Shade Tree Wisdom 5/31/08

Last day in May and the day is starting beautifully, a slight breeze makes the walking a pleasure, and a dog set to walking along, checking interesting bushes and stuff along the way, adds to the enjoyment. He is not demanding, doesn’ t respond when I say sternly “go home’ and settles happily at my heels when he is not busy checking things elsewhere. When I reach my driveway, he leaves and goes home, happy to have been helpful, he thinks.

No, Ruth and I don’t have any pets around. But it did remind me of a wish I had when I was growing up. I always wanted a pony. My older brother and I had rabbits, guinea pigs, and other stuff, but never a pony.

Just recently my favorite columnist spoke about being a wanter when he was growing up. Using the Sears and Roebuck catalog as his wish book, checking out what it offered in rifles, bb guns, hardware. And heavy boots and other stuff.

Now, suddenly, and he doesn’t know just when it happened, he stopped wanting things. And that sort of surprised him because he said he was born being a wanter of things he couldn’t have.

And that strikes a bell. I have stopped being a wanter. And that’s quite an admission for one who used to just revel in the aroma and ambience of a hardware store. The sight of new wrenches, the smell of leather gloves, the gleaming tools displayed. The dreams of having.

But the years have brought something else. The Truth of God’s Word. “Having food and raiment, let us be therewith content.” wrote Paul to Timothy. 1Tim. 6,8. “Better is little with the fear of the Lord, than great treasure and trouble therewith.” Prov. 15,16. And the letter to the Hebrews says, “be content with such things as you have, for He hath said, I will never leave you nor forsake you” Heb. 13,5.

That wisdom grows through the years. Paul knew what he was saying when he declared, “I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content”. Phil.4,ll.

All we need do to see if that is true is to look into our closets. Tucked away in the back corners is stuff we just had to have, and now we have even forgotten we have it. The truth of Scripture tells us that when we have the faith in Jesus Christ as our Savior, our wants are complete. I pray, I really pray, that is true for each of you today. God provides all we need.

GPD 5/31/08