Finding Security

From my little experience of being a sales person, observing some successful sales persons and encountering salesmen and women, here's a little conclusion I observed. One of the effective method to sell a product successfully, is to create or to bring out the sense of insecurity within your customer for not having your product.

In my lessons of Product Design in my Engineering courses, I understood that products were designed on the basis of customer needs, which rises from a deep darkness within every man, insecurity. Companies feel insecure about their technological capabilities to stay ahead of the game, and pushes them within their financial capabilities to advance in efficiency as well as technology. Insurance agents often bring up speculations on unpredictable life events such as accident, sickness and death (which are actually quite predictable. Well, who doesn't get any of those anyway?) that stir within us that anxiety and insecurity when we do not subscribe to an insurance policy. Perfume or deodorant companies advertise an uncelebrated man who attracts prospects of opposite gender after using their product, creates in us that uneasy feeling for not being popular. Body weight management or  body care companies portray models in seemingly perfect body shape and flawless body features, which burns in us the insecurity about how we look. The insecurity about our future career, something we don't seem be able to control as a student, has driven all of us into this academic craze for a false hope and promise of a successful career.

I am not here to condemn the commercial world nor the hard work of students. After all, it is our imperfection that has allowed ourselves to be exploited. This imperfection has been with all human since the first man on earth, Adam:

But the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die. For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate.

Genesis 3:4-6

That was probably the first fraudulent sale ever made to mankind. Despite having the riches of the Garden of Eden and the blessing of having God living among them, the serpent brought out a sense of insecurity for not being God, that successfully capture the heart of Adam and Eve. They wanted to be more powerful, wiser and God-like, but that's exactly when it snowballed into something they had never would have expected.

Then the eyes of both were opened, and they knew that they were naked. And they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loincloths. And they heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden. But the Lord God called to the man and said to him, “Where are you?” And he said, “I heard the sound of you in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked, and I hid myself.”

Genesis 3:7-10

What possibly took place here was that when they sinned, the glory of God which was covering them left them. Along with glory, left the presence and protection of God, which made them feel even more insecure. They were embarrassed at  each other's nakedness, they sew fig leaves together. This was just the beginning of the worse. Insecure about they embarrassment and nakedness, they hid themselves from God.

Insecurity drives us to do things. It can launch us into a crazy chase after the wind. To find security for an unpredictable life, some built a fortress out of money and career, many others built on love, sex, social status and etc. But Solomon, the wisest king of Judah said:

I said in my heart, “Come now, I will test you with pleasure; enjoy yourself.” But behold, this also was vanity.I said of laughter, “It is mad,” and of pleasure, “What use is it?” I searched with my heart how to cheer my body with wine—my heart still guiding me with wisdom—and how to lay hold on folly, till I might see what was good for the children of man to do under heaven during the few days of their life. I made great works. I built houses and planted vineyards for myself. I made myself gardens and parks, and planted in them all kinds of fruit trees. I made myself pools from which to water the forest of growing trees. I bought male and female slaves, and had slaves who were born in my house. I had also great possessions of herds and flocks, more than any who had been before me in Jerusalem. I also gathered for myself silver and gold and the treasure of kings and provinces. I got singers, both men and women, and many concubines, the delight of the sons of man. So I became great and surpassed all who were before me in Jerusalem. Also my wisdom remained with me. And whatever my eyes desired I did not keep from them. I kept my heart from no pleasure, for my heart found pleasure in all my toil, and this was my reward for all my toil. Then I considered all that my hands had done and the toil I had expended in doing it, and behold, all was vanity and a striving after wind, and there was nothing to be gained under the sun.

Ecclesiastes 2:1-11

I hated all my toil in which I toil under the sun, seeing that I must leave it to the man who will come after me,......because sometimes a person who has toiled with wisdom and knowledge and skill must leave everything to be enjoyed by someone who did not toil for it. This also is vanity and a great evil.

Ecclesiastes 2:18, 21

Even in all these, Solomon, great, mighty and wise he was, could not find his security in them. In the entire book of Ecclesiastes, King Solomon tried to find satisfaction and perfection in many things. He turned from one thing to another, only to find each things in vanity. What then, can we find in the false security of material things? However, in another man, poor, oppressed, humiliated, imprisoned and tortured, we found in him exactly what King Solomon had been looking for: contentment.

I rejoiced in the Lord greatly that now at length you have revived your concern for me. You were indeed concerned for me, but you had no opportunity. Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me.

Philippians 4:10-13

Paul found security and contentment when his own life and liberty is being threatened and violated. In the face of such violence and troubles, yet Paul seems to be contented. It is because he found security in that one Person, Christ Jesus. He is not afraid of humiliation, exaltation, hunger, abundance nor physical desperation, because he clearly knows where to find his security and trust that he will be safe and sound. He found refuge and shelter in Christ Himself.

God is our refuge and strength,

a very present help in trouble.

Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way,

though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea,

though its waters roar and foam,

though the mountains tremble at its swelling.  

The nations rage, the kingdoms totter;

 he utters his voice, the earth melts.

The Lord of hosts is with us;

 the God of Jacob is our fortress.

Psalm 46:1-3, 6-7

When God is our refuge and strength. It's like hiding in the warmth of our cozy house during a thunderstorm. We know we are going to be safe and sound because we know that the house would hold itself against the wind. While being secured in the Lord, even in the midst of troubles, undesired life events, trials and temptations, it will not be hard to find peace in Him because "the God of Jacob is our fortress."

Paul found this security in God, for "The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want." (Psalm 23:1). In times of need he knows that God will provide; in times of troubles he knows that God will rescue; even in the face of death, he knows that his spirit is in good hands.

My question to you, who reads this: Do you find your security in things you are striving hard to build?

In the face of death, I found myself helpless to secure one thing all men wish to secure, our own lives. To many, not just life here on Earth, but the life after the physical death. I see good men doing their utmost best to be the best required of them for the promise of salvation and eternal life. They toil and toil and toil, but the burden seems to grow only heavier, but even then, it doesn't seems to suffice. How much good work do I need to do that would be enough to cover for the bad that I did? How much do's and don'ts do I need to observe to secure me a life for eternity? How much weigh should I put on the scale of good and bad works to earn me a place in paradise? Why don't we seem be able to certainly grab hold of it? What happen if I were to meet God in the Judgement seat, only to find that I miss an ounce on the scale? What if I do this, or say that that would add upon my scale a transgression against the LORD and His wrath is just right above my head? How can I secure it?

Until the day when you finally sit down and reconsider the works of your hands, perhaps you can consider this place where I can find my assurance of salvation and security of my spirit. This place where my good works don't count and my mistakes forgiven. This place where grace is all you need and comfort that you shall find. Jesus said:

Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

Matthew 11:28-30

Christ came to fulfil the requirement of the Law in order to disarm the grasp of the Law because of our sins, not so that the Law may be abolished, but that the chain and burden that it casts upon us may be removed, that we may enjoy life to the fullest, secured and fearless in the refuge of our Lord.

The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.

John 10:10

This is His promise for us:

My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand.

John 10:27-28

And we can be sure:

No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Romans 8:37-39