Compare and Contrast

It's a simple concept you learn in school. It can be pretty handy when the choice is a simple one itself - sandwich or soup? This restaurant, vacation spot, or even purchasing a car. My dad showed me once how easy it is to detail out the things you want as an end result, and then compare and contrast your choices to see which is the closest one. It is the remedy to buyer's remorse.

This weekend I saw it in action when my sister purchased a new stroller. The guy who worked there was very informative and helpful, really gave her the best information on each one so she could choose the right one. She left extremely satisfied and thankful he was there.

But when it comes to our personal lives and choices, sometimes it is really a negative thing to compare and contrast with others. San Antonio is a city with two extreme opposites - wealthy and poor. I have driven into neighborhoods with small, older, run down houses surrounded with clutter and chaos. I have been invited into neighborhoods with full-time security, luxury cars, and spacious homes filled with expensive things. And neither of those describes my living situation.

It can become very easy to get disheartened that we cannot have everything the way we want it. As blessed as we are, we still look around and wonder why we have to deal with headaches like home repair and tight budgets. Why must we work at a job that seems fruitless and unrewarding? What is holding us back from the lifestyle we see so many others enjoying?

But the truth is that God only gives us what we need and can handle. Perhaps we are just learning to honor him with the basics, and shouldn't really be trusted with more. Perhaps wealth would be an awful burden, with more headaches and demands than we imagine. Perhaps there is a blessing waiting in our current situation that we can't anticipate yet. God reminded me of Ecclesiastes this week.

"And it is a good thing to receive wealth from God and the good health to enjoy it. To enjoy your work and accept your lot in life — this is indeed a gift from God. God keeps such people so busy enjoying life that they take no time to brood over the past."

I want to spend some extra time this week enjoying life, and not all the things that I think fill it up.