Are we ever satisfied?
“Be content with who you are, and don’t put on airs. God’s strong hand is on you; he will promote you at the right time. 1 Peter 5:6
Max Lucado writes about a business man who bought popcorn from a street vendor every day after lunch. One particular day he arrived to purchase his after lunch snack and found the man closing up. He inquired if everything was ok. The vendor replied that all is well. He was closing for the day so he could go home and sit on his front porch and sip tea with his wife. The business man objected that the day is too young to close, you could make much more money if you would just stay open. The vendor replied. “I have made enough money today.” They business man could not fathom this. Enough money? He proposed to the vendor that if he stays open longer he would sell more popcorn, the more popcorn he sold, the more money he would make, the more money he would make, the more popcorn stands you could buy, the more popcorn stands you own, the more vendors selling your popcorn, the more vendors selling your product, the richer you become. If you are rich, you can quit work and stay home and drink tea with your wife. The popcorn man smiled and said,”I can do that today. I guess i have enough.”
We obsess about having more, but do we have enough right now. Take 5 minutes to sit and think about what you have, what you want, and what you REALLY NEED.
There is a story of a farmer who decided to sell his farm because he was so disgusted with having to work and manage all of the property. He had to drive on bumpy, gravel roads every day. Those fat, useless cows did nothing besides need feeding and continually got out and fences always needed tending. He called the land company and talked to an agent about listing. She read back to him the property description that would be in the brochure. It described a gorgeous rolling farm in a perfect location. It is quiet and peaceful, contoured with rolling plains and soft pastures, nestled around a lake, blessed with healthy livestock. The farmer asked, “Can you read that to me one more time.” After hearing it a second time, he said, ” I have changed my mind. I am not going to sell. I have been looking for a place like that my whole life and I just found it.”
How often do we lose perspective? We all want more, but in the desire to be great, we sometimes forget how to be good.
Pursue the virtue of contentment. “Godliness with contentment is a great gain.”~Proverbs 13:7