Independence

Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Matthew 6:26

Tomorrow night is the NFL draft. Professional football teams will select college players for their teams. For those selected it means the fulfillment of dreams of money and fame and, I believe most of all independence. The state of not having to rely on anyone or anything is what most of us strive for. I think the lucky selectees will quickly discover they haven’t achieved the independence they dream about. Their football careers will likely be short. Each day will be filled with dread of a career ending injury or something else that will steal their star status and their independence.

For most, the dream of independence takes the form of riches. We seek to be “independently” wealthy. We want to have enough to be secure and independent. I have known folks with an awful lot who were not independent. They check their “net worth” several times a day and live in fear of a market or bank collapse. I did notice on Facebook yesterday someone who only wanted to be rich enough to be able to stare off into space while filling their gas tank. I guess that’s a moderately limited dream of independence.

I think we would all be better off if we gave up our dreams of independence and accepted that fact that we will always be dependent. We can, however, choose on whom we will depend. We can depend on money or politics or fame. We can depend on our employer or our biggest client. We can depend on our parents or spouse or rich uncle. Or we can depend on Jesus.

There is only one dependence that is truly freeing, permanent and secure. Depending on anything but Jesus is false security and a pipe dream. Anything else can, and eventually will, let us down.

It’s great to have dreams and excitement about our future. It’s wise to invest and depend on the only one that can bring us what our hearts truly desire.

Be smart, secure, dependent and blessed.