NEED MORE TOYS

Better is a little with the fear of the LORD – Proverbs 15:16a (ESV)

      No-one likes to be sick especially while on vacation and especially when that vacation is Christmas vacation. It was two days after Christmas, Stella Peterson was on vacation and she was sick, so sick that she needed to go to the doctors office where she had to sit for what seemed like ages waiting for a nurse to call her back to the examination room.

     “Sorry it's taking so long, Stella.” said the nurse, “We are short handed because a lot of staff are on Christmas vacation.” The nurse was Rhonda Clay, and Stella knew her from church. “Did you have a good Christmas?” Rhonda asked as she had Stella step on some scales to be weighed.

     “NO!” Stella growled, “I didn't get enough presents.” “I thought I got too many presents.” Rhonda replied as she had Stella move to get her height. “Too many presents.” Stella growled, “How can anyone ever have too many presents? I know I can’t and I didn’t and, and, and I think I'm going to throw up.” In a flash Rhonda had some kind of bag ready for her to throw up in.

     “So?” Rhonda asks after Stella settles down, “Just how many presents did you get?” “I don't know.” Stella tells her, “I just know it wasn’t enough.” “So how many is not enough?” Rhonda asks as she prepares to check her temperature. “Five or Ten” “Five or ten!” Stella gasps, “Is that all you got for Christmas?”

     “I got seven” Rhonda said as she started writing down some numbers. “How many did you get?” “I don't know.” Stella growled, I lost count after a hundred.” “A hundred!” Rhonda gasped in disbelief. “Maybe it was two hundred.” Stella added, “All I know is wasn’t enough.” “What in the world did you get?” Rhonda asked.

     “I don't know what all I got.” Stella said as she laid back on the examination table, “I haven't opened all of them yet.” “Let me get this straight.” Rhonda said, “You got over two hundred presents.” “Make it three hundred.” Stella injected, “So, you got over three hundred presents, you haven’t even opened all of them, and you want more. Why in the world do you want more?”

     “I'm bored” Stella said. “Your sick.” Rhonda added. “I'm already tired of playing with what I got.” Stella continued. “You haven't opened everything and your already tired of everything?” Rhonda said in disbelief. “Well, I'm not tired of everything.”Stella replied, “ Some of them, no, lots of them are already broken. Besides I can’t let Harold have more than me.”

     “You're impossible.” Rhonda said and headed for the door. “Harold's impossible.” Stella growled back. “I'm sick.” “You sure are.” Rhonda said “And the doctor will see you shortly, but I'll be surprised if he can help you.”

     Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this," says the LORD Almighty, "and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it. Malachi 3:10 (NIV) God says test me and see if I will bless you with more than you can hold, imagine, need, want, desire, and we know that God would keep His promise, yet, more can cause more problems than its worth, even the desire for more can be a big pain. People who want to get rich (have more) fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction. For the love of money (more)is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs. 1 Timothy 6:9-10 (NIV) So goes the story of young Prince Midas.

     I'm sure many have heard of the story of King Midas and how he got a wish for more gold and everything he touched turned to gold but lets twist the story around just a little bit.

     In the eyes of most people, kids included, Prince Midas was greatly blessed with an abundance of toys. He would spend hours and hours playing with them. He should have been happy but he wasn't and it was noticed by a stranger. The stranger offered the prince a wish and the prince asked for more toys. The prince's wish was granted and everything he touched became a toy. Elated with his new ability, the prince played with new toys all day long. Full of excitement, he ran to his parents and gave them a big hug and instantly they turned to toys. That wasn't what he wanted. Hungry he grabbed some food to eat but as he bit into it he found that it had turned to a toy. In fact, everything he touched turned into a toy if he wanted it to or not..

     Here are a few good reminders for us when we start wising we had more.

• Proverbs 15:16 - Better is a little with the fear of the LORD than great treasure and trouble with it. (ESV)
• Hebrews 13:5 - Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, "I will never leave you nor forsake you." (ESV)
• 1 Timothy 6:8 - But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content. (ESV)
• Luke 3:14 - Soldiers also asked him, "And we, what shall we do?" And he said to them, "Do not extort money from anyone by threats or by false accusation, and be content with your wages." (ESV)
• Philippians 4:11 - Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. (ESV)

     Here's Something To Ponder

• How much of what you have do you really need?
• What would your life be like if you desired less?