I still try to follow this and ask myself these questions regularly when buying something. I thought at the time that my mother was trying to teach me the value of a dollar, and I'm sure she was, but after all these years I think she was also trying to teach me another lesson. Materialism. The ideal of putting to much importance on material things. I'm a slow learner mom, but I think I've got it. Most of the things I wanted, insisted I needed, I now realize were only material things that I thought would bring me happiness. I have added another question to that list, a question to help me remember the importance of (or more accurately, the lack of importance of ) "things" - Will this bring me closer to God? (at the very least - Will it keep me from growing closer to God) This question can, and should be used through out our lives. Not just in buying something, but in the choices we make. The choices of the music we listen to, the books we read, the friends we make, the relationships we have, the way we spend our time. These are all choices that are going to do one of two things. Lead us closer to God, or seperate us from Him. There is no in between. "All earthly things are simply means to bring us to God. If they do not serve that purpose they are worse than useless." "It is far better to be with Christ and have nothing than to have all the treasures the world contains and to be without Him." Two quotes from Francis Fernandez that I felt fit right in this post. In a world consumed with having the most and best of everything, these will be hard words to swallow. But just start slow, baby steps, and remember those two quotes. They are words to live by.May God open our eyes to see what will lead us to Him, and grant us the wisdom and courage to follow.
3 comments:
This reminds me of when we were cleaning out and packing to move across two states to a smaller house. Maybe it's not exactly the same questions, but just the letting go of things you already own. Why are you keeping this? What is it's value? Oh my, we made many decisions to just get rid of "stuff" and we pretty much haven't missed any of it. There's something cleansing about it, even apart from the physical cleaning out...it was emotionally and spiritually cleansing as well. Does that make sense?
this is a great thing to remember, pat!!
It wasn't posted but it was quoted a lot by my Mom who lived thru the Great Depression:
Use it up.
Wear it out.
Make it do
Or do without.
I've always found them great words to live by!
Post a Comment