"There is far more to your inner life than the food you put in your stomach, more to your outer appearance than the clothes you hang on your body."(12:23)
We spent most of our day with Don and Rita on the Parade of Homes. It was such a perfect day weather wise to go through the six homes open for tours. How easy it is to begin comparing what I was seeing with what God has blessed us with in our home. How easy it would be to slip into the state of jealousy, coveting, desiring the brand new, the latest styles. There were some that I enjoyed and thought would be nice to have, but all in all, I came away content with the home He has given us to live life in.
Be it on the radio or the TV, it seems the world is screaming at us what we need to buy, to be, to have. There are a lot more minutes of commercials than what I am wanting to actually watch or listen to Therefore, I mostly listen to Pandora, Sirius, or cd's of Christian or pop artists. Whenever Curt is working in the shop, one of the first things he does is turn the radio on to a station covering the oldies.
Be it on the radio or the TV, it seems the world is screaming at us what we need to buy, to be, to have. There are a lot more minutes of commercials than what I am wanting to actually watch or listen to Therefore, I mostly listen to Pandora, Sirius, or cd's of Christian or pop artists. Whenever Curt is working in the shop, one of the first things he does is turn the radio on to a station covering the oldies.
I usually try to tune out or skip through the commercials, but while in the shop working the other day, there was an advertisement that kept repeating for an upcoming fitness event. Even though I can't remember word for word, the phrases that caught my attention and stuck were: "do you want to make yourself more awesome." "make yourself look awesome." "be awesome." And then the words which have struck a cord provoking not only sadness, but to actually cringe - "save your own soul".
After hearing these words tumbling out, I started noticing other advertisements were about "buying something", "nothing down-special financing", "driving something", "wearing something", everything to "make your friends and neighbors jealous".
What emptiness the world is consuming hand over fist.
What a shallow and wasteful way to live this short period of life on this earth.
It isn't that I don't enjoy nice things.
I am thankful to be driving a vehicle which is not only nice, but reliable. My closet isn't overflowing, but I am blessed in being able to cover my body according to the seasons. ABBA has blessed us with a home, although not the mansion on the hilltop, it is more than we ever dreamed we would be living in.
All He has blessed us with doesn't make me who I am.
It is only because of Christ I am my ABBA's.
It isn't the stuff which has made me "so much more".
I haven't found anywhere in His Word where He is telling us not to enjoy the blessings.
He does tell us not to allow them to surpass His place in our lives - to not allow anything or anyone but Him to be our God. I just keep coming back to the words I heard coming out of the radio and am so thankful His Truth filters it out. Could you imagine a life where the main goal is to cause someone to be jealous of you or what you have? How much of a burden it would be, not only emotionally, also financially.
LIVING. LIFE.
LIVING. LIFE.
IT ISN'T ABOUT THE STUFF.
Stuff isn't what makes you. it breaks you. Stuff won't last for eternity. All stuff will quickly or slowly become useless. It is a burden.
Stuff isn't what makes you. it breaks you. Stuff won't last for eternity. All stuff will quickly or slowly become useless. It is a burden.
It is Whom we live for - not what. It is Whom we fill our heart, mind, life with.
Stuff won't save your soul. "You" won't save your soul.
Stuff won't save your soul. "You" won't save your soul.
His Word tells us very clearly, "Jesus said to him, "I am The Way, and The Truth, and The Life;
no one comes to the Father but through Me."(John 14:6)
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