Thanksgiving is coming soon and I, for one, am thankful for that! Our demanding calendars will get a reprieve, but our bank accounts are already wincing at the expectation to need to spend just because there are sales. Meetings, relationships, money, and materialism all vie for our attention as the temporal seeks pride of place before the eternal.
And it is here that the writer of Proverbs addresses us with a few good words, bringing perspective with two of the twenty-one “better…than” Proverbs: “Better is a little with the fear of the LORD than great treasure and trouble with it. Better is a dinner of herbs where love is than a fattened ox and hatred with it.” (Prov. 15:16-17).
A life governed by the fear of the LORD is more desirable than great riches and the difficulty that so often accompanies it. Solomon is pointing the way to a peaceful and happy everlasting life. He is helping us establish a value grid for forming the kind of heart exemplified in verses 13-15.
One day the riches will be gone, or life snuffed out and the riches left behind. Then, as we stand before the Lord, we will realize the trouble which accompanies the pursuit of wealth was not worth what we would have sacrificed to attain it.
It is far better to love others well while sharing a simple meal, than to have discord surrounding a table with the best food money can buy.
Better is thankfulness that lifts your eternal spirit than unrelenting longing for that which crushes your soul forever. “God is the giver of every good gift,” James 1:17 reminds us. His greatest gift is His Son, Jesus Christ, who demonstrated His great love laying down His life so our eternal spirit could, in fact, live forever, for all who call upon Him for salvation.
Your eternal spirit will be lifted as you overflow with thankfulness to Him for each and every gift that flows from His immeasurable kindness.
Happy Thanksgiving!
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