APPRECIATION or DEPRECIATION?

Slowly but surely in these most recent years, I am finally learning the art of appreciation. I want & need to learn to be content with whatever I have. This life secret seems to be found more fully as I turn more of myself over to my Maker and others in love.

There were many years as a kid (and beyond) where all I could do was pour over the Sears catalog, etc. and brood and want what I did not have. And if others had it, my desire seemed even greater. The satisfaction quota of acquiring that missing item from my toy inventory became shorter each time my lust for more was satiated. In other words, once I got it, it no longer held the mysterious allure of that which was out of my grasp. And everyone knows that the the primary difference between men and boys is the size of our toys.

Our consumer culture has encouraged the development of the advertising industry to such an extent that product recognition has become a new religion, so to speak, electronic media our personal altars, the promoters/manufacturers the societal priests & the products themselves, idols seemingly worthy of our worship. We acculturate covetousness in the name of free market. Even the "religious organizations" have entered the arena of competition for our money & souls; thus such items as the bobble-headed Jesus and wwjd bracelets.

This is the world we live in, and has been for as long as we can reckon. The Israelites faced similar temptation issues as a community of faith thousands of years ago... only the names and faces have changed. Today, Jesus moves into our neighborhood, and challenges our priorities, just as He did 2,000 years ago in 1st century Israel. May those with ears to hear and eyes to see learn recognize and apply these truths today.

Can less really be more?
Can we really gain our lives by giving them away?
Do we find our lives by losing them?

I am convinced that what G.K. Chesterton wrote in his autobiography is absolutely true: "The aim of life is appreciation; there is no sense in not appreciating things; and there is no sense in having more of them if you have less appreciation of them." And the Apostle Paul who said, "I have learned to be content with whatever I have."

The key I think as I watch my boys rapid depreciation of their birthday gifts just yesterday is that appreciative contentment with what we have is most certainly a learned behavior. And unfortunately some of us never achieve this type of maturity. We go to our graves trying gain the illusive stuff that we think will finally complete us. The more stuff available to us, the more we want. It is extremely counter-cultural to go against this grain. So, as a result, many of us never realize the futility of it all. Those of us who cry "Rosebud!" earlier in life rather than on our death beds are truly blessed. (see Citizen Kane)

So what is the secret to this abundant lifestyle of less stuff? I have found that the more I get to know my Maker and His ways, the more I learn to appreciate the important things in this life: relationships, moments of inspiration & revelation, beauty, laughter, authenticity, giving rather than taking, healing & restoration, strength of character & love. These are key components to a full and meaningful life. They are not tangible, nor for sale, & yet more real than any man-made material product available on the market today. May we all learn the art of appreciation and pass it on to our children & neighbors. This is our Maker's way!