We live in a
society where people are defined by what they do and have.
When asked to
introduce ourselves as children, we simply said our names. For example, the
child says “ I’m Princess-Anne Atulaegwu”. No airs, no flats. The child needn’t
say more. The society was content identifying the child by the name of his/her
parents.
Sometimes, the achievements
or responsibilities of our parents became the only means by which some people would
rather identify us. You must have heard things like, “The pastor’s daughter (my
case), the principal’s son etc.
Read: The Identity Rule
Read: The Identity Rule
Then teenage years
came by and neither our names nor the achievements of our parents were enough.
One had to make sure there was some personal achievement attached to the name. Hence, they said things like, “That’s Princess
the best student in Chemistry”, that’s Princess, the head girl” etc.
From teenage years
into adulthood, we continue to evolve and acquire material and immaterial
things.
While there’s nothing
wrong in having a few feathers (achievements and possessions) on your hat (attached
to your name), the human mind has a tendency to become obsessed with what we have, own or
possess.
You must have
noticed how little children eagerly tell their mates about every piece of
clothing on them. You hear things like, “ My mum bought me a new shoe (pronounced
shoe- uuuuh, with a rising tone)”.
They emphasize on the item as though they
want the other person to feel bad about not having what they have. The other
child replies, “My mum bought me a necklace (pronounced neck-lay-aceee, with a
rising tone).
Back and forth the conversation goes. The kids judge each other
and decide on the “worth” of the other person.
Those who feel like their
parents buy similar quality of products, team up against those whose parents
buy what they consider inferior.
Read:How To Gain Satisfaction
Read:How To Gain Satisfaction
While some parents
bought clothes that were a few inches longer than required for their kids (so
that the child wouldn’t outgrow the cloth soon), others bought what was just
right for their children. What both set of parents probably didn’t know was
that their choice of clothing greatly influenced how the peers of their
children saw them (the children and parents).
It was common in my
days for the kids with the shiny things to feel theirs was better than those of
ours -the non-shiny things. I grew up to realize my non-shiny things were
actually more expensive than their shiny ones. While their parents followed
trends, my mother shopped for quality and durability.
Some how, this
comparison syndrome in childhood goes with us into adulthood. The discuss moves
from shoes and ribbon (girls) and toys and jeans (boys) to career, spouse,
properties etc. We compare courses studied at the university, “ I studied law,
he/she studied French, therefore I’m better”. We compare Jobs, “I work in a multinational organization,
he/she works at so and so therefore I’ m better”.
People on the "less" side of the “I’m better wall” often begin to struggle with discontentment. Sooner
than they know it, they wish they have what the other guy has and its only a
matter of time before they realize they not only hate the “doing better guy”,
they will readily do anything to take his place. This in plain English is
called COVETOUSNESS.
The word “covetous” implies
inordinate desire often for another's possessions (Merriam Webster).
Childhood conversations that began as
innocent advertisement of possessions, graduate into a soul draining habit (comparison),
which in turn breeds giant rats of discontentment, greed, envy and covetousness
that destroy many.
In Luke 12:15, Jesus said, “watch out! Guard yourselves against every form of
greed, for a man’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions”.
“….a man’s life does not consist in the abundance of
his possessions”
See it one more time.
“….a man’s life does not consist in the abundance of
his possessions”
Take it in.
Jesus said that in response to a man who was contending
over a piece of land with his brother and wanted Jesus to come be the judge of
the matter.
While owning properties and having the luxury of life
is important and feels good, we must be careful to ensure that we don’t define
our worth by these things.
If you rate yourself amazingly today, because you have
5 (five) houses in Lagos state, Ogun state and Kenya collectively, How would you rate yourself should
a disaster that sweeps it all away occur?
Life consists of several important things.
To define who we are
by the abundance of possessions we own, is like saying we are worth the same as bricks and
stones.
You are worth more than your clothes, more than your
family name, more than your landed properties, more than your cars, more than
your designer shoes. You are worth MORE.
Say after me, “I won’t lose my material possessions and If I did,
I still would be valuable, worthy of honour and amazing.
What have you allowed to define you; jobs, spouse,
possessions or social network? These things can disappear. If they didn’t, you
will someday leave it all behind.
We will someday lay in our graves; been stripped of all earthly possessions. If all lives consisted of the abundance of our possessions alone, we would be like the rich fool in Luke 12.
Please stop benchmarking your worth against the mundane.
Give your soul value by embracing JESUS and leading God’s
beautiful purpose for your life.
“Do not store up for yourselves
treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in
and steal. But store up for yourselves
treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves
do not break in and steal.” Mathew 6:19-20 (NIV)
Committed to your fulfilment
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