"Better to be a nobody and yet have a servant, than pretend to be somebody and have no food." Proverbs 12:9
Have you ever camped out all night waiting for the “next big thing to go on sale?” (I’m talking to you, i-pad enthusiasts). Or have you pulled yourself out of bed at 2 AM to go to a Black Friday sale only to find out that the line is already three blocks long at the mall?
Our society puts a lot of stock in the things we own. You aren’t cool unless you have the latest phone or the newest gadget. And if you don’t have an App for that you are soo last century. This verse may seem odd in a time when slavery is not considered a good thing. Be assured that this verse is NOT promoting slavery. We have to take it in the context of the time it was written. Even people of modest means had servants at that time, and people who were wealthy had many.
Simply stated this verse is saying, don’t spend the bread money on frivolous things just so you can be as cool as your neighbor. Most likely he is spending beyond his means as well. If you only have enough money to buy an old flip-phone...then buying an i-phone is not a prudent choice. And no, credit cards are not the answer to your prayers!
The Lord’s Prayer teaches us to pray for our daily bread, and he will indeed provide us with food to eat. His intention is not for us to foolishly squander money and then beg Him for more.
There are many people who wander around with the newest and the greatest everything. Having things is not necessarily a sin, but worshiping or needing those things is sinful. Keep in mind that we are told to store up treasures in Heaven, and that the things of this earth are fleeting. How will you be a wise steward of what you have been given? How will you bless others with what you have been given? Don't pretend to be somebody. Be somebody who has treasure in heaven. Be somebody who blesses the Joneses (ie. others) by sharing with them what is truly valuable rather than trying to keep up with them. -kg
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