Both of my grandfathers were friendly and loved their family, but that's
where their similarities ended.
My maternal grandfather was a
farmer who hired out most of the hard work to neighbors who were willing
to work for low wages. He drank heavily and smoked the same. In his
younger years, he also gambled heavily, which explained how he came by
some of what he possessed. I never remember him helping me or my family;
he just left us stuff when he died. I received his pocket watch and one
thousand dollars. When the strokes finally ended his life, he left
behind thousands of dollars in the bank, a home, and hundreds of acres
of land.
My paternal grandfather was quite different. He worked
hard all of his life, beginning at age twelve when his father died and
left him to run the family farm. He was as honest as the day was long,
never drank, never lied, never smoked, and didn't hang around those who
did. He loved his family and neighbors with a passion and demonstrated
it by giving of himself and his goods. He gave money to those in need,
he bought for those who needed and couldn't, and he used his God-given
talents and gifts in and outside of the church. He lived a long life,
and when he died he left behind a home and mere hundreds in the bank.
According to the psalmist, my paternal grandfather lived as God
intended. He gave up the potential chance to be evil and have much for
being good and possessing little.
God measures differently than
most people do. Just a little can be a lot when measured by God's
standards. My having possessions isn't what He's concerned about. Not
that He's against me having stuff. He just knows what normally happens
when I do. My attention shifts from Him to the stuff. I tend to hoard
rather than help. Selfishness takes over, and selflessness flies out the
window. Life becomes about me rather than others.
Initiative is
certainly admirable, but God measures what it leads to. When my
initiative leads me to Him, forgiveness, love, service, repentance,
confession, and heaven, then I'm a rich man indeed.
Don't measure
your success in life by how much stuff you have. Measure it by how much
you love God and others.
Martin Wiles
Hodges, South Carolina, USA
