Yesterday we bought a Nintendo Wii
A few hours after we unboxed it, we were bored with the five little games that come in the box.
We’re now thinking we’re going to have to pay out some more money to buy more games and an extra controller.
That was yesterday.
In contrast, today my kids and I will make sack lunches and go searching the streets for homeless people to feed.
The difference between the situations of the people we are feeding today and the never-satisfied consumerism that we displayed yesterday is very obvious and pronounced to me.
I’m not suggesting that owning a Wii is wrong. I’m not suggesting that living in some degree of comfort is wrong….
I just wonder why we don’t appreciate how blessed and fortunate we are to have a roof over our heads, electricity to power our toys and a family to share the experience with.
Father help me recognize and remember the bounteous blessings which you have given us and help me know how to use what you have given us to reach and benefit those around us.
How about you, do you recognize and appreciate just how blessed by God you are today?
What can you do to show your appreciation and be a good steward of all that God has given you?
What a beautiful balance you struck this week, Peter. Consumerism isn’t all bad, as long as you keep God in perspective. Your family did that.
I have been a terrible steward of God’s gifts over the years. Too much, too big, too wasteful. I’m blessed to have fully recognized it before I’m on my death bed and feel like I have many years to live more faithfully, which I fully intend to do.
That being said, I still want a Palm Pre and I don’t think selling off all of those stupid Beanie Babies (among other things) is going to do it for me. What I’m praying for is to be on the cusp of purchasing the Pre – finger poised on the “submit order” button, and then feeling it really isn’t necessary. Fortunately I have time for that to happen since I’m not paying my current provider $200 to bail. God has time to work in me.
It scares me how we try to justify “stuff” for ourselves and our kids. It’s a very gray area. What can we do?
Pray. Just pray.
Great post!
Great response Candy, Thanks!
I am awesome at changing my mind over purchases. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve stood in line at a store with my purchase in my hand, only to change my mind just before I get to the front of the line and turn around and put it back on the shelf.
I figure that if we are being responsible with our money and have the cash and we’re not buying something which has become or will become an idol for us then God is quite happy with us buying stuff.
…. and a Palm Pre looks GOOD!
Great subject this morning. I’ve often wanted something material, and after dropping the cash to get the item, it doesn’t satisfy.
We received a Wii for our kids from my Brother at Christmas time, but it still has lost a bit of it’s “shiny object” status.
May God bless your day and week!
Michael,
Thanks for the comment.
I’ve rarely ‘dropped the cash’ for anything and subsequently found that it satisfies… I guess that’s the price for chasing after satisfaction from something man made rather than man’s maker!
I am surrounded by stuff! It just wears me down sometimes. I’m always giving stuff away, but the supply of stuff seems endless to me.
To give is the greatest gift for me. Whether that means time, money, encouragement, whatever.
Katdish, You’re so awesome!
I’ve tried to really get my kids to understand exactly how fortunate they are. And I think they do for the most part. But what’s always amazed me is the fact that the happiest people I know are the ones who have the least. My parents both grew up poor. Not destitute, but the sort of poor that leaves you both hungry and thankful at the same time. I go to great lengths to make sure my family isn’t hungry. I think I should go to those same lengths to make sure they’re thankful, too.
Great post, Peter.
Thanks Billy,
I sometimes wonder whether or not I should make my family go hungry for a while to help them be more appreciative…
I don’t think that would go down to well with the wife though!
omg, you actually go looking for homeless people to feed. That’s really nice, I rarely(or never) see people do that. I saw some documentary short a while ago showing a guy that goes to a restaurant and gathers the left overs from peoples dinner and takes it back for his family to eat. I was a bit disgusted at the sight at first but then that made me appreciate all that I have and to never complain about eating leftovers.
It was hard finding people to feed today.
In the winter they were huddled together in their camps to keep warm. Now it’s like a million degrees out there, they are all hiding somewhere… I’ve yet to discover where though!
Thanks for the comment. Seeing people dumpster diving for food makes it hard NOT to go and take food to them whenever you can!
great thoughts, Peter!