How Not to Be Rich
Here is an interesting — and convicting — article from Boundless.org today that seems to go along with this month’s series, which we’re finishing up tonight.
I empathized with this woman’s situation. At the same time, it made me question if I too often have an irritated attitude at the slow pace of a situation, or if something isn’t accommodating my needs.
What popped into my head next were situations when I’m standing in line to pay for a single item at a store where only one register is open. Then the person in front of me poses a complicated question, demands a price check on an item that is 10 aisles away or writes a check. I may look like I’m waiting patiently, but inside I’m screaming, Get on with it, already! I’m inconvenienced because my expectation was to be in and out of the store in 20 minutes.
Too many times I let convenience control my perspective and decisions, and even steal my joy and focus. Where does this attitude come from? Do I spend more time worshiping the god of convenience than the God of the universe?…
As Andy Stanley might say, only rich people are so bothered by being inconvenienced. The more convenience we have, the more we depend on it, and the easier it is to become irritated when our routine is interrupted. I know I do.
And for my thoughts on one of the greatest casualties of failing to “be rich” well, check out this article at BreakPoint.
24 Jun 2008 09:38 am t.mcsherley 1 comment
“Too many times I let convenience control my perspective and decisions, and even steal my joy and focus.”
“…only rich people are so bothered by being inconvenienced.”
Great points, very convicting. I love convenience and hate to be inconvenienced. Why? If I’m honest, it’s because somewhere in my heart, I believe that whatever I am doing is more important that what someone (or anyone) else happens to be doing. Follow that to it’s logical end and you see that it is really a devaluation of other people… and follow that trail even further, you cannot help but see that mindset is an expression of contempt toward the Father.
All the more reason to give Paul’s words to Timothy (1 Tim. 6) sober consideration - we must strive in our hearts and actions “to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life.”