Spoiled Rotten…
You are–the fact that you are reading this right now means that you have some type of access to some kind of computer. Most probably it is your personal computer in your own home. The fact you’re reading this also indicates that you have some leisure time at your hands. If you’re like me it might be at 10:45 p.m. at night while you’re winding down from a day’s work, but you still have the time. Look around, is there a light on? That means you have electricity. What about indoor plumbing? Yep, got that too. Do you have food for tomorrow and at least one pair of clean clothes?
The Bible says: “And having food and raiment let us be therewith content.” – 1 Timothy 6:8
Think about that for a minute–it says if you have food for tomorrow, and one pair of clean clothes–God expects us to be content.
In our culture that is quite a foreign idea. In our society we feel that if someone has a hard time buying their children presents they are in a woe-ful state of affairs. We ourselves get upset because we can’t afford to buy the latest Kindle/iMac/Droid phone/SUV etc etc etc. As I point a finger at you I have 4 pointing back at myself. I in fact am typing this on a new iMac, sitting in a warm and cozy bed with more stuff than I know will fit in my vehicle when I move back to my own apartment in a few days. My biggest problems are worrying about shipping it across the U.S. and getting money to cover several motel rooms and eating out expenses. I found myself last night jealous over a persons huge home and nice big diamond ring.
Tonight we had a single girl who’s going to Papa New Guinea as a full time missionary. She’ll be working with missionaries in the Highlands where the tribal people live. Many are illiterate, there is no electricity, and they live in huts made of woven materials from the bush.
Here I’ve been bemoaning the fact that I have had to live with my brother’s family for the past 6 months when families there all live together in great big huts.
I know that we *know* that there are cultures like this still-but quite honestly most of the time they don’t even cross my mind. How dare we, how dare I, take the lavish blessings of the American life and whine and complain about them and our rich people problems?! It definitely has given me food for thought, and I hope it will for you as well!
Copyright © Nicole Elliott, Moms of Faith, All Rights Reserved
Great Post! I need to constantly remind myself all that I have to be thankful for, even at those time when I wish I had more, I know that compared to others in the world I am most greatly blessed. I pray I can incorporate more thankfulness in my life.