Wisdom, Stuff & a True Story
I often think that Jesus put that little drama together for me to show that lots of money and lots of stuff are just that, stuff.
Now on to my story...
When I was younger and not very aware of life's importance, I often wished I could win the Lottery. Millions of $ for fun, pleasure, and squandering on foolish things.
As I got older, I became friends with people who had what I would call serious money. I saw and heard something different from what I had imagined their lives to be like. One comment that almost always surfaced was that they always had “lots of friends,” and most of them wanted something from you. Another common comment from those who had “summer homes” and “winter homes” was that getting people to do maintenance on the homes or be cardtakers was always a problem. Some of the summer homes in Charlevoix or Harbor Springs were the size of small hotels, and if the bathroom shower was not leaking into the kitchen below, the AC was not working well. Always something to fix.
The winter homes in South Florida on the ocean that were condos had this rebar rot from the salt air, which caused a serious structural problem that required tearing up the floors inside the units and replacing the rebar support steel rods. That was not covered by insurance or the HOA. Always something to fix.
On one occasion, while I was sitting on the patio, sipping a cold one with my well-to-do friend and looking out at Lake Michigan on an August day, the conversation turned personal. My friend just said he was happier when he was poor.
Let that sink in for a minute.
This guy began working in high school and was from a lower-middle-class home and neighborhood. No silver spoon here, my friends. But he worked hard and was an empire builder, with multiple successful businesses. But now in his early 50’s, he missed the simple life of just having enough.
In 1 Kings 3-9, Solomon asked God for wisdom in a dream at Gibeon. He requested “an understanding heart to judge the Jewish people,” and that he could discern between good and evil. This took place shortly after his Father died, leaving the Kingdom to this young teen. He could have asked for riches, long life, and dominion over his adversaries, but he instead pleased the Lord by asking for the wisdom to rule God’s people.
I always found this a profound biblical story.
A true story from my checkered past: I was doing business in Puerto Rico, and on Friday afternoon, it looked like the project we were working on was going to take longer than expected, so I let my company driver go with my plans to take a taxi back to the other side of the island (about an hour or more drive).
The taxi showed up, and we began the slow drive back to San Juan, where I was to catch a plane home. As we drove around the island, I looked out at the ocean, enjoying the view. The driver asked if we could talk, and as I was in his cab, I said sure. He asked me what I was looking at. I replied that I was looking at the poor people living in wooden shipping containers. He looked at me in the rear-view mirror and asked if he could tell me what he saw. Again, I’m in his cab, and I really was not interested in what he saw, but I did not wish to offend. “Sure”.
He kept eye contact with me as he drove, and I wished he would keep his eyes on the road, but apparently, it was a skill he had. He began by asking me to look at the men who had returned from fishing in the ocean, cleaning the fish and preparing the fires in 55-gallon drums converted into driftwood grills. And did I see the women have returned from the market where they sold baskets woven from seaweed that day and bought vegetables and fruit along with wine for the meal. And did I see the children running and playing while music could be heard playing from a radio?
He then said that what I saw as poor was actually rich, for these poor people were living a life of plenty from the bounty of God’s earth. We, however, were stuck in a stinking-hot cab (no AC) in traffic, and I was going to travel back to Detroit that night, arriving at who knows what late hour in a suit and tie.
Silence… then he asked yet another question. Why aren’t we on the beach cooking fish and vegetables, listening to music, and drinking wine on a Friday night?
I often think that Jesus put that little drama together for me to show that lots of money and lots of stuff are just that, stuff.
You know what is important. If your family has faith, health and peace, you have the important things in life.
Remember Bobby McFerrin (who was not a Jamaican artist), who had the 1988 hit song, “Don’t Worry. Be Happy”?
Google it. Reflect on it. Live it.
David Tay
