“Poof”

What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.

 

James 4:14

 

Do you remember your first real job? How excited you were—energy, challenges, meeting new people. Remember how you felt when you got the first real paycheck? I think I might have framed it, but the excitement of cashing the check and having real money coming in was such a good feeling. Life happens and energy sometimes gives way to the worldly problems of family, bills, and circumstances.

 

I remember in the early years thinking a small reward of a camera for me wasn’t too much.  After all, I had worked for it. Within days, the washing machine broke, and soon I was feeling guilty for spending money on me. It’s easy to take pride in financial gain. Pride often leads to arrogance, and having money sometimes might fool us into thinking we don’t need God.

We are called to give thanks for what we have. The irony is all of the material things are only temporary. God gives us so much more than we can ever earn or accumulate. The quality of His love is perfect.

Application

Think about the question James presents, “What is your life?”

Prayer

Father, teach be not to be arrogant in myself, but to boast of you.