Dollars due best when walking with sense
Isaiah 55:2 Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread, and your labor for that which does not satisfy? Listen diligently to me, and eat what is good and delight yourselves in rich food.
Proverbs 23:4 Do not toil to acquire wealth; be discerning enough to desist. Proverbs 11:24 One gives freely, yet grows all the richer; another withholds what he should give, and only suffers want.
Luke 12:15 Then He said to them, “Watch out? Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.
James 5:3 Your gold and silver have become worthless… The very wealth you were counting on will eat away your flesh like fire. This treasure you have accumulated will stand as evidence against you on the day of judgment.
Material things are fairly plentiful in this country. We live a life of luxury compared to the majority of the world, and yet we often grip about some minor inconvenience. Maybe your water has been turned off for a few hours for a main water break someplace requiring repair. Maybe you don’t have instant electricity because of a hurricane, other storm, or just loss of power to your home for some reason. We are accustomed to instantaneous gratification and fulfillment of our “needs.” Yet there are many in this world who have to do without. They do not have what we consider basic needs–easy access to water (and maybe no clean water), electricity, fresh foods–plentiful food, clean clothing, medical or dental care, supplies for basic hygiene–bars of soap, toothpaste and toothbrushes, combs…
For many of us, someone suggests a shopping time, and we go, maybe not even with any intent to purchase anything. After all, you have no need, but then desire kicks in and in my case have purchased something I like, yes, but need, no. I have not used sense in regards to my dollars. And although I don’t shop often, even a couple times a year, makes me think, once the item(s) purchased, that there are some who have no fresh water, no food, no way to fully cleanse themselves or their family.
So often, we grumble about inconveniences, and never fully realize how blessed we are in this country.
Last year, we had a shock dealing with limited access to some supplies, being fairly sequestered from others—and thank YOU God that there is enough technology in this country to allow us to have ZOOM meetings and connections, people had the ability to work from their homes via computers and means of maintaining contact long distance, we could locate masks and go to the grocery stores and buy most of what was needed. . . . but we had a minor taste of doing without. And we grumbled.
For some reason, toilet paper was initially hard to but when COVID first raised its ugly head in this country. The virus caused no GI symptoms, but the product was snatched off the shelves. It truly made me laugh. Again, some spent dollars with no sense.
We gave little thought to the people living in countries who always do without, and the murmuring continued and the fears and anxieties in many were rampant. I didn’t have this fear and anxiety, and was more than a little surprised at my friends who refused to want to socialize even outside, staying 6-8 feet apart. My neighborhood is a close knit group. We frequently socialize with one another, have a celebration with a huge crowd, and we look out for each other. It was so different during the initial hype of COVID—and that was bothersome to me. From a nursing point of view, I got it, but for the general mental and emotional health of all, I thought it detrimental.
Certainly, I used and followed the mask mandates, washed hands frequently, avoided over crowding, but I did think it good and healthy to see people at least outside. And doing ZOOM bible studies, or attending church online I thought repeated we are so blessed to live in this country and have access to this kind of technology. So there were things that were difficult to adapt to last year during the months of unease with COVID, but in comparison to what others live with on a daily basis in many of these poor, overcrowded, under-privileged countries, we have no reason to gripe, complain, or be irritated.
The world dealt with COVID, and our country was able to be vaccinated sooner, and although we lost many thousands of people to the ravages of this virus, we had little reason to truly gripe and complain. We have the means to bathe, to boil water, to feed ourselves (for the most part) and reach out via phones, televisions, ZOOM, computers, and in many other ways, and we should be thankful for where we are and all that we have, the many blessings, and remember our occasional inconveniences are many other peoples lives daily, unending.
We have riches, we have dollars and we are not always wise with what we have been blessed with. We do not always share and make available for others. Frequently, we spend just on a whim, to fill a momentary want or desire, and think nothing of it, because we have it, fairly easily. I want to spend more time remembering many others do not have the blessings I enjoy, and pray that I will be less nonchalant with all the He has blessed me with.
Help me Lord, to spend more using sense and not wasting dollars. I don’t want to be foolish with what You have entrusted me with.
Thank You, LORD, for You have abundantly blessed me, and at times I forget and grumble, and don’t spend wisely, and don’t appreciate all luxuries available here that are not available through much of this world. I am so sorry for my selfishness and impatience with occasionally not being able to fill a desire at the time. You are so abundant to me and ‘my bellaviews’.
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