In one of his sermons, Dr. Adrian Rogers said that we tend to seek the three C’s, cash, Cadillacs and comfort. Each of us needs some cash, a dependable form of transportation and some comfort. Dr. Rogers was pointing out that when these three C’s become our priorities one, two and three in life, we are being shortsighted. All three will perish when we die or when the Second Coming takes place, whichever comes first.
We need cash to pay for the essentials in life, food, shelter and personal care. The problem can come when we are obsessed with getting more cash in order to have more and better food, a nicer place (or places) to stay and greater personal comfort. When we put money first in our priorities in life, we are prone to seek the easiest ways to accumulate the greatest amount. This could mean that which is illegal or unethical which we explain as “the end justifies the means” or “the early bird gets the worm.” Jesus did not condemn having cash or even lots of it. When talking to the rich young ruler he told him to give it away but it was not for the purpose of the ruler not having his riches, it was a test to see whether the money or salvation was priority number one in his life. Having cash is a worthy priority as long as it is not priority number one.
Dr. Rogers mentioned Cadillacs as another of the three C’s that we tend to want. Most of us need transportation and, if we have the cash, we can buy a Cadillac or some other form of luxury transportation. There is nothing wrong in wanting to own a Cadillac unless that priority ranks higher than seeking God.
The third item listed by Dr. Rogers in his three C’s of cash, Cadillacs and comfort, could lead us to avoid work, being lazy and being self-centered. We should all seek basic comfort and health care but when it is a priority above our salvation, we are thinking only of ourselves in our present life and not of the future. Earthly comforts will cease when we die, salvation continues forever.
The basic conclusion of this is that we can seek cash, Cadillacs and comfort as long as they are no higher in our priorities than two, three and four (or five, six and seven) with number one being seeking God, accepting Jesus as our savior and living the life that the Bible teaches us to live. That is a big number one. However, when it is number one in our priorities, look at what happens to our desire for cash, Cadillacs and comfort. Much of our cash becomes support for our Church and other ministries rather than just for those around us and ourselves. We might still have a Cadillac or some other nice car, but our last dollar does not go for that car. We might still live in a very nice house but not if that house means we cannot afford to support our Church and other ministries.
So what is priority number one in your life? God is the only priority that yields rewards in both this life and the next. All other priorities in whatever our three C’s might be will end in this lifetime and could prevent us from making God our number one priority. Making God first requires that we place God above self in our priorities. What are the first five priorities in your life?
Study questions are available for this program can be found at christianfamilynashville.com, SPIRIRUAL LIFE, TEACHABLE MOMENTS.
Kenneth W. Oosting, Ph.D.
