Recently I was a bystander in a conversation where one person asked
another, “And how are you doing?” In response it was mentioned that the family
would have no money coming in for two weeks, but it was also stated three
times, “We have nothing left to eat but
beans and peanut butter, so we’ll be eating a lot of chili and peanut butter
sandwiches.” Although the family is in a dire situation, members of the church
family have and will continue to help them. While I am sympathetic to the food
situation, I was also reminded of my family’s stories of the Great
Depression…all they had to eat were beans, they would have given their left leg
to have had the peanut butter. We believers are often guilty of focusing on
what we don’t have, rather than rejoicing that the Lord has provided the beans
and peanut butter.
1 comment:
Gail;
-----And what a great rejoicing there is in His provision of beans and peanut butter! But also there is great rejoicing in His provision of prosperity, “Misfortune pursues sinners, but prosperity rewards the righteous,” (Prov 13:21) and, “A slothful man will not catch his prey, but the diligent man will get precious wealth.” (Prov 12:27) It is one matter to be joyful with beans alone, an important matter for sure, but it is another matter to desire also peanut butter, an ambition which stirs a person to toil. The one matter rises from focus on what is had and produces all joy and no beans after dinner, the other focuses on what is not had to provide beans and peanut butter for the next dinner. The one is about being content with circumstances, the other is about being diligent in producing circumstances. If only the first is practiced, we enjoy one last meal. If only the second is practiced, we enjoy only the piling up of beans and peanut butter and never actually sitting down to have a meal. Each has its place, and with each in its place joy is full.
Love you all,
Steve Corey
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