What Are You Pursuing?

By Victor Osorio

Samuel Truett Cathy, the founder of Chic-Fil-A, passed away in 2014 at the age of 93.  At the time, I told my wife, Terra, that Cathy’s longevity is proof that a Chic-Fil-A diet will not kill me prematurely.

Of course, S. Truett Cathy was known for his company and its awesome chicken sandwiches.  But more importantly, he was known for his character, morals, love of family, and for being religious.

A Wall Street Journal advertisement in memorial to him had Proverbs 22:1, “A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches, and loving favor rather than silver and gold.”  How true.  And how nice in a business world that often uses “Greed is good” as a motto.

Mr. Cathy was also an author.  One of his books was “Wealth: Is it Worth It?”  In it, Cathy concluded that wealth is only worth it if you earn it honestly, spend it wisely, save it reasonably, and give generously.  That is wise counsel, but I will add that wealth is only worth it if it doesn’t keep you from God.

In Matthew 6:19-20 we read, “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal.”

Luke 12:15-21 adds “Watch out!  Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of possessions.  The ground of a certain rich man yielded an abundant harvest.  He thought to himself, ‘What shall I do?  I have no place to store my crops.’  Then he said, ‘This is what I’ll do: I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store my surplus grain.  And I’ll say to myself, “You have plenty of grain laid up for many years.  Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry.”’  But God said to him, ‘You fool!  This very night your life will be demanded from you.  Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?’  This is how it will be with whoever stores up things for themselves but is not rich toward God.”

These passages remind me of recently when I was cleaning out the garage.  I came across trophies and awards I had collected over the years.  They were broken, tattered, faded, and scratched.  They didn’t fare well being stored in attics and garages through our family’s various moves.

As I threw most of them away, I remembered back in elementary school wanting a trophy so bad.  I used to draw them in art class.  I remembered in junior high and high school seeking to win district championships and MVP awards.  It drove me constantly.  And there the fruits lay…meaningless.

So, I ask, especially our young people, what are you pursuing?  But adults too, what are we pursuing?

Wealth is okay.  Seeking to be your best at a sport or instrument, or any other talent, is okay, perhaps even noble.  After all, Proverbs 10:4 says, “A slack hand causes poverty, but the hand of the diligent makes rich.”  And Proverbs 22:2 says, “The rich and the poor meet together; the Lord is the maker of them all.”  But what are we pursuing?

Parents, what are you allowing, even enabling your children to pursue more - their soul or scholarship?  Spirituality or sports?  It’s an important question.

Let’s let our attitude be that of Matthew 6:33, “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.”

Because in the end, as Proverbs 11:4 warns, “Riches do not profit in the day of wrath, but righteousness delivers from death.”