We began a new series this week focusing on the things we long for. I began with looking at the science of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs and Glasser’s understanding of the longings that are genetically coded into our being. Most of us know that we long for the simple basics like food, water, security and community. It is unusual that in our culture we actually see the world from a position of excess. We fall in love with our belongings. We are emotionally attached to objects. Anyone who has watched the show Hoarders has seen how this can get out of control.
HGTV has a new show called Tiny Houses where people are walking away from traditional housing options. They are scaling down all of their belongings to fit on a trailer that could be pulled by a truck including their homes! They are living these lives unencumbered by their belongings and free from 30 year mortgages. As we approach the holiday season, advertising tries to convince us that having more or better objects can lead to happier families or even love. We are convinced that if we just buy the right items then we will be able to fix what is wrong in our lives. But happiness and wholeness is not an external product. We can not buy love.
Our wholeness comes with loving ourselves and accepting the grace and love that God gives us. Our happiness comes from letting go of unhealthy relationships and habits. Serving perfect food around an expensively decorated table, will not make our families behave. Spending a lot of money on a gift will not make someone love us if they do not already. My hope is that this holiday season, that you will not get trapped by your own longings into spending money on things that are futile. I hope that you will examine why you want or long for certain things and make changes in your behavior that will lead to seeing yourself and your things as good enough. Good enough for you and good enough for your creator who loves you despite your warts, flaws and all.
by 
