Pennies?

I just started listening to a podcast of a pastor who is preaching on the attributes of love in 1 Corinthians 13. The first two attributes are that love is patient and kind. And don't even get me started on how much room I have to grow with those two...but the next one (I haven't listened to it yet) is on the third; do not envy.

This morning as I was reading my Bible God really convicted me of something: Not focusing on the pennies. Let me explain.

I found that in my life, especially here at Duke, it is incredibly easy to focus on what others have and I lack--whether it be possessions, success, beauty, character, drive, popularity, relationships, purpose...you name it. But God helped me realize something this morning: Apart from any gifts on this earth (physical, monetary, relational, etc...) God has given us the only truly infinite gift--Life forever, with Him.

So, God gave us infinity "dollars." Maybe He gave some infinity dollars plus 9 pennies and me infinity dollars plus 6 pennies and others infinity dollars plus 0 pennies. BUT, WHY ON EARTH WOULD WE FOCUS ON THE PENNIES?

This may sound simple, but for some reason, its what my simple mind needed to grasp this morning. There will always be things that others have that I don't. And I have been blessed with far more than some will ever have. But all of these things pale in comparison with that which is worth far more than silver and gold. Far more than beauty and riches.

"Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For His sake I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ." Philippians 3:8

So let us never focus on the pennies and lose sight of that which has infinitely more value.