“It sounds like you have been a citizen of McWorld for quite some time,” Matt said. “How do we get McWorld?” “Once again,” Joe replied, “that’s an easy question. To get ahead you have to work hard and work long. You have to have persistence. You have to be self-reliant. You have to be good at getting a strong grip on those bootstraps and pulling hard. You have to have diplomas.” “If McWorld is what I treasure,” Matt asked, “how will I use my money, my time, and my talents?” “In McWorld, I use my time and my money to hone my talents,” Joe said, “so that I can make more money. I use the money I make to buy all the stuff for me and my family. “So can you give me an example of what this looks like?” Matt asked. “It looks like putting in the extra hours the boss wants,” Joe responded, “so I can make the money to buy my son the latest video game system. It looks like making some stock trades to increase my portfolio so I can take Sue on the cruise she wants to go on. It looks like buying the most recent techno driver so that the next time we play golf I can out-drive you or at the very least have you envious of my equipment. “It looks like these two different kinds of treasure lead to different kinds of systems producing two very different kinds of lifestyles.” “Yes,” Matt replied. “Two very different kinds of lifestyles. Which one looks better to you?” “When you put them right next to each other like this,” Joe said, “I don’t see much of a contest. The kingdom offers me a full heart with the resources to face life and a chance to do something significant with my life. McWorld offers me a house full of stuff. It’s nice stuff, but still it’s only stuff. The problem is that stuff offers some instant gratification. It’s exciting to be on the hunt and buy something. There is something within me that responds to the ads, the packaging, and all the bells and whistles. It’s only after the excitement of the new thing wears off that I notice my heart is still empty." This excerpt is from Chapter 12, Jesus & Treasures
Posted on: Fri, 07 Jun 2013 14:31:51 +0000
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