"Do not be overawed when others grow rich, when the splendor of their houses increases; for they will take nothing with them when they die, their splendor will not descend with them."
I live in a pretty nice place, though not far from here developers building some rather magnificent homes on a hill with a view of the Newport coastline. The model homes are nothing short of stunning. Enormous kitchens open up to family rooms and "solariums." Entry ways have courtyards and stairways leading separate loft apartments (presumably for "the help"). Back yards have pools, game rooms, koi ponds and more. It is splendor, for certain. A friend of mine went to see the models and said that after seeing those homes, he just wanted to go home and "throw rocks at his dump" (his "dump" is also pretty nice... just not nearly as extravagant).
Just last week I was in Honolulu, my wife and I walked from our hotel to a fabric shop she wanted to visit. On our way back to the hotel, we passed by a construction site where about ten homeless folks had set up their individual areas just outside of the construction gate. A wind storm the night before had pretty much torn the places apart. A tragic sight to see, especially when those hovels were built in the shadow of new skyscrapers being built for luxury vacation apartments. Even amid the prosperity of this tourist paradise, poverty survives.
If Lust comes in fifty shades of grey, then surely Envy has more than one shade of green. Some may be envious of the luxury homes and high rises, while the homeless may envy the neighbor who found a sturdier appliance box to live in. No matter where you live, there always seems to be somewhere better, bigger, and more attractive that that which we have. This creates a desire in us to improve our lot in life.
It's good to have goals. It's natural to want things. But how do you tell the difference between wanting something out of need, or desiring something out of envy?
My dad always liked nice cars, but I remember him telling me to not be too crazy about expensive wheels. "They can wrap themselves around a tree as well as any other car." He knew the true value of a car: to provide transportation. So while I appreciate the luxury of a Cadillac or a BMW, I find myself content to drive my Ford Edge. It isn't sexy. It isn't luxurious, although it is very comfortable and has some fun features like satellite radio. It is, in short, the car that is all I need... and as a plus, I'm car-payment free.
In this season of Lent, we talk about sacrifice. It is a time of letting go of the things in this world in order to focus our attention on God and his great love for us. This year I have a renewed interest in taking time for this. I find it easy to rid myself of a lot of the clutter and material things I have accumulated over the years. Step one is to let the things of this world go. Don't let the pursuit of the unnecessary interfere with your spiritual development.
Step two is to take the time to appreciate the things you have been given. Take a look at it and ask yourself if it contributes to the quality of your faith and life, or if it interferes. If the latter, you might want to consider getting rid of it.
Finally, embrace your stewardship of what you have been given. God has entrusted you with the things you possess in order to give him glory; that is, for people to see his work in your life. Take care of your home, your community, your world. Consider the People for whom you have responsibility, the Property you have been entrusted, and make Plans for their future. You will find when you focus on stewardship of these things instead of the excesses that attract, you life will be much richer.
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