This spring Ruthie and I led a study on finances. We had the best time meeting new friends and getting to know “old” friends better. And we learned a lot from each other about how to do better with our money.
One of the lessons was about contentment. You know, appreciate what you have and not being envious of someone that appears to “have it all”. The conversation quickly went to social media.
If you’re on social media at all, you know exactly what I’m talking about. It goes something like this…
Scrolling…
Scrolling…
Scrolling…
“Oh wow! Suzi is having a fabulous time on vacation.” (I wish I could afford a vacation.)
Scrolling…
“Mary Beth’s house is gorgeous!” (Maybe someday I’ll have a nice house like that.)
Scrolling…
“Nicole’s kids are always dressed so cute!” (My kids have permanent bedhead and look like they dress themselves – in the dark!)
Scrolling…
“She got a promotion!” (I’m in a dead end job and I’ll never make the kind of money she does.)
It’s so easy to get drawn down the path of discontent.
At our finance group, we talked about how what you see on the surface when looking at what others have is not always the entire story.
One of our ladies, Cindy, said excitedly, “I have the perfect example of this! May I share a story?” And it goes like this…
One day my dad calls me and says he needs my help. He killed a possum and it died behind something and he needed my help to get it out of there. Now, I am not fond of playing with dead animals. So this was a big deal for me. But he’s my dad. I couldn’t say “no”.
So, I go over there and get a rake and drag out the dead possum and take him up the hill. Dad is so proud of me that he takes a photo of me and my new friend.
I saw that it was a nice picture of me. I was having a good hair day and the lighting was just right. So, I cropped out the possum and used it for my Facebook profile pic.
I got tons of Likes on that photo and so many nice comments! Little did anyone know but right next to me was a dead possum. It just goes to show you that what you see on someone’s Facebook feed isn’t the whole story. There’s always a possum!
What a perfect example! We tend to only show others the good stuff we’ve got going on and edit out the dead possums. Come on, you know that’s what you do. So, you know that others are doing that too.
Maybe Nicole’s kids look perfect and angelic in that photo but there was probably some cussing and fighting going on either before or after the pic was taken – maybe both before and after!
No matter what negatives you see in your life, there are so many blessings there too. Don’t waste your life wishing for something better. Appreciate the gifts that God has given you. Jealousy will steal your joy.
“Watch out and guard yourself from every kind of greed; because your true life is not made up of the things you own, no matter how rich you may be.” Luke 12:15 GNT
But when you’re start slipping into that rut of discontent and jealousy, remember, “There’s always a possum!”
Mandy Hood
Mandy is a board member and executive director of The Connection. She loves to facilitate women connecting with each other and helping them grow in their faith.
Mandy and her husband have been married for 38 years and have 2 adult children, 2 in-law children and 3 grandchildren.
Thank you Cindy Grove for sharing your awesome story with us!
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