“Where is your security?” asked the Sunday morning discussion leader. There was a brief silence, and then some of the people began to share their beliefs. Their answers were as different as they were. “My family and I were very poor when I was a child,” one woman said. “My security is in getting a check regularly and having a little money in the bank.” “Having enough food and shelter to keep me out of a homeless shelter,” said one. “For me, it’s in having friends and a community,” said an older woman. “For me, it’s being strong and in good health,” said a middle-aged man.
We all need to be sure that what we trust for security will not fail us. There is no security in money. It can be lost. It can be taken from us, and we certainly can’t take it with us when we die.
While loving relatives, friends, and communities are wonderful while they exist, they are constantly changing. People change, communities change, and dear relatives and friends die, leaving us alone.
If we have good health and strength, we need to use them and enjoy them. Good health and strength can be lost in a day. If we live long enough, we will lose both and die. That is the way with us human beings.
However, there is one source of real security for all of us. That source is a person, not a thing. Jesus has promised to be with us in the good times and bad, in poverty and wealth, in sickness or health, even in death and dying. Once we put our faith and trust in Him, He promises He will never leave us or forsake us (Joshua 1:5).
The hymn writer (Edward Monte, 1797-1871) expressed it well when he wrote:
“On Christ, the solid Rock, I stand;
All other ground is sinking sand,
All other ground is sinking sand.”
Dr. Robert Wilkerson is a minister, writer, and founder of People for the Christian Way, an organization whose mission is to encourage all people to practice Christian principles in business, politics, and every area of life. drbobwilkerson@bellsouth.net, www.peopleforthechristianway.com
