Daily Devotions

← Return to Blog Home

Brutal Truths

main image


"The Pharisees, who were lovers of money, heard all this, and they ridiculed him. So he said to them, 'You are those who justify yourselves in the sight of others; but God knows your hearts; for what is prized by human beings is an abomination in the sight of God.'" (Luke 16:14-15)


Matthew Jones, a contributor for inc.com, caught my eye, with the following article. It certainly speaks to the issue raised by Jesus, who chastises the Pharisees for being lovers of money. Like Mr. Jones' article describes, there is a lot more to life than money:



Unfortunately, the more time you spend pretending that ultimate truths don't exist, the more time you waste not being your authentic self and getting the most out of every precious second.




Here are Twenty brutal truths that every single person needs to hear.


1. You're going to die and you have no idea when.
Stop pretending that you're invincible. Acknowledge the fact of your own mortality, and then start structuring your life in a more meaningful way.
2. Everyone you love is going to die, and you don't know when.
3.Your material wealth won't make you a better or happier person.
Even if you're one of the lucky ones who achieves his or her materialistic dreams, money only amplifies that which was already present.
Happiness is always present in your life--it's just a matter of connecting to it and allowing it to flow through you that's challenging.
5. Donating money does less than donating time.
6. You can't make everyone happy, and if you try, you'll lose yourself.
7. You can't be perfect, and holding yourself to unrealistic standards creates suffering.
Intellectually thinking through your problems isn't as helpful as expressing the feelings that create your difficulties in the first place.
Be responsible and take actions that increase positivity and love.
10. Your achievements and successes won't matter on your death bed.
When your time has come to transition from this reality, you won't be thinking about that raise; you'll be thinking about the relationships you've made--so start acting accordingly.
11. Your talent means nothing without consistent effort and practice.
Some of the most talented people in the world never move out from their parent's basement.
You can't control the past, and you can't predict the future, and trying to do so only removes you from the one thing you can control--the present.
13. Nobody cares how difficult your life is, and you are the author of your life's story.
Words have the power to oppress, hurt, and shame, but they also have the power to liberate and inspire--start using them more wisely.
15. Investing in yourself isn't selfish. It's the most worthwhile thing you can do.
16. It's not what happens, it's how you react that matters.
19. Your ambition means nothing without execution--it's time to put in the work.
20. Time is your most valuable asset--you need to prioritize how you spend it.