Monday, November 7, 2011

How to avoid discontent (Number 9, Number 9, Number 9)

There is much discontent in society today. It seems no one is happy or pleased or content with what they have.

I have a cure.

Quit looking at what your neighbor has.

Really, it's as simple as that. Quit comparing what you have to your neighbor's stuff. You can always find someone who has more than you, you can always find someone who doesn't work as hard as you do but yet has more - and then your sinful, selfish nature will say, "It's not fair."

But here's the thing - when you look at what your neighbor has, you ignore the blessings that you yourself have. Your riches end up tasting like ashes in your mouth because of what someone else has. They aren't rich enough for you - not because they are "bad" - not because God hasn't provided for you... but because of covetousness.

Commandment number 9 - Thou shall not covet thy neighbor's house. God doesn't tell us this for no reason - worrying about what our neighbor has, wanting what he has always leads to unnecessary suffering and sadness. That's just what happens. Rather, look at what you have, ponder all the ways in which God has indeed blessed you - and you will delight in His Goodness to you.

4 comments:

George said...

did you get the title for this post from Mr. Cain?

Rev. Eric J Brown said...

Not that I know of...

Geprge said...

perhaps I was a bit oblique...

9 - 9 - 9 is a sequence of numbers most commonly associated with Mr. Herman Cain these days...

trying to be funny.

Rev. Eric J Brown said...

Dude... that's the Beatles!!!