Peace of Mind

If you have ever received any sales training you will know that at the end of your pitch you have to appeal to a benefit. Nine times out of ten one of the benefit is “peace of mind.” The entire sales process is to build into the listener the recognition that he is completely unaware of something significant, i.e. the market is going to crash; and convince the listener that you have what he needs, i.e. inside information or the truth regarding what is really going on. The good salesman ties it together, “but I’ve been there before and seen it. With me you can rest easy at night knowing I’m looking out for you and your family. That should give you peace of mind.” If the listener tracked along at this point they have a crucial decision to make. Pay the cost and have peace of mind or deny the sale and worry.
Advertisements work because we do not have our guard up. If we knew that we were being quizzed on what provides peace of mind we would certainly not think the newest car, security system or insurance would provide it. Hopefully we would all answer, “God alone is my peace” and further, “His peace is not like the fake peace the world offers. He gives me real peace.” Unfortunately we don’t have our guard up and when we watch commercials we are not trained to consider the veracity of the claims. The result is that we end up spending a lot of money on things we shouldn’t have purchased in the first place.
But that isn’t the only way our desire for peace of mind affects us financially. It is commonplace in the securities industry to sell based on the anxieties that investors have. The classic, “do I have enough?” and “what if I lose it all?” drive many to make poor investment and financial decisions. It is so natural to want to do your job well and be able to provide for your family. But it is altogether wrong to believe that you are sole provider for your family and the responsibility is entirely yours to control what you have been given. Stewardship is important and God must be involved in our concerns and decision making as it relates to our finances. What steward would not ask the owner what the owner wants? As soon as you depend upon yourself you will no longer be depending upon and trusting in God.
We all want to find peace of mind. And it we look for it in the wrong place. The accuser is at work on us trying to get us to doubt God’s peace, presence, and guidance; and be anxious about our own safety and security. God did not make us to be independent of Him and so we naturally seek peace. But let us remember that it is God alone that provides true peace and while the salesman means well, he offers peace of mind that will not truly satisfy.