A classic bumper sticker in the ‘80’s taught the not-so-great truth “He Who has the Most Toys in the End Wins.” This verse says just the opposite. It reminds us that who I am is far more important than what I have.
As a Pastor in Frederick, Maryland during the ‘70s-80’s, I visited in some of the county’s nicest homes. They were gorgeous and it was pretty cool to be able to see inside. But the reason I was there was because the people who lived in those houses were so miserable that they were not enjoying all the wonderful things they had around them.
So life is not about stuff – what I have – but it is all about who I am. Now 61 years old, I’ve been in some incredible places with some pretty special people. And, sadly, I admit that sometimes I couldn’t really enjoy it, because all was not well inside of me.
Maybe you just have to get old to appreciate this kind of thinking, but I don’t think so. It’s just a matter of priorities – who I am matters much more than what I have or do. That’s the wisdom of Proverbs!