I read about myself recently in Ann
Voskampf's bestseller, One Thousand Gifts. Oh, she didn't
mention me by name. Instead she talked about Adam and Eve, who
weren't content with being able to eat from all of the trees in the
Garden of Eden but one, and brought destruction upon themselves and
all the generations to follow by simply lusting for more. Ann states
that man's greatest sin is ingratitude; we are simply never satisfied
with what we have. And maybe it took the breaking of the arm I reach
with to make me realize that I, too, am always grasping for more.
An example is in order. I've had a love
affair with Skechers, the shoes with the bumpy bottoms, for several
years now. I once tried a pair on and fairly danced up and down the
aisles of the store, so great did they feel on my feet! But then I
looked at the price, and resolutely put them back on the shelf and
headed for the cheaper footwear farther down the row. But I eyed them
longingly every time after that when I found myself in that area of
the store. Then while shopping at an outlet mall recently, God
unexpectedly provided me with them! Again I danced! But I was barely
out the door of that store and into the next when I saw a
short-sleeved shirt on sale that caught my eye. With my arm in a
bulky cast, my clothing options were few, and shirts that I could
slide my arm into were hard to find. With the newly bought Skechers
still in the bag in my I hand and my budget preventing me from buying
both items, I suddenly wished I'd seen the shirt first! After being
blessed with the Skechers I'd wanted for years I was suddenly wishing
I could trade them for a shirt I saw two minutes later and would only
wear for another month. The depth of my ingratitude alarmed me and I
hurried home.
The same scenario occurs
time after time in restaurants. I agonize over the choices offered on
the menu, and finally narrow the list of eye-popping temptations down
to one. Having ordered, I wait in eager anticipation of the meal I'm
about to consume...until I see the plate set in front of my husband. Suddenly I'd trade the meal I'd been salivating for in a heartbeat
to eat what he's got.
There's a word for the condition I
suffer from, and it's covetous, defined as an inordinate or wrongful
desire for possessions or wealth; greedy. There's nothing wrong in
desiring nice things; the error in the condition comes from a lack of
appreciation for what one's already got. And its a temptation that is
never going to go away. Until the end of time the enemy of our souls
will place before our eyes one treat after another to steal away our
joy and contentment and lure us into a lifestyle of endless
self-seeking and greed.
The good news is that we can fight
back. Because we know that the problem exists, we can choose ahead of
time how to respond. We can learn, as did the apostle Paul,
how to be content in all situations. We can train our eyes to see
blessings in things we took for granted before, as did author Ann
Voskamp mentioned above, and to give thanks in everything. As our
thanksgiving increases, so does our joy in life, and the overflow of
our hearts leaves little room for lusting after whatever our eyes
might see.
And yet we can take it even one step
farther. Surprisingly, the opposite of covetousness is not
contentment...it's generosity. And surely when we put our focus on
giving, we have less time and energy to think about getting.
My beloved Skechers are my footwear of
choice these days, for more reasons than one. They simply remind
me to walk in gratitude and generosity, everywhere I go.
“Let your conduct be
without covetousness; be content with such things as you have...”
(Hebrews 13:5 NKJV)
Great essay, with an always timely message! Love you!
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