[our greatest asset can be our greatest undoing]

Here's a quote I found today and love: "A rich person is not one who has the most but one who needs the least." [unknown]

It reminds me that poverty in our eyes can sometimes be a blessing. The things that should hold the most meaning do, and money is seen as just that - money. Not some idol to be worshiped. Not some image to portray. Not some ever-escaping goal to pursue.

Because in reality, enough never seems to be enough in our society. And when we really step back and look at it, we realize the true issue isn't really money at all but instead a heart thing.

Either we're trusting God to provide or we're doubting that He really knows our needs.

Either we're obsessed with finding our identity in what we do to make a living, or we're confident that God is right when He says our identity is only found in Him. That we're made in His image.

Either we need more stuff to fill voids in our lives, or we realize there's only one Jesus who will.

Growing up in the richest country in the world can be both a curse and a blessing I think. We can use what we've been given for God's glory, or we can let it consume and destroy us - our thoughts, our worries, our identity, our friendships, our goals, our time, everything. Someone once told me that our greatest asset can also be our greatest undoing, and I think there's a lot of truth to that.

So instead I pray Proverbs 30:8-9 for myself and our world, "Give us neither poverty nor riches, but give us only our daily bread. Otherwise, we may have too much and disown you and say, 'Who is the Lord?' Or we may become poor and steal, and so dishonor the name of our God."