Family Life

To be fair to Daniel I thought I should add to yesterday’s post and admit that I, too, love to accumulate stuff. Like father like son.

Daniel wants toys. I need gadgets. I spend a good part of my spare time each week browsing through newspaper ads and online stores, window shopping for computer gear, photographic equipment or personal electronics. I spend additional time firmly reminding myself that the things I covet are unnecessary and are out of reach of my budget anyway. Some weeks I have to ban myself from browsing. It just serves to fuel discontent with what I have. That’s sad, because I have (and enjoy) all the gadgets I need. After a couple of weeks of not looking at new mp3 players or new cameras I’m back to being quite happy with my stuff. And then I forget my resolve and go to check out what’s new, and the cycle starts all over again.

There’s a lotto pool at work, and every now and then the guys will chat at lunch, discussing what they’d do with the money if they won the jackpot. It’s usually quite entertaining and sobering at the same time. People have a burning desire for more money, especially if they don’t have to work for it. It serves to remind me where a focus on material goods will lead.

When I stop to think about it, I’m grateful the Lord hasn’t given me an excess of money. I don’t have anywhere near as much as I’d like, some days, and that’s a good thing. Some years we’ve done better financially than others, but God has provided for us whether our bank account is black or red. If I had lots of money then money would be all I need. I don’t have lots, so I have to depend on God’s provision for today. I have to trust Him for his provision for the future. And that’s a good thing.

Before starting my current job I prayed that I wouldn’t get caught up in the world’s quest for more money, more stuff. It sounds like such a stupid thing to say. Imagine praying for less money! In His faithfulness God has answered my prayer. I don’t earn anywhere near as much as I’d like.

Jesus got to the heart of the matter: “What are you worried about? You’ve got a roof over your head, clothes on your back, and a meal to sit down to. What more do you need?” (Matthew 6:25-34, Stephen’s paraphrase). Yes. God has given me what I need, and much much more. I have no cause for worry.

Now. How do I instill this truth in my son?

This entry was posted on Sunday, August 12th, 2007 at 11:03 pm. You can subscribe via RSS 2.0 feed to this post's comments. Both comments and pings are currently closed.