As Anton Ego had to learn in the movie "Ratatouille" ....perspective is life changing. Granted, he was a foodie and all he really really wanted, as he discovered, was the simple dish, ratatouille. Rainbows and happiness abounded when he finally realized this and he spent the rest of his life partaking in the joys of eating said dish. He called the dish "perspective."
Now, I am not going to talk about food here, but I do want to talk about my perspective as of late. I think it's Christmas season especially that makes me start thinking down this line of thought, but regardless the reason, I am glad to go down it.
I was walking through the mall the other day with Israel, and I was just going to get out of the house. No buying. Just looking. Well, in not being on a mission to find various things, I had the whole mall to just watch. People here and there, rushing around. Trying on the newest makeup colors, perusing through the shoe racks as if shoes were going out of business, trying to manage lines and multiple bags...these the activities going on as I walked the strip of mall. Then, to my right and left, were signs calling out to people's hearts....buy me and you will be beautiful, wear this and you will be sexy, purchase this and your life will be fulfilled. You need this. You deserve this.
Wait. What??
However, amidst all of this bustling about and eye candy, what kept drawing my eyes were...the eyes of the people. So many dead and lifeless eyes. How can they be going about buying all of these material items and still look sad? Cold? Dead? Unhappy? Grasping? Desperate. How come I felt like I was the most alive/content person walking around, yet I wasn't able to buy anything on this trip?
Life. Life in Christ. I have the greatest gift...the gift of salvation. I have the joy that comes with the presence of the Lord. I have security. Things don't buy me security, but I am secure eternally. Secure to be with Christ forever and ever, secure to never have anymore tears/crying, sadness or pain. Secure to be with my brothers and sisters who also love the Lord and are bought by him for all eternity. Praise Him!
(Revelation 21)
Walking around the mall, I just felt overwhelmingly sad. I wanted to just shout out, "don't you people know!? Can't you see? You can have true fulfillment! It's right there...He's right there...waiting for you! Wake up! Wake up! Time is short!"
Granted, I realize that the entire mall was not full of people who don't love or know the Lord. Also, I am not saying that I too, don't like buying things for myself and for others. Heaven knows how much time I have thought about how much I would love to have money to buy things as small as a new clothing item whenever I want to as large as a house for our family. I would love to have expendable funds to buy my friends all the gifts that I want. I covet. I feel discontent. I worry about money. I worry about my future on this earth. I fret about my health. I think about the future of my life and my family's life and sometimes feel fear.
HOWEVER. That is sin. That is me wandering away from what I know is important and real and true. That is me having a worship problem. When Christ is most beautiful, most desireable, and I HAVE Christ...I don't need anything else. All of my earthly needs, He knows and cares about and he will not fail to provide them. He even blesses us with good gifts that are not needs, but just desires!
"If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him?" -Matthew 7:11
"Delight yourself in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart." -Psalm 37:4
Living in this world is expensive. Golly, the cost of living about eats up your entire wages. Everything that we buy for ourselves is money that we have to work for.
BUT....
guess what? There is one thing that I don't have to work for. EVER. I just have to receive...
My salvation. I was bought with a price. The price of Jesus' very own life.
*sitting in awe of that for a moment*
What wonderful and incomprehensible love the Gospel of Christ is! What glory and joy we can have when we accept His gift and live our lives with Him and in Him!
I'm going to go back to the mall picture...Not only was I saddened for the people who have not chosen life in Christ, but I was reminded that I have to be careful to not be self-righteous. Instead of thinking "oh that poor person, he/she just doesn't get it and I don't think they will..good thing I know what's what..."...I need to be praying and asking the Lord to reach their hearts and THANKING Him for capturing my heart when He did! Thank him for choosing me, even though I don't, never have, and never will deserve it. Praise Him that He worked in my heart to soften it to recognize my need for Him.
My greatest need, is met.
My greatest joy, is found.
My greatest hope, is Christ.
My greatest life, is being lived.
My greatest future, is secure.
My greatest love, is the one who shed his blood for my sin. Who took the wrath of God for me so that I might live.
Praise be to the Holy One!
My prayer this Christmas season, but hopefully throughout my life, is that I would be a light and witness for my God. That I would not become distracted by the earthly pleasures...enjoy them and be thankful for them, yes...but not let them become greater than my first love.
...........................................................................Happy Shopping!
(I kid, I kid). ;)
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