Well, I’ll be perfectly honest – I’m going to be stepping on my own toes for this week’s “Seek the things above” post. It’s about want vs. need.
I wish I had more of the attitude expressed here in Proverbs 30: give me only what I NEED. I’m more fond of wants and comforts than I wish I was. And, sure, many people in our society wouldn’t look at my life and call it the most luxurious. We don’t make tons of money by US standards. But is that really the standard? Compared to many countries today and throughout history, my life of temperature controlled rooms, running hot and cold water, mechanical servants to wash my dishes and clothes, soft mattresses, a wealth of information at my fingertips, and food prepared by others accessible in minutes, is downright posh. And yet I get impatient when the internet takes a while to load.
Now, there’s nothing wrong with money in and of itself. It’s just a tool. 1 Timothy 6:10 is often misquoted as saying “money is the root of all evil” – but that isn’t what it says. The verse actually reads, “For the LOVE of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs.” It’s the love of money that is the problem, not the money itself. But that love of money is so prevalent in our society. We’re constantly being told we “deserve” things we have no real need of or right to own. People are judged for having clothes that aren’t to-the-minute fashionable, or cars that aren’t a “statement”. Or what about a cell phone that is 10 years old? That will get some full blown laughs.
How much do these things really matter in the long run? At the end of our lives when we are on our deathbed are we really going to look back and say to ourselves, “Boy, I sure am glad I bought that new iPad in 2012”? Yet how much focus do people put on those things now? And when I say “people”, I’m very much including myself. I don’t have an iPad. I don’t have an iPhone. Have I ever been guilty of feeling a little sorry for myself when my friends are all talking about their new apps and I see their Instagram pictures? Yeah, sometimes. Shame on me. I have all I need — and WAY more.
We start to get dependent on our economic standing. Too often, more faith is put in banks accounts and portfolios than in God. We start turning into the rich man mentioned above in Proverbs 30. We become the rich man in Mark 10:25, “It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.” We become enslaved to our wants and belongings which have become our idols: “covetousness, which is idolatry” (Colossians 3:5) And we have forgotten what we NEED.
Again it’s not that having money is wrong. It’s an issue of where the HEART is, as it says in Matthew 6:19-21: “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. … No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.”
Where are my “treasures”?
Where is my heart?
Who am I serving?
A life focused on God is so much more fulfilling than a life of accumulating stuff.
Leave your thoughts and comments below! Or, if you ever feel like discussing something further, feel free to drop me a note.
i quote ALL you say April!
really love to read it today, i also think about it sometimes, how much we are lucky and seems that we still have not enough…
the part of Proverbs you choose today use really strong and heavy words, but are good to keep them in mind…
thanks for share your thoughts :)
Yes – it is so true as you say, even when so blessed we still want more. And it reminds me of this verse…
“He who loves money will not be satisfied with money, nor he who loves wealth with his income; this also is vanity.” Ecclesiastes 5:10
Thanks so much for your comment, Fede!
Yes, ma’am — toes stepped on, and rightly so, here. Thank you for the nudge/poke/stomp.
That is definitely what happened to my own toes!
Thanks for the encouragement, Lori :)
Thank you for the words of encouragement and letting me take a minute to reflect on all the blessings and conveniences that we take for granted. Have a blessed day!
Oh, yes, it is so true how much we take it for granted! I definitely want to spend more time in thankfulness and praise – both for our physical and spiritual blessings.
Thanks Sherry! :)
Very insightful and brave April.
I have been both greatly blessed of God with material things and greatly humbled when it was nearly all lost. Though the trials my husband and I have had are severe – I confess I would not trade the humbling for anything because, like Job said in the 42nd chapter, before our trials I had heard of God but because of my trials I “saw” or really got to KNOW Him.
Riches are a blessing from God!! I don’t believe He wants us to be poor!! but true riches are the ones being built in our soul as we surrender our wants and our will to the Father on this journey home. : )
I pray you have a blessed day, friend.
(((Hugs)))
Patti
Isn’t it interesting how when things get really hard we are reminded to turn to God? Yet when he showers us with blessings it is easy to forget. Thanks for your thoughts, Patti! :)
Last year Dustin was without a job for 4 months and while it was hard to see him not working I really enjoyed the time that we were able to have together as a family. We were thankful to have some money saved up and Dustin was able to take on some odd jobs so we were able to make ends meet. It wasn’t much but we had so many fun memories and the knowledge that God provided us with our daily bread. What an awesome thought that our God will provide us with what we need.
Amen. :) Thanks Angela. :)
Love it! Thanks!
We missed church today, but we made it to the picnic. (It would take too long to explain all that) The ladies were talking about how good the sermon was today. They said it was on Proverbs 30:7-9 I felt a tinge of sadness that we had missed it as we have just moved to this place and life has changed. My husband retired from the military after 21 years. We are here to be missionaries. (code word for poorer :) ) I thought I could probably use a sermon on those verses. Then I went to Ann’s website to see what fun things she had posted for the weekend. There you were. As I scrolled down I knew which verse I needed to print. My heart has been blessed by your words. Thank you for sharing.
Encouraged here.