Rich in What Matters
Well, jumpin’ juneberries, friend, come right on up here and settle yourself into this ol’ front porch circle like you are steppin’ into a cabin where the kettle’s plum warm, and the welcome is downright warmer. Pull up that rocker over yonder that creaks like a sho’-nuff storyteller that has lived through more winters than a wise ol’ possum that ain’t in any hurry. If you could hear that feisty lil’ ol’ chipmunk fussin’ at a stubborn ol’ hog that keeps hoggin’ the best patch of clover, or smell that pot of blackberry jam bubblin’ slow on the stove, you’d know you have stepped into a place where your heart can breathe easy.
Now let’s git to chewin’ on a truth so much sturdier than a river stone that’s held its ground through a thousand seasons. Proverbs 15:27 warns us that “He who is greedy for gain troubles his own house.” Paul told Timothy the same thing when he wrote, “For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil” in First Timothy 6:10. It ain’t money that causes trouble. It’s the clutchin’, grabbin’, never‑enough love of it that plum tangles a person’s soul.
Ephesus was full of folks who thought riches meant security, but Paul sho’-nuff reminded Timothy that real gain comes from godliness with contentment. First Timothy 6:6 says, “Now godliness with contentment is great gain.” And slid right beside it is Hebrews 13:5, “Be content with such things as you have.” That verse fits real good like two pinecones rollin’ down the same hillside, remindin’ us that contentment ain’t about what we hold. It is about Who holds us.
God’s answer is real simple. Be generous. Be ready to bless. Second Corinthians 8:12 reminds us, “God delights in the heart that gives freely.” Greed tightens the fist. Grace opens the hand.
Father, teach us to desire what You desire. Help us loosen our grip on earthly gain and tighten our grip on eternal truth. Make our hearts generous, our spirits content, and our lives a blessing to others. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Well, snap my suspenders and watch me bounce, friend, as you traipse off this here porch and head back into the stir of your day, carry this truth the way a tall pine carries the cool hush of dawn, steady and sure. Walk with the confidence of an ol’ barn owl glidin’ through moonlit timber, knowin’ it was made for quiet strength. Move forward like a trout swimmin’ upstream with purpose, guided by the One who knows every bend ahead. And remember, you ain’t truly rich until your hands are open, your heart is generous, and your trust is anchored in the God who sho’-nuff never runs out of good things to give.
With joy,
Gwen
