Do not say to yourself, “My power and the might of my own hand
have gained me this wealth.” (8:17)
Our human capacity to delude ourselves is amazing. It is so easy
to imagine that it is our efforts, our skills, and our hard work that lie
behind our success. Deuteronomy provides a blunt reminder that
this is a deep self-deception. Every moment of living is a gift from
God. The air we breathe and the ground on which we walk are all
gifts. Any success we enjoy is made possible by the enabler and
sustainer of us all—the God of our Lord Jesus Christ.
When things are going badly, we find ourselves very conscious of
God. We desperately want God’s help. Deuteronomy draws our
attention to the deep irony that when things are going really well, we
start thinking that we can live without God. Instead, we should learn
to be grateful for our success and share that success with others.
Let’s turn today into a day of gratitude and remember to share our
blessings with others.
—Ian Markham
What a relief it is to know that we don't have to go about making a success of life alone. We can't - it's all God's gift.
ReplyDeleteI remember getting candy and my parents reminding me to pass the box first before I had any myself. Is adult life this simple too, to share the success and gifts we have?
I wonder how we make it complicated? Fear perhaps, that we will not have enough? Anger? Why should we work hard and then share?
Lent reminds me that fear, anger, and self-centeredness are choices. But they are not God's choices when it comes to my life, your life.
What love there is despite our short-comings. We are blessed in Christ!!!