give or take

Psalm 73: 2-4 ² But as for me, my feet had almost slipped; I had nearly lost my foothold. ³ For I envied the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked. ⁴ They have no struggles; their bodies are healthy and strong.

One of my favorite C.S. Lewis quotes is: “Prosperity knits a man to the world. He feels he’s finding his place in it, while really it is finding its place in him”. The Psalmist saw the same thing happening, he even goes as far as to recognize that he almost lost his foothold. The world has a nasty way of slipping in, it intertwines around our heart and works to make us feel inadequate. We struggle to find our place, we search for our niche, our spot, our mark. We look to the wicked, and see the life they live. We want it. We search for prosperity so that we might take our place in this world. In short, we come very close to losing our foothold.

Verse twelve even goes further, the Psalmist points out “This is what the wicked are like—always free of care, they go on amassing wealth.”  Today we hear, “They have it easy, I have it hard”.” Everything comes to them, I have to struggle for what I get”. “Life is just not fair.” All of that sounds pretty familiar I am sure, I know that audio track runs through my mind every now and again. Someone has it better, someone has what I want, someone got what I “needed” (funny how when we see people blessed we don’t long for more God….just the blessing) when we let this track run in a loop in our minds, we are allowing the world to knit itself right into our lives. We have to realize that the chains of this world are forged one link at a time. Link by link, inch by inch, foot by foot, we fashion the chain that will hold us to this world. When you spend your time looking at what others have, you are spending your time forging your chain.

Here is a challenge for each of us. Quit looking at what others have, and start looking at what they are missing. Imagine that, Donald Trump might have a lot, but I bet he could use some of what you have. I know that each of us, if we will take the time and really look at those who we think have so much, will find that it is not that they have what we want, but that they need what we have.  You see, the Psalmist comes to his senses, he realizes what is important in verse 22 he starts to come to a close with this  “I was senseless and ignorant; I was a brute beast before you. ²³ Yet I am always with you; you hold me by my right hand. ²⁴ You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will take me into glory.”  These words are the words of a man who saw through the trap of the world. He found his place, not in the world, but with God. We do not need to look to prosperity so that we might find our place. Our place is already carved out for us. We do not need a worldly guide, for just like David, God has us by our right hand. He will guide us, if we will listen. He will bless, if we will look to bless as well. That is what this trip is all about. It is not about getting what everyone else has, it is about giving what everyone else needs. I have seen the richest man, and the poorest, in need of love. I have seen the successful, and the failures, both in need of forgiveness. I have seen the meek, and the powerful both in need of Grace….and I have yet to meet a person on this earth who could not use a little more of the Good News in their heart. It is not about getting, it is about giving.  God freely gives, will we choose to pass it along?  You might think you have little, but I promise you, no matter how little you have, we can go, and with very little effort find a person with less. You might think that some have to much, but if you look you will see just how empty they are. Spend your time looking to give what you have. Money, time, love, compassion, forgiveness, the Love of the Lord. We all have one, if not multiples of these in abundance, not to mention the many others I have not mentioned. If you are always looking to see what you can give, you will never find anyone that has enough. Give or take, forge a chain, or break free. Live for the world, or live for the one true, and living God. Every day we choose. Which road will you take today?

 

 

God Bless,

Brian Thetford

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The Ridge Fellowship

 

Psalm22