“Is that a Sun Ice?”
“Excuse me,” I said.
My friend pointed to my new ski jacket and asked again, “Is that a Sun Ice?”
It was 1991 and Sun Ice was the big name in ski wear at the time. “No” I replied, “I can’t afford one of those”.
“Oh” he said as he lost interest and then just walked away.
I had not seen this friend in more than a year and, sadly, his first question was not, “How are you doing?” or “How is your first year in Estevan going?” but rather, “Is that an expensive coat or just a cheap knock-off?” It was an odd and disturbing interaction. One that I still remember 33 years later.
It is easy to believe that our worth is determined by how much money we make, where we have been or what we own, but that is not an accurate measurement. We need a better way of evaluating our lives and our success.
Someone said, “Never measure life by possessions. Measure it by the hearts you have touched, the smiles you created and the love you shared”. That is a good reminder. Life is best when we live for something bigger than ourselves. “Who am I helping?”, “What am I leaving behind?” and “How do I want to be remembered?” are the sorts of questions that will guide us toward better decisions and a better life.
Jesus said, “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of possessions” (Luke 12:15).
Do not fall for the lie that more is always better. Do not assume that success is best measured in dollars and cents. Focus on your relationships. Build others up. Make your corner of the world a better place. Focus on what is eternal rather than what is temporary. Then you will be successful, whether you have much or little.
Coco Chanel once said, “There are those who have money and those who are rich”.
We need a better scorecard.
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