Have you seen a commercial that says something like “Better TV. Better Life”?
I only saw it once, but I could not believe it. I know that advertising companies are paid to make you want new things, but this was a little ridiculous.
Did they really believe that someone would say, “You know what would make my life better... a 52 inch plasma TV!” That sounds crazy right?
Unfortunately, in our most honest moments, we likely have to admit that we think that way sometimes. Maybe we do not dream about big TVs, but what about big houses, new cars, “hot holidays” on Caribbean beaches or big banks accounts?
Now, let me make clear that, in principle, I am not against us having these things. However, my point is that they can become a problem in at least a couple of ways.
First, we make a mistake when we begin to think, “I will be happy when…” (you can fill in the blank). When we think about it, we know that new TVs and more stuff cannot make us happier or make our lives better. Eventually, those things lose their luster and we are back to where we started.
The second issue is that we can be so focused on acquiring things that we do not have much left to share with others. Saskatchewan is an exception, as we routinely set records for charitable giving, but many people are simply so far in debt that they could not help a good cause even if they wanted to. Maybe we need a different way to see things.
The Bible says, “He who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with his own hands, that he may have something to share with those in need” (Ephesians 4:28). Work, not so that you can get more, but so that you can share. That is different.
The Bible also says, “Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus” (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18). Notice that it did not say, “acquire continually and get more in all circumstances”, but “give thanks”.
I know that the calendar says that “Thanksgiving” is over, but can we keep it going for a while?
I only saw it once, but I could not believe it. I know that advertising companies are paid to make you want new things, but this was a little ridiculous.
Did they really believe that someone would say, “You know what would make my life better... a 52 inch plasma TV!” That sounds crazy right?
Unfortunately, in our most honest moments, we likely have to admit that we think that way sometimes. Maybe we do not dream about big TVs, but what about big houses, new cars, “hot holidays” on Caribbean beaches or big banks accounts?
Now, let me make clear that, in principle, I am not against us having these things. However, my point is that they can become a problem in at least a couple of ways.
First, we make a mistake when we begin to think, “I will be happy when…” (you can fill in the blank). When we think about it, we know that new TVs and more stuff cannot make us happier or make our lives better. Eventually, those things lose their luster and we are back to where we started.
The second issue is that we can be so focused on acquiring things that we do not have much left to share with others. Saskatchewan is an exception, as we routinely set records for charitable giving, but many people are simply so far in debt that they could not help a good cause even if they wanted to. Maybe we need a different way to see things.
The Bible says, “He who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with his own hands, that he may have something to share with those in need” (Ephesians 4:28). Work, not so that you can get more, but so that you can share. That is different.
The Bible also says, “Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus” (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18). Notice that it did not say, “acquire continually and get more in all circumstances”, but “give thanks”.
I know that the calendar says that “Thanksgiving” is over, but can we keep it going for a while?
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