Prior to and after the USMC, I had held what I would consider normal jobs, making a slightly above average income. When I got a call from Ron Haas, a recruiter who had placed me after leaving the Marine Corps about a high dollar opportunity, I jumped on it. After initial rejection by the company, Ron called back three months later, saying the person they hired failed and they wanted me. I told him I wasn’t interested, which drew a call from the VP of the hiring company. His opening statement was “I didn’t think Chuck Coker was a quitter.” Well I was hooked and embarked on a 12 year journey which introduced me to personal success, money, cars, travel and exotic locations, important people and a standard of living destined to complicate my simple mind. I had been introduced to the lust of the eyes and the “I want that” syndrome like a thirsty man in front of a fire hydrant.

After our base, fleshly desires comes our innate craving for the objects we see. Things become more prominent as we move into adulthood. You will be under constant pressure to conform, especially materialistically. We are all encouraged to make clothes, cars, homes, collectibles, and whatever else you can buy, our “gods.” They, like our lusts, can dominate our thoughts and become the motivation for our actions, consuming every waking moment. The reality is that we can never have everything we may want. Even if you have unlimited income every new day will present something “better” to desire than what the day before – until it all becomes meaningless as it did to Solomon (Ecclesiastes 1 – 2).

I am not sure whether Solomon actually asked for wisdom (2 Chronicles 1:7), or was directed by God through a dream to see the importance of governing His people with wisdom. (1 Kings 3:5) Regardless, our Father positioned him as the greatest of all men (excepting Christ) at understanding and discernment. Yet during his lifetime he was constantly distracted by his riches, one of his 900 wives and 100 concubines, his endless building projects, (1 Kings 6, 9, 10, 11, 2 Kings 23, 1 Chronicles 6, 22, 2 Chronicles 8, 9, 35) his responsibilities as King, and host to endless emissaries and visitors. When silver is considered of little value because you have too much gold, the picture is tainted. God loves Solomon, yet Solomon’s possessions (especially his wives and concubines) were his demise. They initiated his depression (Ecclesiastes 2:17 – 18), and robbed him of his peace and joy. The one consolation we see is that in the end, the truth of God’s eternal promise was still present in his heart. (Ecclesiastes 2:24 – 26)

Kids, when you get distracted from your calling in life by the trappings of “things” it can become a vicious cycle. If you don’t focus on what is important, (2 Corinthians 4:18) the joy and peace will leave and the darkness of depression will set in with a stranglehold. Keep your eyes on the ultimate goal by asking yourself what really matters: “Does this thing or situation have eternal value?” If it doesn’t I think you already know the answer. You are eternal – take with you what you can. You know what I mean?

Love Dad