LIGHT THE WAY

“There is a way that appears to be right, but in the end it leads to death.”
— Proverbs 14:12

In The Great Gatsby, a man spends his life chasing a green light across the water.

It glows softly in the distance.
It promises reunion.
It whispers, Almost. Not yet. Just a little more.

Gatsby believes if he gathers enough money, enough beauty, enough admiration, he can bend time backward. He believes longing itself is proof of destiny.

But longing is not the same as calling.

And desire, when left unchecked, does not lead us to life—it leads us to exhaustion.

Scripture reminds us:

“Why do you spend money on what is not bread, and your labor on what does not satisfy?”
— Isaiah 55:2

We are not wrong to want more for our lives.
We are wrong when “more” replaces meaning.

“The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?”
— Jeremiah 17:9

Between glittering mansions and champagne glasses sits a wasteland in the novel—the Valley of Ashes.

It is where the forgotten live.
It is where consequences land.
It is what remains after excess finishes feeding itself.

This is not just fiction.

Every system that worships wealth without wisdom creates valleys like this:

Jesus warned us plainly:

“You cannot serve both God and money.”
— Matthew 6:24

Not because money is evil—but because it is a terrible god.

“They were careless people… they smashed up things and creatures and then retreated back into their money.”

Some people never clean up what they break.
They call it survival.
They call it success.
They call it moving on.

But heaven calls it something else.

“The Lord examines the righteous, but the wicked, those who love violence, He hates with a passion.”
— Psalm 11:5

A world that protects comfort over character will always bury its most honest souls first.

In the story, a pair of faded eyes stare out from a billboard—watching everything.

No voice.
No thunder.
No interruption.

Just witness.

It echoes a haunting truth:

“For nothing is hidden that will not be disclosed, and nothing concealed that will not be known or brought out into the open.”
— Luke 8:17

God does not vanish when society forgets Him.
He becomes the quiet record keeper.

Gatsby believed the light was salvation.

But salvation does not live across the water.
It does not require becoming someone else.
It does not demand you trade your soul for access.

“The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.”
— Psalm 34:18

The real tragedy is not that Gatsby dreamed.

It is that he dreamed of the wrong kingdom.

You may repeat or save these:

God,

Teach me the difference between what shines and what saves.

When I reach for things that promise fulfillment but deliver emptiness, gently redirect me.

Protect my heart from turning dreams into idols and people into symbols.

Give me courage to build a life rooted in truth, not applause.

Let me desire what is eternal more than what is impressive.

And when I feel drawn to distant green lights, remind me that You are already near.

Amen.

Today, ask yourself gently:

What am I chasing?

Is it peace—or proof?
Belonging—or appearance?
Purpose—or permission?

You don’t have to abandon your dreams.

Just make sure they are leading you home, not farther away from yourself.

If this reflection resonated with you, consider sharing it with someone who feels tired of chasing what never quite arrives.

And if you’d like to receive more reflections like this, subscribe to Light the Way.

With heart,
Lyndsay LaBrier