Thought for Today
Genesis 33:9 But Esau said, "I have enough, my brother; keep what you have for yourself."
Numbers 11:22 Are there enough flocks and herds to slaughter for them? Are there enough fish in the sea to catch for them?"
Matthew 6:34 "So do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring worries of its own. Today's trouble is enough for today.
John 6:7 Philip answered him, "Six months' wages would not buy enough bread for each of them to get a little."
How much is enough? Today’s devotional in These Days tangentially deals with that question without ever directly asking it. I suspect very few of us, in our daily scramble to climb the ladder of success have ever asked ourselves, “How much is enough?” Yet, anyone who has worked for a company, large or small, has at some point faced that question on a very personal level. The answer to the question is personal, differing for each of us.
At some point in our lives, both in our careers and in our personal lives, we must all face that question, “How much is enough?” Do the demands of the next position, the next rung on the corporate ladder, warrant the cost to our professional and personal lives? How do I balance the reward of a larger, more expensive home/car/anything, against the cost in both monetary terms and in the sacrifices its acquisition will require?
Americans live in a society largely oriented around conspicuous consumption. Much of our industry is oriented around meeting customer demand; and, much of that demand is driven by advertising, some of it is even created by advertising. Sadly, much of that advertising seems bent on answering the question of “How much is enough?” with the thought that there is never enough. How often do you . . . do I ask myself, “Do I really need the latest . . .? Do I really need a bigger . . . ? Do I really need a . . . with more features?
That devotional today is focused on Psalm 65:4b, “We shall be satisfied with the goodness of your house, your holy temple.” The author suggests, “Instead of being consumed with a sense that we should always be more or have more, we can trust that the goodness of God will always sustain us.”
I suspect that my perspective on the question of “How much is enough?” and the perspective of the author of that devotional are both skewed by our own economic situations. As I sit this morning in the sunroom of our suburban home, gazing out the windows at the field east of our home, as I type this on my computer and think about the breakfast I will soon eat, I cannot help but wonder how a Ukrainian or a Gazan might answer that question this day.
Would they answer that a day without bombing is enough? Would they answer that a day with clean water or any food at all is enough? Unimaginable as it is, even here in America some might answer that a day without gun violence is enough. Some might give that same answer that clean water or any food at all is enough.
As a Christian, I understand the psalmist’s words and I agree that I am satisfied with the goodness of God’s house, God’s holy temple. But, I am sitting in a comfortable chair in a warm home, free from want, free from hunger, secure (as much as anyone can be) from violence.
Maybe we’re asking the wrong questions. Instead of “How much is enough?” maybe a better question is, “How can I help?” Maybe I should ask myself, “Is my faith in God enough?” I often read and quote from both Paul and James. I believe each of them would agree with the other, “Ephesians 2:8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God-- ”, “James 2:18 ‘You have faith, and I have works.’ Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works.”
How much is enough? Enough is when God’s will is done on earth as it is in heaven. We just need to remember that we are the ones tasked with doing God’s will on earth. Enough is when every child of God has food, safety and comfort.
Stay safe, find your own way to help, trust God,
Pastor Ray