The Yard-Sale Christmas

Welcome to today's encouragement from Our Daily Bread. Today's reading, titled The Yard Sale Christmas, was written by Ann Cetus. A mom felt she'd been overspending on family Christmas gifts, so one year she decided to try something different. For a few months before the holiday, she scrounged through yard sales for inexpensive used items. She bought more than usual, but for far less money. On Christmas Eve, her children excitedly opened gift after gift after gift. The next day, there were more. Mom had felt guilty about not getting new gifts, so she had additional gifts for Christmas morning. The kids began opening them, but quickly complained, We're too tired to open anymore. You've given us so much.

That's not a typical response from children on a Christmas morning. God has blessed us with so much, but it seems we're always looking for more. A bigger house, a better car, a larger bank account, or fill in the blank. Paul in 1 Timothy 6 encouraged Timothy to remind people in his congregation that we brought nothing into this world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. God has given us our very breath and life besides providing for our needs. How refreshing it might be to enjoy and be content with His gifts and to say, You've given us so much. We don't need more. Godliness with contentment is great gain.

Today's Our Daily Bread devotional scripture reading is from 1 Timothy chapter 6 verses 6 through 10 and 17 through 19. But godliness with contentment is great gain, for we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.

And now verses 17 through 19. Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. To do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. In this way, they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life.

Let's pray. Father, so often we look around and we only see what we don't have, rather than looking within and seeing all that you have blessed us with. We thank you for the reminder from Paul to Timothy that godliness with contentment is great gain. Help us to remember that the riches we have in you is all that we need. Thank you for being so good to us, and may we faithfully thank you for it every day. It's in Jesus' name we pray. Amen.