What are you doing? Do it better

Selfish and Worthless

By

April 9th, 2026

Scripture – “Turn my heart toward your statutes and not toward selfish gain. Turn my eyes away from worthless things; preserve my life according to your word.”

‭‭Psalms‬ ‭119‬:‭36‬-‭37‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Observation – The psalmist is asking God to turn his heart toward’s God’s laws and how God wants people to live and not toward selfish gain. He asks that God would turn his eyes away from worthless things and preserve his life according to God’s word (the promises God has made to those who love and obey him).

Application – If there is selfish gain, there must also be unselfish gain. If the psalmist is asking God to turn his eyes from worthless things there must be something valuable to turn towards. Jesus says, ““Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. “The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are healthy, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eyes are unhealthy, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness! “No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.” Matthew‬ ‭6‬:‭19‬-‭24‬. Jesus is expanding on Psalm 119:36-37 by stating that storing up treasures on earth that decay and are stolen is selfish and worthless but storing up treasure in heaven is valuable. He goes on to say that our eyes are the lamp of our bodies. If our eyes are healthy (looking towards things of value) our whole body will be healthy, but if our eyes our unhealthy our body will be full of darkness. If your master is money then Jesus says you are full of darkness, you are pursuing selfish gain and your eyes are fixed on worthless things. If God is your master your eyes are full of light and health. 

Prayer – Lord please forgive us for focusing on money and looking to it for security and happiness. Turn our hearts towards your statutes and away from selfish gain and to turn our eyes away from worthless things and towards things that are valuable to you and eternal. Amen.