The Great Depression

I spent a little while this afternoon with Mrs. Newlon, who is 93 1/2. You count halves when you are under 5 and over 90. I once did a funeral for a guy who 106 1/2, it probably was appropriate to count months at that point. Anyway Mrs. Newlon and I started talking about the depression.

She said that she did not think that people who are her kids age and younger realize how difficult the depression was on people. I believe she is right. But when you think about, it was hard enough to make people change the way they lived for the rest of their lives. They did not waste anything. I can remember my grandmother washing aluminum foil, storing it in a drawer and using it until it fell apart. She did the same with plastic baggies. Everything that was left over went back into the refrigerator. You made things last as long as you could.

Mrs. Newlon talked about how at Christmas and Birthdays, there were no presents. she said even the rich kids did not get anything because their families were cutting back also. Nobody knew how bad it was going to get.

It was interesting listening to here remember those days. She said it was hard, but not bad, because everyone was going through the same thing. Everyone was in it together.

It made me think on the way back to the office. How would people today handle such a crisis? I mean, we have so much that we think we have to have in order to survive. Our lives have become very difficult. We do not really understand nor practice the concept of being content. We go and buy whatever we want (notice I said "want" not "need").

In the Bible, Paul writes in his letter to the Philippians: "I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything though Him who gives me strength" (Philippians 4:11-13).

I am not sure this is the case with a lot of Christ followers. This is seen in the attitude of many Christ followers who are looking for a church where they are comfortable. I am not sure God has told us we will be comfortable. As a matter of fact through the Bible we see people grow the most when they are not comfortable.

I am sure there are some Christ followers who take for granted the things God has blessed them with, never paying it forward to someone who is need.

Maybe the contentment issue is why so many people find themselves so far from God. Paul teaches us that the secret to being content is trusting that we can do anything through Jesus. The problem with our culture today is that we put more trust in the things of this world than we do in Jesus.

Maybe we need another depression to bring us back to God. Or maybe, we just need to learn to be content, trusting God not stuff. And maybe, if we learned to be content, we might just see Jesus in everything we do.

Thanks Mrs Newlon