We have wants. Many wants or few wants the same motive creates them all. Our desire to have and keep whatever it is drives our inner most desires. So, we pray for the gas in the tank to last until the next gas station. We pray for our kids, family and others that they don't ruin this or that family gathering. We want our world to be "right" and will go to great lengths to display just that to the world. Heaven help us if our wants reach the level of having at all costs. Being seen as someone who has their world in order and comfortable being the goal. After all, what will the neighbors think?
We enjoy wants. We buy our wants from money robbed from Peter to pay Paul. Some of our wants grow increasingly expensive and stress the budget (if it is there in the first place.) to the point where some have declared bankruptcy. Perhaps we take out a second on our home or sell of that collection of stuff acquired from your grandparents before they passed away. It doesn't make any sense, so we need to rationalize our decision. We may even bring into the picture people who are close to us. If we gain their agreement we don't feel so bad about selling. We just don't tell the truth about what we intend to do or have to do with the money. We lie. Not just to ourselves but to those around us.
We demand wants. Or at least the government and the various agencies of the government demand their wants. If they aren't voluntarily given, they are taken in any way they deem necessary. In turn, we do the same to those around us. Maybe not so obvious as the government but with the same motivation. We demand our wants and don't really care because we have already gone through the steps it takes to numb the conscience. Without a morals and ethical behavior alive and well in us, we all run amok. We don't like demands put upon us and will avoid them whenever we can. We by now have brought ourselves and those attached to a point where we cannot see the way out.
We deny wants. From the smallest of things to the greatest of things, we deny others their wants and sometimes their needs. We tell our children that we are unable to take a vacation because of the car needing to be fixed. Thus we can justify using the vacation money on something we want. The car doesn't get fixed. We tell our friends that we cannot socialize with them because we cannot afford a babysitter. We have already spent that money and need the money to pay for dinner out that night with them.
We crash and burn. Our demanding our wants be fulfilled is a multilayer juggling act. When the act has worn out the person juggling, the load becomes too much and all of the items being juggled fall to the ground. The car is repossessed, the power or water is shut off because payday is several days off. The fridge and pantry are empty except for a couple of items no one likes. Yet, we don't give it up. This is close to the bottom for most people. Going to someone or some entity for help is so embarrassing that we don't get the help we need. Perhaps we even spend the kids savings that grandma and grandpa have been putting away for them for years.
Where are you today? What have you been telling yourself? What will it take to push the restart button? You see, your "wants" have driven you into the ground. You have become a different person than who you were created to be. You have lost faith and even doubted there might be a way out. It's here then that we can push the restart button by coming to Jesus with honest appraisal of our situation. He can also be the instrument that brings you back to the flock. They would always forgive you even if you didn't forgive yourself. The "want" lesson is now something in the past. Do you go back and pick up the "want" virus? Do you leave the "wants" alone and concentrate on the needs? The decision is always yours.
No comments:
Post a Comment