Simplifying The Skeltons Month One/Day Eighteen

Posted by Grant

   Please note: This entry scratches the surface of several complex issues. I will readdress them and delve deeper in the future. For now, enjoy and reflect.

   I used to think I understood the meaning of words like "wealth," "prosperity," and "value." I comprehend dictionary definitions, but my understanding of these terms has grown immensely since I have been married. I understood these words solely in a financial or monetary context. But they mean much more. Let me explain.
   Michelle and I included in previous posts the fact that before we began this fast, neither of us really paid much attention to the ingredients in our food. We never asked where it came from or what was in it. We've also found that many foods that are marketed as "healthy," "natural," or "low calorie" may be even worse for you. Just because something has 0 carbohydrates doesn't mean you're in the clear. How much salt is in it? How much high fructose corn syrup is in it? Is it really food that came from the ground, or was it invented in a Petri dish? Furthermore, Michelle and I also found that many of the "preservatives" put into food actually contribute to hunger. So your body will crave food sooner than it would. You eat more. And then you eat more, and yet you are never completely full or satisfied for very long. It seems like no matter how much you gorge, that hunger just can't be kept at bay. This is because, though you have been eating, you have not been nourishing. Anyone can eat, and we've been doing that our whole lives. We're learning to nourish our bodies, but what about our souls? This is what I mean when I spoke of wealth, prosperity, and value.
   How is a man to quantify his wealth? What terms or units of measure should he employ? At work, I see how money or the lack thereof will drive an ordinarily normal person to obscene acts of utter barbarism. I have seen families become cruel and quarrel over money. The rich expect entitlement and service from the police. The poor expect, at best, apathy. I do not feel like I make a lot of money. What I do earn puts my wife and I in the richest 85% in the world. By world standards I am wealthy. I have eaten some strange meals when I was broke. But "broke" and "indigent" are not the same thing. If we look at it in terms of the fact that I have a beautiful, godly wife that loves me unconditionally and forgives me frequently for my even more frequent sins. A woman that encourages me daily with her words and affirmations, and serves me with her time and efforts. In that regard, I am the wealthiest man I know.
   What does this mean for you? Does your house have more "value" than your marriage? Is your car "worth" more than your relationship with your Creator? Are you poor in spirit and rich in money?