If you spend any time at all online, you’ll notice that if you do a search on a topic, you’ll find offers for what you’ve searched appearing as ads on your Facebook, Instagram and other online presences. Recently I was searching for vacation ideas. I checked out locations and means of travel, such as by car, air, ship, train, etc. Suddenly, I’m now seeing ads for cruises, vacation packages, train tours to a lot of different places every time I go online.
The one that really made me laugh appeared on my Facebook page this week. “For $2,500 per month, choose from spacious ‘IxxxxxxxA’ vacation homes, five-star hotels, and one-of-a-kind experiences.”
For $2500 a month … can’t you just hear the “only” in there…for “only” $2500 a month, I have my choice of vacations. I’m not a math genius but that’s $30,000 a year! If I had an extra $30,000 in my bank account every year, I’m sure I could find much better uses for it than vacationing in villas, five-star hotels or experiencing one-of-a kind adventures.
“Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, ‘Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.’” [Hebrews 13:5]
Being content isn’t easy, especially in a society which loves to raise discontent levels to new heights. It has to, it’s built on consumerism. We certainly aren’t going to buy more if we are content with what we have. God reminds, however, that it is not money, nor things that will bring peace and satisfaction. It’s His presence with us. In Him, we can find the highest contentment (not complacency, but contentment … there’s a difference).
Teach us LORD, to find our satisfaction in You. Amen
