I went for my morning run yesterday morning in one of the upscale neighborhoods of North Myrtle Beach, in the Cherry Grove section. When I went into this housing area I was in awe of the beauty of the homes. Some have as many as 6 car garages. They are huge and expensive. The pavement was bright and without blemish. It appears they even wash the street signs and keep them free from the grime that builds over time. The yards were pristine with nothing but the best grass and it was manicured, not a weed to be found. I ran for a couple of miles looking at these houses near a golf course.
Then something amazing happened. I came to a gate and as I ran through the gate the pavement was dull and there were patches and in places there were even holes. The houses were big and in their time, they were the place to be, they were in their time the envy of the people who drove by them.
“In their day.”
You see, there was a time when these houses were the top, the best, the most beautiful. But now they have been dwarfed by the neighbors who moved in next door. Their yards are no longer bright green, they have weeds, they no longer replace the palm trees that die with new ones, they replace them with something much cheaper. Don’t get me wrong, they are still big houses, in a nice neighborhood but they are no longer the envy of those who drive by them. There is no longer a gate that leads in and out of these places, the gates have been replaced by posts that symbolize the entrance.
The funny thing, in a few years and it wont be long, the new neighborhood that held me captive for a few minutes, it too will be dwarfed by houses bigger and better.
Ecclesiastes 5:10
“Those who love money will never have enough. How meaningless to think that wealth brings true happiness!”
I was thinking yesterday during my run. We are here on vacation, staying in a really nice condo right on the beach front. There are 8 of us in a really nice room that is really first class. We come this time of year because what we are staying in cheap gets really expensive in the busy season. It is a condo that is very roomy but compact. Two bedrooms, two bath, kitchen, dinning room, living room, washer, dryer, and dishwasher. It is really nice. But as nice as it is, it would be unacceptable for most of us to go back home and build our homes this compact.
Deuteronomy 6:10-12
When the Lord your God brings you into the land he swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, to give you—a land with large, flourishing cities you did not build, 11 houses filled with all kinds of good things you did not provide, wells you did not dig, and vineyards and olive groves you did not plant—then when you eat and are satisfied, 12 be careful that you do not forget the Lord, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery.
As I ran through that nice community I saw something else. I saw two snakes and I have never in 25 years of coming to the beach seen a snake here. I was reminded, “You knew I was a Snake when you picked me up.”
Ronnie
God is speaking-are we listening? I had that same conversation with my family this week-“well there’s something nice about having a small”house”-it’s easy to clean! ” I have been thinking about all the money we spend eating out and the size of last night’s dinner portions were ginormous! Enough to feed many hungry people. I have also been “tuned” in to all the unhappy vacationers-wondering what keeps them so unhappy when they should be enjoying this time of family togetherness. I’m having a blast! 🙂 We must change our perspective-the place where we are looking…and when we do-we will recognize the snake for what it is! God wants US, not our stuff.
I had a conversation on this topic with a friend of mine recently, like last week. She was proposing that if she just had more money, all of her issues would be gone. I proposed that with that view, when she has $1 million, she will wonder when she will have 2, 4, or $6 million. Thank you for the great post!