Yesterday, a pair of glasses fell in the driveway. So I drove over them. A few weeks back I was playing golf, and my sunglasses fell off ... I destroyed them with my driver. Lee used to get me watches. Every single watch was broken within a month. That's how I roll!
When it comes to nice things, I settle. One thing I settle for is cheap. My rule with sunglasses is one of my coping mechanisms. I will not pay over $10 for a pair of sunglasses. Whenever I have violated this rule, I sit on them, crush them, or break them.
When it comes to nice things, I fear them. I am afraid I will somehow mess them up. I fear the inevitable time I crush them, lose them, or mangle them. They are nice but useless.
When it comes to nice things, I protect them. They become like a trophy that sits on the shelf. They are part of my past, but have nothing to do with my present or future. They are something that happened, but is not happening now.
God gives us nice things. He gives grace we don't deserve. He gives forgiveness that we don't receive or pass on. He gives salvation we fail to embrace and enjoy. Instead, we settle ... we fear ... and we protect. How do we change this pattern of shielding ourselves from the very blessings God gives us? Here are a few thoughts.
Dealing with nice things is addressed in the Bible. In Matthew 25:14-30, we find one of several stories about how we will be judged by God. Most of us might not like that image, but the judgment is right there in the Bible! Three people are given "talents" to invest. Two make good use of their gift. The third person is a lot like me and nice things ... he settles, fears, and protects. He settles for rolling along, doing life in the safe, slow lane. This is the "cheap" alternative, but doesn't the Master want us to be thrifty? He fears what might happen to him if he loses or misuses what has been given. He is afraid of how all of this might come down on him. And, he rationalizes that he must protect the gift. So he buries his gift/talent in the ground, safe from enemies and safe from use.
All of the above reactions, leading to becoming separated from God, are based on "self." "I don't want to fail, I don't want to expend energy/time/resources, and I don't want to risk." What begins each of those statements? I!
Do we realize what should be obvious to every Believer on the face of the planet? We are called to reflect the image of our Master. He invested the most precious thing in the universe! Jesus! He didn't give what was cheap! He didn't give in to fear! He didn't place Jesus on a useless shelf! He placed Him on a cross. So we should give and love because the nice thing we have been given wasn't cheap. And we serve and sacrifice without fear. And, finally, we give Jesus away, because we aren't in charge of protecting Him ... He is perfectly capable of protecting Himself.
Do you want nice things from God? Then invest and risk and live! AMEN
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