Stuff

I was reading the parable of the talents from Matthew 25:14-30 this morning. It's a parable Jesus tells about a guy who goes on a trip and gives his servants different resources to invest for him. Some do better than others, and they're rewarded or punished based on what they did with the resource they were given.

After reading this, I spent some time this morning reflecting on how God has given me so much and how I'm doing with my time, money and stuff. Am I doing the right things with the resources I'm given? Am I helping the poor and marginalized? It's easy for me to get into a mode where I'm measuring myself based on all of the stuff that I'm doing to be other-focused. Based on what I have or haven't done lately, I can either praise myself for what a benevolent guy I am or else beat myself for being too self-centered. I believe that you can tell what's important to me if you follow me around and watch how I spend my time and my money, and ultimately those things are driven by where my heart is at. I try and keep myself in check with questions like:

• Is acquiring "stuff' and valuing my "stuff" less important to me today than it was a year ago?
• Am I more giving with my money and my stuff today than I was a year ago?
• Do I spend my time in a way that lines up with what I say is important to me?
  
• Does my heart beat fast for the kind of things which God's heart beats fast?
  

I have such an amazing propensity for selfishness that if I'm not doing stuff for others, my world can can quickly revolve around myself. Doing stuff with and for my family, my kids, my church, our youth group keep me grounded and keep me from living in a Dave-centric Universe, which isn't nearly as amazing as you might imagine.