Would you get excited if someone handed you $10,000 in cash? How about if you were offered a brand new car for free? Yeah, I’ll take it!
I noticed that a lot of our happiness come from things of the world, perishable things. In fact, we spend much of our time and effort to gain worldly possessions.
Don’t get me wrong, it’s fine to enjoy some extra cash or a new car, but should we be satisfied with that? Is material gain all we want from life? Don’t you want more?
C.S. Lewis famously said, “It would seem that Our Lord finds our desires not too strong, but too weak. We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea. We are far too easily pleased.”
When I got my first paycheck, I felt like I finally arrived! I felt successful! I proudly deposited it into my bank account and was even excited to see it earn a few dollars of interest every month. Now hundreds of paychecks later, I see the wisdom of Lewis’ words. I’ve only been making mud pies in a slum.
God has so much more for us than mere comforts in life. We ought to pursue God like a merchant looking for fine pearls. Upon finding the one of great value, he sells everything he has to buy that one (Matt. 13:45-46).
Sure, things in this world seem great, but they pale in comparison to life with God as the center.
Reflection Questions
- In what areas of your life are you “too satisfied”?
- How can you be pursuing spiritual abundance instead of worldly abundance?
About the Author
Katy Lee graduated from Talbot School of Theology with a Master Degree in Christian Education. Her passion is to help parents effectively raise their children in the Christian faith.
About the Artist
Christine Hwang graduated from UCLA with a BA in Art History. She loves art and wants to glorify God with the gifts that He’s given her. She is currently pursuing further education at a community college and hopes to build a career in either illustration or animation. Currently, her time is spent in Northern California, where she is building her art portfolio and developing her skills in animation.