TAKE TIME TO RESPOND

We live in a world, or at least in a country, where consumption seems to be the calling card. We eat more than we should, certainly eat more of the wrong foods and not enough of the right ones. We consume more of the world’s natural and dwindling resources than we have a right to while, at the same time, making it more difficult for the rest of the world to obtain its fair share.

We seem to be so preoccupied with getting, obtaining more and more. Perhaps the word “seem” is incorrect. Perhaps the truth is that we are preoccupied. We tend to think, or seem to be convinced of the truth that more is better rather than realizing that less is more. Who hasn’t eaten so much at a wonderfully delicious and even nutritious meal that the stuffed stomach mitigated against our being able to really enjoy the meal. Too many of our children have more toys than they can possibly enjoy any one of them.

All that is bad enough; and even though it is a guilt trip, this reminder that we spend too much time, energy and money in obtaining and consuming that which we deem will make us happy or happier, there is another point to all this. It is an important point and one that we all too easily overlook, take for granted or, even worse, do not recognize at all as being something of which we should be aware.

The point is quite simple: when we allow ourselves to be preoccupied, even at times consumed, with getting – getting food, getting possessions, getting money, getting – we become unable to respond to what God gives to us, freely gives to us at no cost and asks nothing in return other that we appreciate what we have been given and to not misuse that gift in any way.

One of the reasons why more is less is that when we have little, we always appreciate what we have. The more we possess the less we seem to appreciate and enjoy those possessions. We sometimes have so many possessions that we have to store them in the attic, the cellar, the garage or even rent one of those storage facilities somewhere across town almost to the point where we even forget what we have and certainly have no way of enjoying them.

Then, too, one of the reasons why we seem unable to respond to what God gives us is that we either have taken for granted what those gifts are or we can’t grab hold of them and store them away for future enjoyment. They are meant to be enjoyed all the time but can only be enjoyed when they are recognized for what they are: God’s free gifts to us. Once recognized, then and only then can we respond appropriately.

What are those free God-given gifts? They are too numerous to mention, but consider some: life itself, each day, the sunshine, nature in all its glory, the fruits of the earth, God’s total love for us and the ability to love God and others and be loved in return, God’s forgiveness and the ability to forgive and be forgiven. Each of us can add to that list of the gifts God gives to each freely, unasked, with the only request that our response is to recognize these gifts, to be thankful and never, ever take them for granted.