Money. A necessary evil. Most of us have been obsessing over it even more than usual during the past two years. The seriously greedy among us brought the whole house down. Some of us have been more fortunate than the rest. I at least got a new job before the funds ran out; still have a roof over my head, clothes overstuffed in the closet, and lots of food in the fridge. And now I am currently saving up for a trip to Iceland and Norway.

You know what that makes me? Rich. Super rich. I am richer than 99% of the people that populate this earth. And if you’re reading this then chances are, so are you.

So the first part of this story sounded depressing and bleak but I brought you back with that last part I hope. You’re rich! Woo hoo! It’s all about perspective. We live a life where wants become needs. You don’t need a cell phone or cable or Starbucks coffee or designer clothes or that sweater for your dog. I have been super blessed. God has given me a very comfortable life with lots of amenities. Everything I have has come from him.

This weekend my pastor used his dog as an example of our attitudes about money. His dog is an old sweet dog but if you try to take away his bone or toy then he growls and bites. He does this to his masters who gave him all of those things in the first place. He does that even when his master has a brand new bone he wants to give his dog to replace the gross one he’s been gnawing on for the past week. It’s the same way with us. We hold on to our money out of fear. But trusting in God and giving him back just a fraction helps us to release our fear. Giving back feels good because it’s right.

Now I am going to work on being more like my dog Grendel. Grendel does obsess about his bones—he won’t let other dogs or the cats near them with the one exception of his BFF Elwood. I don’t understand that relationship but it works for everyone so we won’t question it. However, Grendel will let me take food, bones, and toys right out of this mouth without hesitation. He’s a very happy and content dog willing to lay on his back with his stomach exposed showing his total trust in me. That’s how I want to be with God. Trusting in him. Loving him with my tail wagging.

Now that's trust and confidence.

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