By Karen Y. Stevens

 

I have spoken to many people who are still not back in their homes, and the horrible stories about contractors.

Contractors and suppliers say the prices are higher, because of the “supply and demand”. Most people call it price gouging. When we have a short supply of houses on the market, the price of the house goes up. Same house, just more expensive.

Gold is rare which makes it more expensive than all the other metals. Have you every thought about gold. It’s just a shinny metal. Why would we pay so much for it, and put so much faith in it to be our currency? Yes, yes, it’s utilitarian, but I digress.

Short supply apparently means unwelcome news for most of the population. But most of us go out of our way to find something unique, different, or in short supply, so we can impress our family and friends.

Matthew 7:13-14 (NKJV) states ¹³ “Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. ¹⁴ Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.”

So, if the entire population is pursuing to find rare items, and willing to pay the high price for them, why is it so difficult for us to find the narrow way to God? I think it’s because we don’t have a plan or can’t see the final reward, that God promises due to it’s not tangible.

When we decide to buy a house, we start shopping on line. We talk to family and friends, (and they gladly give their opinions). We talk to a Realtor, a financial company, and our insurance company. We find out if the property is in a flood zone, what school district it’s in, and most importantly – what the taxes are. All these things are important since it is a very big purchase, and you’ll probably live there at least five to 30 years.

So why is it we can go thru all these steps, in order to buy a home or whatever, but we are not willing to put forth any effort in serving God?

Matthew 19:29 states, ^“And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife^[k] or children or lands, for My name’s sake, shall receive a hundredfold, and inherit eternal life.”

We, as Christians have gotten soft, and I’m the first one to raise my hand that I’m guilty of this. I always pray God will help me change, but after a year – plus, maybe God is sending me a message. Like get some discipline and put forth some effort Karen!

We need to map out a plan for each day of the week. Maybe on Monday while shopping, keep an eye out for someone to give $20 to. On Tuesday, walk up and pray for a perfect stranger. Wednesday, take a pot roast to the neighbor. Thursday, go by a Nursing home and talk/pray for several residents. Friday, bring your neighbors trash can in from the curb, and so on.

But remember in Matthew 6 NKJV it states: “Take heed that you do not do your charitable deeds before men, to be seen by them. Otherwise you have no reward from your Father in heaven.”

Try and plan good deeds that will bring glory to God, but not to yourself. Benjamin Franklin said – “If you fail to plan, you are planning to fail!”

Let’s plan to succeed in the eyes of God, not man.

 

Karen Y. Stevens is founder of Orange County Christian Writers Guild.