My husband and I decided to take a kid free anniversary trip to celebrate 15 years. Because we are super cheap we looked at where Allegiant can take us that is warm and picked Ft. Lauderdale.
We had the opportunity to take the Venice of America boat tour… cue Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous in Robin Leach’s legendary voice. We saw countless 15 million dollar or more homes. As well as lavish yachts. I began to feel sick to my stomach when the boat tour guide spoke of the DreAMBoat and when it needs to be refueled it costs 1 million dollars. What a waste.
As early as 1913, we as a society have been trying to “keep up with the Jonses.”
Living the American Dream of hard work pays off and work harder to get more. My husband and I are no exception, we work three jobs to be able to live comfortably and save for our future. We absolutely want our children to see the work that goes into earning a wage and the value of a dollar. But when our child wants something because everyone else has it I begin to wonder where does that come from?
We see in 1 Samuel, Samuel, the leader of Israel, who is getting old and needs to be replaced, suggests his son’s, even though they were not leader material, and were rejected by the elders. The elders said to Samuel, “You are old, and your sons do not follow your ways; now appoint a king to lead us, such as all the other nations have.” 1 Samuel 8:15
Such as all the other nations have… at first this phrase didn’t even click for me until I read further. Samuel then prays to the Lord and He responds,
9 “Now listen to them; but warn them solemnly and let them know what the king who will reign over them will claim as his rights.”
Samuel does as he is told and lists (nine verses) all that a King would do to them. Sort of like the drug commercials where it lists all the side effects of the suggested miracle drug.
19 But the people refused to listen to Samuel. “No!” they said. “We want a king over us. 20 Then we will be like all the other nations, with a king to lead us and to go out before us and fight our battles.”
Then we will be like all the other nations… We haven’t been keeping up with the Jonses since the 1900’s or the Kardashians since the 2000’s, we have been trying to keep up far before that. Just like this nation, we must ask ourselves at what cost?
What will be the consequence of trying to be like everyone else?
Just as Samuel warns, we too will be lead by a “king” and the result is disastrous:
We lose our identity-
12 Some he will assign to be commanders of thousands and commanders of fifties, and others to plow his ground and reap his harvest, and still others to make weapons of war and equipment for his chariots.
We begin to do not our own desires given from God but what we must do to maintain the lifestyle given by the “king” of our heart who reigns over us. Compromising our values, beliefs, and identity in Christ.
We lose ourselves–
17 He will take a tenth of your flocks, and you yourselves will become his slaves.
We become slaves to the hamster wheel. We are constantly running the course racing to get more, climb higher, and be the best when someone else will always be one step ahead. The wheel never stops and there is no way off.
We lose our family-
11 He said, “This is what the king who will reign over you will claim as his rights: He will take your sons and make them serve with his chariots and horses, and they will run in front of his chariots.
Our children will learn from us and will repeat our steps. In doing so, they will continuously seek the next best thing to never be truly filled. This will cause a lifetime of disappointment, running in front of the various chariots.
We lose our peace-
18 When that day comes, you will cry out for relief from the king you have chosen, but the Lord will not answer you in that day.”
Eventually we want relief from the lifestyle we have desired, the king we have chosen to rule our hearts. The good news is unlike what Samuel say’s here, God will answer you. It may not look exactly how you imagined and you will still have to deal with the consequences of your choices, but once asked in God will be the King of your heart.
Brene Brown in her book Daring Greatly says, “I see the cultural messaging everywhere that says that an ordinary life is a meaningless life.”
I am here to remind myself and remind you, your life has meaning and the choice you make to which king will rule your heart changes everything.
Who is ruling your heart? Have you been trying to Keep Up With the Jonses? Today what is one change you need to make?
