It's days after Christmas and there are still unopened gifts under our Christmas tree! My 2-year old son is in no hurry to unwrap them. Once he opens a present, he is content to play with that gift for hours, even days. My 1-year old daughter is happy just playing with the wrapping paper or the box the gift came in. The present could be a rock! It wouldn't matter to her. Meanwhile the colorfully wrapped gifts sit untouched under the tree as I excitedly try to entirce my children to open them.
Why do American Christians spend so much on Christmas? Why do we persist on possessing more and more things? If you are like me, you are looking over your credit card statement from your Christmas spending. You may be asking yourself, "Where did I spend all that money?!" I know it's cliche, but "we spend money we don't have to buy things for people who have everything." Is that good stewardship according to scripture?
My children demonstrated contentment to me this past holiday season. I pray I am not found guilty of taking that God given peace away from them by my endless spending. As a wise man once said, "The secret to contentment isn't having what you love, but loving what you have." The apostle Paul wrote, "...I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation..."
Discontented? Observe a toddler with a gift. Their contentment is pure and unspoiled.
