OUR WANTS CAN CRUSH OUR APPRECIATION FOR WHAT WE HAVE

BIBLE PASSAGE:
Then He said to them, “Watch out!  Be on your guard against all kinds of 
greed; a man’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.”  
(Luke 12:15)

MEDITATION:
Being rich can be defined in two ways – having a lot, or wanting very little.
Since ‘having a lot’ requires much time, energy and effort, 
‘wanting very little’ is the easier choice for most of us.
Think about the self-imposed misery in many people 
who want more than they can ever have.

They suffer from the insatiable desire for more, better and newer things.
Their identity has become what they own instead of who they are.
As a result, they frequently compare their possessions to those of others.
More than likely they also perceive those with less as inferior to them.

A recent survey shows the bar of wealth has shifted to a higher level. 
Now you need an average of $2.4 million to be considered wealthy.
That means that most of the population needs about 30 times more 
than the approximate net worth of the average U.S. household, 
(according to the most recent data collected by the U.S. Census Bureau).

But even if you never achieve those lofty heights, many people said 
‘being wealthy is about more than just your total net worth’.
When asked about their own priorities, more people preferred 
having good physical health and gratitude, to having lots of money.

Jesus was the most satisfied man who ever lived, 
and He had less than most of us. 
He knew the secret of adjusting His wants to His needs. 
When a man claimed he would follow Him everywhere, 
Jesus explained to him that following Him would require 
an adjustment of his attitude and desires.
As they were walking along the road, a man said to him, 
“I will follow you wherever you go.”
Jesus replied, “Foxes have dens and birds have nests, 
but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.” (Luke 9:57-58)

As followers of Christ, we also have to change our focus.
Being rich by what we own, who we know, etc. is driven by selfishness.
However, when our wants are less, instead of measuring our worth 
by our possessions and how they compare to those of others, 
we discover the treasure of having a closer relationship with the Lord.

Why? Because instead of chasing possessions we can show off to others, 
we spend more time with our Savior, 
and have an increased desire to tell others about Him.
We exchange possessions that control us 
for a relationship with the One who loves us.
Enjoying His love increases our self-esteem 
more than possessions could ever achieve.

E. Stanley Jones (a 20th-century Methodist Christian missionary and 
theologian) told about a poor man who had an overnight guest, and as he 
showed him to his humble bedroom in the hayloft he said, 
“If there is anything you want, let us know, 
and we’ll come and show you how to get along without it.” 
We don’t need to learn how to get more, 
but rather, how to be pleased in getting along with what we’ve got.

ACTION:
Take a few moments to make a self-evaluation.
Is your desire for more, better and newer 
stealing time from your relationship with the Lord?
Do your possessions improve your self-esteem more than being close to the Lord?
Since Jesus knew how to adjust His wants to His needs,
doesn’t it make sense that His followers should do the same?

Pray,
“Heavenly Father, thank You for how You have blessed me in many 
ways. Help me to appreciate Your blessings instead of chasing after 
material things that leave me wanting more. Teach me to look at things
from Your, instead of the world’s, perspective. You have given me so 
much more than I deserve. I pray that I will always show a grateful 
and contented heart.”

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