it's just "stuff"

Then he said to them, “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of possessions.”

– Luke 12:15

A great literary classic begins:

“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to Heaven, we were all going direct the other way – in short, the period was so far like the present period, that some of its noisiest authorities insisted on its being received, for good or for evil, in the superlative degree of comparison only.”

Now, think about people that are Christmas shopping.   

It seems like since the 80’s there has been a toy or item that has caused a frenzy because supply and demand was underestimated.

Cabbage Patch Kids, Furbys, Tickle Me Elmo, Nintendo Wii, these are all things from past years that caused otherwise rational shoppers to trample their fellow man, hence my thoughts of the beginning lines of A Tale of Two Cities – it was the best of times – when people could buy these sought after items, it was the worst of times when the need to have the latest and greatest turned people to violence and shameful behavior.

In the parable of the rich fool, Jesus gives two brothers fighting over their inheritance a strong warning about thinking that their possessions can give their life worth and ultimate value.

Greed grips our hearts when we place material things (or anything) in the place of God and His ultimate approval and blessings in our life.

We can make these the best of times, use the wisdom of the age, live in the Light, in the spring of hope and know that we are going to Heaven because we have been given the very best God has to offer.

Don’t be greedy. 

All of our “stuff” won’t matter the day we meet our Savior face to face.

Have a blessed day!