The apostle Paul reminded us that you really cannot “take it with you” when he wrote these words to Timothy: “For we have brought nothing into the world, so we cannot take anything out of it either” (2 Timothy 6:7). This truth should help us to put material things into proper perspective. Everything associated with the material universe is temporary and will exist only as long as the universe exists. Thus, to put all our time and efforts into accumulating material things is what Solomon described as “vanity and striving after wind” (Ecclesiastes 1:14). So, how should we view the “things” of this world? Well, we should recognize that they’re really not worth much in view of eternity. We should use them but not hold on to them with our hearts. We should also be generous with them; that is, we should use them in serving or helping others. Those who try to “store them” up usually forfeit them, like Achan or the rich man who built bigger barns. You can never keep them forever. They are designed by God for the “here and now” and must be spent in the “here and now.” It’s really not a matter of how much you have or don’t have, but how you view what you have. When you add it all up, it really amounts to nothing that will last.

Paul wrote this to the Corinthians… “Do not be bound together with unbelievers; for what partnership have righteousness and lawlessness, or what fellowship has light with darkness? Or what harmony has Christ with Belial, or what has a believer in common with an unbeliever? Or what agreement has the temple of God with idols…” (2 Corinthians 6:14-16). The terms, “bound together,” literally mean “unequally yoked” and have several applications for us. The basic message is that we should not be so associated with the world to the extent that the world dictates our behavior. The idea of being “yoked” together reminds us of how animals are yoked so as to help one another pull a load. We must not help in pulling sinful loads with the world, and we must not allow ourselves to be dominated by the world as to feel obligated to pull its load. From a personal standpoint, the apostle is saying that we should not listen to the world when it opposes God. This has implications for the way we talk, the way we dress and what we do with our time. Does our job take precedence over the Lord’s work and worship? Do our school activities come between us and what the Lord expects? If so, then perhaps we are bound more to the idols of the world than to the temple of God. It’s easy to get all tied up with the world and to loosen our attachment with our Creator, so let’s be