The more I read from Michael Metzger, the more I like. A recent blog post was aimed at how the US continues to be in trouble financially. However, this latter paragraph really grabbed my attention:
“We see, in unrealistic promises and the rampant indebtedness of the U.S., what Yuval Levin has called a “gluttonous feast upon the flesh of the future.” The solution however has less to do with politics and more to do with how Americans see promises. In the Book of Hebrews, chapter 11, we read of believers who lived exemplary lives yet “all of these did not receive what was promised.” Only half got what was promised in this life. The other half were stoned, sawed in two, or murdered in cold blood. In a fallen world, some promises go poof.
In God’s design, promises are expectations, fulfilled in this life or the next. Because of human stupidity, selfishness, and shortsightedness, we often forget this, treating promises as entitlements to be fulfilled in this life, period. Reality doesn’t work this way, however, which is why marriage vows include “for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness or in health.” The promise to stay together no matter what keeps an expectation of good health or healthy finances from turning into an entitlement.” (emphasis mine)
So often, we Americans act as if God has failed on some promise, typically about money. We complain about things like not getting to go out to eat, not own the latest technology, not getting even more new clothes or not getting to watch some movie.
It doesn’t matter that we Americans are overweight as a country and have more food in our pantries than some entire cities in the 3rd world.
It doesn’t matter that most Americans own in their simple cell phone, yes even my old dumb-phone, more technology than was used to take the Apollo rockets to the moon, AND that we have the ability with those devices to have more communication opportunities than have ever existed in the world. It doesn’t matter that most Americans have, on average, about 3-6 weeks worth of clothing so much so that they could not wash for that entire length of time and still not run out of different clothes to wear (not including under clothing).
And, it doesn’t matter that we live in a time and place where most Americans have access through TV, their phones and the Internet more entertainment than previously known in the entire world history combined (last check, 2 days [48 hours] of video is uploaded to youtube every MINUTE).
Nope, those facts don’t matter and so we complain.
I hope as Thanksgiving has come and gone, you become someone who decides to NOT complain. Sure, I know the frustration of not being able to buy my children (or myself) whatever I want, but when was that ever promised? Maybe, what I should do is quit looking at commercials, quit looking at my neighbor’s goods covetously, or quit visiting the mall.
We are a blessed people. You, no matter what you are going through, are a blessed person. Make a decision today to be thankful for what you have. You have a lot!