When the Novelty Wears Off - What Then?
While cleaning a shelf the other day I came across “The Thing”. I grinned as I picked it up and turned over in my hands. Odd as it was I had found use for it at one time. It had special ability to accomplish something special in the task that I was doing at that time. More over it cost money, time and energy to purchase it.
But the sad part is that after using “The Thing” for a short time – I no longer needed it. As I held it I remember the place that I used it – so far away and so long ago.
“The Thing” is so much like many other things in our lives. We really needed it for a period of time and then no more. What was very valuable to us is now a garage sale item.
We humans are funny that way. We want something so dearly that we will do anything to get it – even sacrificing something that is very important to our family or life – just to get “The Thing”.
A TV add that I saw recently referred to the other part of “The Thing’s” life span. It said something like… when we want a new job we quit and start another… when we want a new car we buy it… when we want a new wife we get one…. When I saw the photo of the bride smiling and then fading away – it shocked me. My job – my car – my wife are all part of “My Thing”… and the add says that I may change all of them.
How sad – how very sad. Relationships are no more valuable than “The Thing”. Bought at price and taking considerable time to get… then used a few times and then thrown away or simply shelved.
I have watched some very serious people putting an amazing amount of time into what they want… to then throw it all away because something better came along.
A simple question should be asked… “When the novelty wears off… what then?”
Recently I had to make a trip to our local garbage disposal place. It is so well organized – a bin for every kind of thing – all separated from each other. The shocking thing was what people were throwing away. It was good stuff.
Downtown, in our area, we have a new business called simply “Garage Sale”. Everyday he has new stuff. Nothing sits long. It moves fast from his store front. I asked him where he gets all his things. The man told me he gets “The Things” from Storage Units that are not longer being used and people don’t want the junk that they have stored away.
It is good junk – but the owners have moved far away and have no longer any need of the items in storage. The original owners had paid good money to store “The Things” – each month for maybe years – now the owners are gone…or don’t need the stuff any longer. The “Garage Sale” guy cleans out the storage area for free and then sells the stuff. Smart very smart.
The key is that the “Garage Sale” understood that all “The Things” maybe wanted by someone else….
In our world excess is very evident and we get rid of “The Thing” when something new comes along. God help us when we do that with people. How very sad that is.
I am now looking at the shelves with my life. The age probably does that for all of us. In my 60s now everyone has new value. Every conversation may be the most important one that I have ever had. If I could have only done more of this kind of thinking last year… or 10 years ago. I would have known more about what is now lost.
“God help me to slow down and listen to the one that you send today. I appreciate the things that you have provided for me – and more than anything the people that you have sent my way….Help me to be faithful to help them and especially to listen better. Amen”
~ Pastor Murray Lincoln ~
But the sad part is that after using “The Thing” for a short time – I no longer needed it. As I held it I remember the place that I used it – so far away and so long ago.
“The Thing” is so much like many other things in our lives. We really needed it for a period of time and then no more. What was very valuable to us is now a garage sale item.
We humans are funny that way. We want something so dearly that we will do anything to get it – even sacrificing something that is very important to our family or life – just to get “The Thing”.
A TV add that I saw recently referred to the other part of “The Thing’s” life span. It said something like… when we want a new job we quit and start another… when we want a new car we buy it… when we want a new wife we get one…. When I saw the photo of the bride smiling and then fading away – it shocked me. My job – my car – my wife are all part of “My Thing”… and the add says that I may change all of them.
How sad – how very sad. Relationships are no more valuable than “The Thing”. Bought at price and taking considerable time to get… then used a few times and then thrown away or simply shelved.
I have watched some very serious people putting an amazing amount of time into what they want… to then throw it all away because something better came along.
A simple question should be asked… “When the novelty wears off… what then?”
Recently I had to make a trip to our local garbage disposal place. It is so well organized – a bin for every kind of thing – all separated from each other. The shocking thing was what people were throwing away. It was good stuff.
Downtown, in our area, we have a new business called simply “Garage Sale”. Everyday he has new stuff. Nothing sits long. It moves fast from his store front. I asked him where he gets all his things. The man told me he gets “The Things” from Storage Units that are not longer being used and people don’t want the junk that they have stored away.
It is good junk – but the owners have moved far away and have no longer any need of the items in storage. The original owners had paid good money to store “The Things” – each month for maybe years – now the owners are gone…or don’t need the stuff any longer. The “Garage Sale” guy cleans out the storage area for free and then sells the stuff. Smart very smart.
The key is that the “Garage Sale” understood that all “The Things” maybe wanted by someone else….
In our world excess is very evident and we get rid of “The Thing” when something new comes along. God help us when we do that with people. How very sad that is.
I am now looking at the shelves with my life. The age probably does that for all of us. In my 60s now everyone has new value. Every conversation may be the most important one that I have ever had. If I could have only done more of this kind of thinking last year… or 10 years ago. I would have known more about what is now lost.
“God help me to slow down and listen to the one that you send today. I appreciate the things that you have provided for me – and more than anything the people that you have sent my way….Help me to be faithful to help them and especially to listen better. Amen”
~ Pastor Murray Lincoln ~
posted by Murray Lincoln at
Saturday, October 27, 2007
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