We all want to feel secure in life. We lock our doors at night. We double and triple check if our vehicles are locked. We look for job security. We anxiously wonder if we are prepared for retirement. Security is an important subject.

False security is learned too late that you have put your trust in the wrong thing.

What or whom are you putting your security in? One of Jesus’ followers, James, talked about this subject in James 1:9-11. Here he discusses the importance of having our security built on eternal things.

Establishing our security on temporary things can negatively influence our view of ourselves and others. This will cause us to treat people differently based on what they have or don’t have.

A good thing can be a bad thing if it keeps us from the best thing.

James encourages the poor person not to be discouraged by his present status but to think in terms of eternity. It’s easy to become discouraged in life when you are struggling to make ends meet.

When you’re faced with making daily decisions based on what you can live without versus what you’d like to have, life can feel merciless. Don’t fall into the trap of self-pity and build your identity on what you don’t have.

Therefore, James says to look ahead and boast in your exaltation, your position in heaven. The remedy to this type of discouragement is to focus on the future, heaven.

He then instructs the rich to boast in their humility, to be humble. Having an abundance can cause us to view life through a distorted lens.

Wealth can make us immune to the daily struggles of others because we live without making many if any sacrifices. It’s not a sin to be wealthy or to accumulate wealth, but the danger is finding our security in it.

Jesus taught about a rich young ruler who was captivated by his wealth so much that he was unwilling to lay it down to follow Jesus. Jesus wasn’t teaching that to follow Him, you must be poor, but the rich young ruler was unwilling to surrender.

Whatever you’re unwilling to surrender will eventually become the thing that compromises your loyalty to God.

Both perspectives, being wealthy and being poor, can be a debilitating mindset that will affect following Jesus. So James teaches the rich to live humbly and for the poor to live with eternity in mind, knowing our earthly status has no influence on eternity.

Neither extreme causes God to bless us more. We are equally blessed by God, not because of our accomplishments or bank account, but because you are His follower.

Being His follower doesn’t mean He loves you more and He loves non-follower less but that you are in a position to receive, experience, and reciprocate that love.

As a follower of Jesus, your value appreciates and never depreciates!

Who or what are you putting your security in? Is it rooted in friends, titles, accomplishments or your bank account? Those are temporary statuses that can change at the drop of a hat.

Put your security in your position as a follower of Jesus Christ knowing that He is preparing a place for you and nothing in this world can change that!

Be blessed!