my response.
I purposely didn’t write my own commentary the Ecclesiastes post yesterday. I wanted to hear was people were thinking without being persuaded by my thoughts – but none of you ever comment! (I know you read me… but talk to me people!) And the two people who did comment asked for my thoughts as well. So here it goes.
Enjoy what you have rather than desiring what you don’t have. Just dreaming about nice things is meaningless—like chasing the wind.
I guess for me. When it comes to contentment and longing, we have our thoughts and discussions within the context of material goods. Yet when we read Paul, he’s writing about contentment from the point of view of circumstances – rich/poor, prison/freedom, etc.
I’m starting to find well-intentioned Jesus followers (and at times also find myself) becoming known for what sorts of things we chase. It sounds crazy, but I think you’d agree. When I hear a persons name something that they are chasing comes to mind. – job. baby. house. fashion. meaning. self-worth. companionship. etc.
And frankly, if I’m honest with myself, people might or would say the same thing about me:
“Oh, Dan – yeah, he’s that guy who wants a kid from Ethiopia. He’s that guy who wants to be excellent at his craft. He’s that guy who wants to have all the answers and everyone’s respect and have a blog read by lots and lots of people. He’s… He’s… He’s…”
I just don’t want to end up having been known for chasing an iphone or macbook pro. I think I was getting to be that guy – phone, camera, laptop, Ben Sherman, Burberry, etc. And when I realized what was happening, my wanting material possessions was really about wanting to look the part and rock the look. It was really more about my insecurities.
Chasing the wind.
What we want is less important than why we want it. Not all chasing is meaningless… I think Solomon comes to that conclusion by the end of the essay. And why we’re chasing what we’re chasing definitely determines the validity of the desire.
I know the cliche answer to the question “why do we never live like we want to be known for chasing after the heart of God?”
But the question deserves more than a cliche answer.
More is at stake then we realize. There are enough people in this world chasing after a life that will lead to their demise. Please, as Jesus flowers, can we be different? Can we stop chasing after our dream house, one more knick-knack, the Pottery Barn catalog, the next rung on the ladder, or next president who will save the world? Can we chase after something that will actually make a difference 100 years from now and impact a hurting world for Jesus?
Please?
first off, thank you for being real dan. that’s one thing i am beginning to admire more and more about you as i slowly get to know you better from a distance. i think i am constantly waging war against the desire to have. i think with anything in life that i have desired and have gotten, it has never fulfilled me or left me satisfied. i’ve gotten a lot of what i wanted, God has been good to me.
a nice house. a nice car. great kids, amazing wife. cool toys (golf clubs, mac book pro, xbox, etc) and i can honestly say none of them give me a lasting satisfaction. i think a lot of times i buy into satan’s lie that more will matter, this one will be different. it doesn’t and it isn’t. take xbox for example, i could play at most 3-4 hours at a time, and then get really bored and walk away. golf, a lot of fun, but after 1 or 2 rounds, i’m ready for something different. God however, i never have tired of Him, I simply walk away to chase something new.
i try and remember to keep things in perspective, i mean, if i die tomorrow or even 70 years from now, will it really matter if i got the new madden 09 or if go the latest iphone or what kind of car i drove? will they talk about those things on earth or in heaven after i’m gone. no. so why do i chase them? i think because satan would rather have us chase anything, but Jesus.
as i mentioned before, its a war, and one that i think i’ll fight probably until i see my King. so each day i fight. some days i win, some days i lose. but my hope, my prayer is, today God give me Jesus, nothing else, just Jesus, and tomorrow i’ll pray all over again.
Word brother.
It puts me in my place. Seeking Heaven and not this world.
We had a friend come over the other day and talk to us about our finances and about how we should consider budgeting to save and create a comfortable retirement for ourselves. Adam and I looked at each other and thought the exact same thing. First of all, we doubt we’ll retire… we both love to work-that’s what God sent us here to do. I think our “work” will drastically change from now and then, but I don’t think the “work” will ever end.
Second… paying off the house, being comfortable financially, having a nest egg of cash… none of those things sound appealing to us. It would be too easy to get sucked into the world if we were comfortable. Bills? They will always be… and it’s a good thing. I don’t want to have everything, I don’t want to have anything if it’s not for the glory of God. Being financially smart??? We’re totally on it. We don’t have a lot of debt other than our car and house. We are incredibly careful with credit cards because they’re evil.
Keeping our motives and heart in check is our main goal and I’m very grateful that Adam and I are on the same wavelength with spending money and wanting things. We still fight urges and we make spending mistakes, etc. But I love where we are… in smart debt.