I’ve always loved the phrase, “keep your eyes on the prize.” This idea that continual focus on your goal will bring that goal ever closer to fruition. There are countless activities in life that prove that where your eyes go, there your body will follow. When I learned to juggle the key was to keep your eyes in a central fixed position so that you could keep an overview on all the items you were attempting to keep in the air. When you learn to drive, they wisely instruct you to keep your eyes on the road. It still amazes me that while driving, if you avert your gaze for even an instant, your hands (and the steering wheel) follow exactly where your eyes are looking. In playing tennis the ante is upped. You not only have to keep your eye on the ball, but you must forecast where the ball will be when you desire to hit it. A combination of focus and anticipation. But ultimately in life you must make up your mind what you're prize is. You see, the things of this world will all attempt to become your prize. What will be the one thing that you focus your mind, eyes and heart on in this world?
Throughout life your focus can change greatly. What my focus was on in my teens was vastly different than what I was focused on in my 20’s and 30. Still even more greatly different was my focus in my 40’s. As we mature our thoughts change. Our needs change. And as result it is possible for our prize to change. What we chased as imperative at 28 years old is no longer important to us at 38. Our goal? To ascertain a prize that is always relative, pertinent, important and has great value no matter your age, social status, income or education. Have you found the ultimate prize to set your eyes upon?
Today we see just such a change of focus for King Solomon. If you have been closely studying his journey in 1 Kings, you have started to see this change of focus throughout the last few chapters. Solomon was named king of the Israelites by his father David and then ordained by God. As God asked Solomon what he desired in order to be King, Solomon wisely asked for wisdom and knowledge to perform his job as King. God, in His natural state of abundant blessing, gave Solomon not only a great mind of understanding, but also promised to give him great wealth as well. And as we see the great wealth start really rolling in, we see Solomon’s slow slide into distraction.
Now there’s nothing wrong with wealth. Money in itself is amoral. If I give you $50 million dollars, you could either build a children’s hospital or you could buy yourself a Learjet and fly your friends all over the world in luxury. You see, money does nothing but become an extension of the hand that holds it. The great wealth of Solomon was not evil, in fact it was explicitly given to him by God. But what we see in chapter 10 is that when the things of the world change your prize, you’re eyes will indeed focus on that new prize.
There’s rich and then there’s Solomon rich. We’re told in verse 14 that 666 talents of gold flowed into Solomon’s hands every year. That’s a little over 1 billion dollars in today’s value. And folks, those truckloads of gold flowed in nice and easy every single year. We’re told that he had so much silver that it was basically worthless. The effects of supply and demand, devaluing something of value to zero. Solomon had pretty much cornered the market on precious metals. He had expensive spices by the warehouse, piles of precious stones, 40,000 imported Egyptian horses, 1,400 iron chariots, rare exotic woods and even a solid ivory throne overlaid in pure gold. And get this, he even had a personal zoo. We’re told in verse 22 that every three years his vast fleet of ships would import gold, silver, ivory, apes and peacocks. Solomon’s wealth had moved beyond just a distraction..it changed his focus, it has become his prize.
I cannot explicitly find in God’s Word where He forbids personal zoos, but I can find some scripture that discusses some other items that have made it onto Solomon’s shopping list.
“The king, moreover, must not acquire great numbers of horses for himself or make the people return to Egypt to get more of them, for the Lord has told you, “You are not to go back that way again.” Deuteronomy 17:16
“He must not accumulate large amounts of silver and gold.” Deuteronomy 17:17b
“He must not take many wives, or his heart will be led astray.” Deuteronomy 17:17a
Folks as you say in baseball, that’s three strikes for Solomon. He is importing horses from Egypt, he has collected vast piles of gold and silver as a hobby, and as we will see in chapter 11 tomorrow, he has also collected over 1000 wives, most foreigners. And just as God said, they will turn Solomon’s heart to other gods and ultimately distract his heart.
Friends, the evil one, satan, is thoroughly in control of this world today. (1 John 5:19, 2 Cor. 4:4, John 14:30, Rev 12:9) And his goal? To shift your focus. To change you goal. To offer you a new prize. You see, Jesus is our prize. He is the one thing in this world that we should treasure, value and chase after with all that we are. He is invaluable, He is priceless, He is worth all the riches the world has ever known. He is our Savior, our Messiah, He is Lord. He came here and died on a Cross so that all that call upon His name can be saved from the death of their sin. Jesus is the treasure of the world and should be worshipped as the singular vision and focus of your life. But the evil one does not share your sentiment. You see, satan’s primary goal is to change your focus. Will money make you change your focus? If so, he’ll tempt you with money. Is it power? Fame, control or authority? Sex, drugs, pornography or alcohol? Whatever it takes to shift your focus from Jesus to this world, it can and will be done. But through the very power of Jesus Christ, you can be victorious. Through the infinite power of Christ, He can afford you with the singular focus to keep your eyes on Him. He can give you the strength to resist the temptations of this word that seek to offer you a new prize.
Today, focus on Jesus. Keep your eyes on Him, His laws and His Words. For Jesus is the only prize in this world that will usher you into an eternity in Heaven.
“You will keep the mind that is dependent on You in perfect peace, for it is trusting in You.” Isaiah 26:3
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