Ecclesiastes 4:4-6
Then I realized that we work and do wonderful things just because we are jealous of others. This makes no more sense than chasing the wind.
Fools will fold their hands and starve to death. Yet a very little food eaten in peace is better than twice as much earned from overwork and chasing the wind.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
My husband and I recently began taking Timothy and Zola with us to church on Sunday… and “out to lunch” afterward. We used to eat out at a local sit-down restaurant or cafeteria on Sundays… now we frequent McDonald’s or Burger King! Instead of an entrée, vegetables and possibly dessert, we now have a burger or chicken nuggets and fries… and dessert is usually an ice cream cone or a cookie! But the company is so entertaining! Truthfully, what we eat – or where we are – is not nearly as important as who is with us.
Today, we gathered around a small table at Burger King… my husband and me, Timothy, Zola, and Grandma “E” – my husband’s mother, who is adored by the children. We ate our burgers, nuggets and fries, followed by ice cream. Then I took Timothy to the restroom to clean his hands… sticky from the ice cream cone he had devoured. Once inside, he told me he needed to use the restroom. I told him I would wait outside the stall for him. I was wearing a brightly-colored long skirt that I repurposed from a dress I purchased at a local thrift store. But as I stood in front of the bathroom stall, I heard this little voice say, “I can still see your princess clothes and your sandals [under the door].” I stifled a laugh and stepped out of Timothy’s view.
We have eaten at gourmet restaurants and dined at banquet halls. We have paid “good money” for a nice steak dinner with all the trimmings. And we have tried taking the little children to a sit-down restaurant for a meal of “meat, potatoes and vegetables.” But I wouldn’t trade any of these for the time we spend crowded around a small table enjoying “happy meals” and watching these children smile and laugh. There is a peace and unpretentiousness about such a simple meal. The kids don’t eat much… they dribble soft drinks and ice cream down the front of their clothes and wriggle around on their seats. But it is the “exclamation point” on their Sunday morning… a time when they eagerly anticipate seeing their friends at church and spending time afterward with us and Grandma “E.” And I have to tell you, having a four-year-old describe my attire as “princess clothes” isn’t too shabby either!
What does this have to do with you and your faith? The message I believe God wants to convey in this passage today is to slow down and find His peace in the simple things. Everything doesn’t have to be a lavish production. There is no shame in working hard, having nice things, or dining in fine restaurants. But don’t overlook the joy and serenity of something as simple as a cold drink shared on the porch with a neighbor or friend…a “staycation” with your family that involves swims at local beaches, popcorn and videos, and frozen pizzas or take-out vs. a week at an expensive resort…a morning cup of coffee while you sit in your favorite chair and simply listen to God for a few minutes or more… a fast-food meal with family and/or friends where everyone eats burgers and fries instead of an expensive, formal restaurant meal.
Many years ago, my mom and dad hosted a somewhat impromptu “family dinner” one evening. This time, instead of roasting some sort of meat like brisket or ham – or grilling burgers – Mom made sandwiches – tuna fish, and her famous pimiento cheese. Others brought chips, baked beans and “trimmings” from the store. I don’t remember what was served for dessert, but it was something quick and easy. Twenty years ago or more, my family had a lot of spur-of-the-moment gatherings…like wiener roasts at a local park near the lake. We’d all bring hot dogs and buns, chips, marshmallows and drinks and lawn chairs. In a matter of an hour, we would be gathered around a fire… talking and laughing and enjoying the scenery and the fellowship of one another. I particularly remember the sandwich dinner, because my dear cousin Eddie – who is now with Jesus – said, “This was great! We don’t need to go to a whole lot of trouble to get together… we just need to do it.” And he was right. In so many areas of life, it’s not about what “food you serve” as much as the spirit, or intention of those who gather.
So find God’s peace in the little things. Understand that He is in every detail… even the small ones. Settle into God’s rhythms and start to see things as He does… how much He cares about every tiny aspect of your life. Quit trying to keep up with everybody else… to pretend to be somebody you are not…to make everything such a production. Don’t miss out on the serenity of just “being”… whether in the company of others, or alone with God. Stop chasing the wind and relax a little. Give God a chance to show you just how peaceful a simpler life can be.
We can learn a lot from toddlers and four-year-olds. They see things with such purity – and often more clarity than any of us “grown-ups!” So they discover “princess clothes” in repurposed thrift-store finds…and peace and joy in an ice cream cone, some chicken nuggets and a cheap toy in a box! Where are you looking for peace these days? Have you been too busy chasing the wind to discover what is right in front of you? Will this be the day that you slow down and give God’s peace a chance?
©2013 Debbie Robus
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