s a reconstructed language called PIE—Proto-Indo-European—the unwritten ancestor to Greek. The PIE root-word that became phēmē, is -bha, which means “to shine” and “to speak.” So let’s go back to our roots. We’re not made to be the Light—that’s Jesus—but we are called to shine His light. We are not the Word—the Gospel of John says that’s also Jesus—but we are called to speak His Word to all the world.

Chasing fame is going after something that belongs to God instead of going after God Himself. That’s the oldest temptation in the book. Don’t fall for it. Next time you face the temptation of fame, do what Jesus did. Shine God’s light by speaking His words. And when you do, Luke 4:14 happens. His fame gets spread around.

Pray: God, how is trying to be liked keeping me from shining your light? I want to go after You with everything in me. Amen.  

Scriptures: Galatians 1:10, Ecclesiastes 9:7, 2 Timothy 2:15, Romans 14:16-18, 1 Thessalonians 2:3-8, Titus 3:4-7

Chasing Approval

Here’s the thing: Approval is something you should desire. Stick with us—this isn’t some sort of bait-and-switch.

Approval is something you should desire. The thing that will make or break you is whose approval you seek.

We’re conditioned in life to seek the approval of people. As children, adults praise us when we do good things. We enjoy their praise, so we continue doing good things. In school, we study hard in search of praise from teachers, or we goof off to find acceptance from peers. Once we enter the workforce, we put in long hours in hopes of impressing our bosses, or we buy bigger houses and better cars to gain the respect of our friends and family.

And when we succeed in gaining the approval of people? We feel great. The world looks brighter. We walk with a spring in our step. Our very sense of self-worth is strengthened.

But.

You knew there was going to be a “but.”

Eventually, one of those people will fail to give you approval. And when that happens, it can be a mess. You may already know this.

It’s not that you were looking to the wrong people. You won’t ever find the approval you need from people. Only God can speak your deepest need for approval. And guess what? You don’t have to stand on your head or act a certain way to gain His approval. The moment you accept Christ as your Savior and make Him the Lord of your life, you’re approved by God. That’s it. You’re set, because from that point on, you’re God’s child. 

Chances are you’ve heard all of this before. Today, let yourself feel it. You have all the approval you could ever need—approval that will never falter or fail. Your worth is secure, and you can rest in the approval of God your Father.

Consider: Who or what are you currently looking to for approval? How would your relationships change if you let God’s approval meet that need?

Scriptures: Matthew 5:48, James 2:10, Matthew 19:16-21, Psalms 119:89-96, Hebrews 11:39-40

Chasing Perfection

“Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.” Matthew 5:48

No big deal, right? You’re just supposed to be perfect—as the holy, righteous God of the entire universe is perfect.

No big deal, right?

Yeah, not so much.

If you were to make yourself perfect, where would you even start? God is perfect because no sin, or wrongdoing, exists in Him. We’re not talking about the world’s idea of perfection here—perfect clothes, a perfect house, a perfect spouse. What we’re talking about is so much higher than that. You would need to be sinless. No lying, no cursing, no snapping at the kids, or “borrowing” your friend’s Netflix password.

Let’s pretend you say, “Sure. I can do that.” And you do. You clean up your act. You obey the speed limit. You give to the poor. You pay for Netflix yourself. And you do this for days, then weeks, then months, then years.

But you still wouldn’t be perfect.

See, there’s the small matter of the sins you’ve already committed. Like James 2:10 says—if you keep every law in God’s Word, but fail once, you’re still on the hook.

So, where do you go from here?

In Matthew 19, a wealthy young man found himself trying to be better. He asked Jesus what he should do to get eternal life. Jesus told him to obey the major commandments. The young man said that he had kept each of those commandments. Then, Jesus replied, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” But when the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had great wealth.

Jesus wasn’t telling the young man that becoming perfect was a two-step plan. First, obey the commandments, and second, give away all your stuff. Jesus was saying the path to perfection starts with getting rid of whatever might keep a person from following Him.

But perfect? How could anyone be perfect? This is not the world’s kind of perfect. It’s so much better. When you choose to follow Christ, He covers your sins and imperfections with the death He died on the cross. And in God’s eyes, you become every bit as perfect as Christ Himself.

Pray: God, thank You for the perfect sacrifice of Your Son. Help me to give up anything that’s preventing me from following Christ. In Jesus’ name, amen. 

Scriptures: 1 Kings 10:1-8, Ecclesiastes 2:1-11, Ecclesiastes 12:13

Chasing Achievement

When it comes to biblical kings, no one achieved quite as much as Solomon. Israel flourished under his reign. He oversaw the construction of God’s temple. He built himself a royal palace. Rulers would travel long distances to see his wealth, bringing with them gifts of gold and jewels. He could answer any question posed to him. He had his choice of women. He had been blessed with every good thing one might wish for in a lifetime.

If anyone should have been happy with what they had achieved in life, it should have been Solomon. But in the book of Ecclesiastes, Solomon painted a different picture. He literally says, “I hated all the things I toiled for under the sun …” He explains, “because I must leave them to the one who comes after me.”

Solomon figured something out. We can’t take it all with us in the next life. Our promotions, houses, awards, cars, and vacations stay behind. 

Wondering what actually matters in life? 

Solomon found an answer for that question. At the end of Ecclesiastes, he sums it up, “Fear God and keep His commandments, for this is the duty of all mankind.”

At first glance, this might not seem like the most inspirational thing ever, but take another look. Solomon says that these are the things we should seek to achieve in life: fearing God—which means loving Him, respecting Him, and doing what He asks.

We’re used to the world saying, “Run! Don’t stop. See these expensive things? See these accolades? Thousands of other people want them, but don’t let that stop you. Fight for them! Go! What else are you doing with your life? Life is a competition, and only the best will succeed.”

But God’s Word says, “Love God. Do good.” 

Think about how accessible this is to everyone. No matter whether you’re single or married. Rich or poor. Young or old. Healthy or sick. Love God and do good. 

Consider: What would change about today if your only goal in every situation was to love God and do good? How will you achieve this goal?

Scriptures: Isaiah 53:1-12, 1 Peter 2:21-25

Chasing Comfort

Whether we’re stressed, hurt, tired, lonely, or just bored, we all find ourselves at times chasing comfort. Who hasn’t overspent, overeaten, overslept, overdrunk, and overestimated the ability of stuff to actually deliver lasting comfort?

The word “comfort” has its own complicated history. It comes from two Latin word parts, com-, which means “together with,” and fortis, which means “strong or strength.” Later, the Latin word confortare came to mean “to strengthen much.” Eventually, an Old French word, conforter, added words like “solace” and “help” to the definition. In the 14th century, another French word conforten was defined as “to cheer up, console.” Finally, by the 17th century, the English version of the word began to imply the sense of physical ease that we understand today. 

Why does this matter? In about a millennium, the word “comfort” went from meaning, “together-strength,” to meaning “pain-barrier.”

Do you see God as your strength, together with you in the midst of pain, or as your barrier from pain? 

The prophet Isaiah foretold of a Messiah who would enter our world to be wounded for our transgressions and suffer for our healing. If the very nature of our faith is to follow in the footsteps of Jesus, then let us consider His response to pain. In 1 Peter 2:21-25, we see a Savior who accepted pain quietly despite having done nothing to earn it. Jesus does not avoid pain or look for a scapegoat; He comes into our world and makes our pain His pain.

Jesus is together-strength. Then, before He goes back to be with the Father, He promises us that the Holy Spirit —a “Comforter”—would not only be together with us, but in us! That’s something worth chasing. 

So, let’s not chase the worldly version of comfort—bingeing Netflix series with our trusty friends Ben & Jerry. Instead, let’s pursue comfort from the Holy Spirit, knowing that it doesn’t mean a pain-free life but comfort in the middle of pain. 

Pray: God, I don’t like discomfort, but I love You. Please change my understanding of Your comfort, and help me to really feel it. Holy Spirit, show me how Your “together-strength” is with me and in me. Jesus, thank You for bearing my shame on the cross. Amen.

Scriptures: Hebrews 12:1-3, John 1:14, Mark 10:45, Matthew 5:1-48, Matthew 6:1-34, Matthew 7:1-29

Chasing God

Where are you going?

No matter where we’re going at any given moment, it helps to have a destination in mind. 

The problem with the world around us, however, is that we’re bombarded with things we ought to do. We ought to chase fame and approval and everything else. With so many destinations coming at us, it’s no surprise how many of us are left stunned, looking for direction in life.  

If we’re only capable of going toward one destination at a time, what should that destination be?

Hebrews 12:1-3 makes that clear. We’re to fix our eyes on Jesus. When we run toward Him, we gain not just Him, but everything else we need. He paid the penalty for our sins. He secured for us everlasting life. He provides for us every day. And He’s transforming us to become the people we were created to be.

But how do you run toward Christ? You do what He did. 

Prayer. When Jesus needed to recharge after days spent speaking to crowds, He sought out His Father. When He was in distress in the Garden of Gethsemane, He cried out to His Father. Prayer keeps us connected to Christ.

People. We were created to live in relationship with other people. Jesus surrounded Himself with people throughout His time here, challenging them and encouraging them in their faith. You’ll probably chase whatever the people you spend the most time with are chasing. So, spend some time with people who are chasing God.

Serving. Jesus came to earth to serve—He said so Himself. He did so in ways big and small, and He ended His ministry with the ultimate service—sacrificing His life for ours. When we serve those around us, we chase God by doing what Jesus did. 

Fasting. Whether Jesus was fasting from food in the desert, or from time around people when He went away to find silence and solitude, Jesus, the Son of God, knew even He needed to temporarily remove things from His life to chase after God. What can you occasionally remove to chase God?

The Word. Jesus had a head start on this—as John 1 says, Christ literally was the Word of God in human form. One of the best ways we can know Christ is spending regular time reading, meditating on, and contemplating God’s direction for us in the Bible.

Act: Which of the above will you take action on in your life? How will you start? Who will you tell about it?