Poverty or Plenty

Deuteronomy 8 (in part)

"Remember how the LORD your God led you all the way in the wilderness these forty years, to humble and test you in order to know what was in your heart, whether or not you would keep his commands.

He humbled you, causing you to hunger and then feeding you with manna… to teach you that man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD.

Observe the commands of the LORD your God, walking in obedience to him and revering him. For the LORD your God is bringing you into a good land
When you have eaten and are satisfied, praise the LORD your God for the good land he has given you.

Be careful that you do not forget the LORD your God, failing to observe his commands, his laws and his decrees that I am giving you this day.
Otherwise, when you eat and are satisfied, when you build fine houses and settle down, and when your herds and flocks grow large and your silver and gold increase and all you have is multiplied, then your heart will become proud and you will forget the LORD your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery.

But remember the LORD your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth, and so confirms his covenant, which he swore to your ancestors, as it is today.

If you ever forget the LORD your God and follow other gods and worship and bow down to them, I testify against you today that you will surely be destroyed. Like the nations the LORD destroyed before you, so you will be destroyed for not obeying the LORD your God."

There is a concept that is taught in these verses that privation produces humility and plenty produces pride. God withheld physical blessings to produce humility and gratitude among his children. He warned them that when he would make them prosperous that they would become prideful and forget them. That’s exactly what happened.

Note this verse that I cut from the above text…

Know then in your heart that as a man disciplines his son, so the LORD your God disciplines you.

It is not in the best interests of a child for a parent to give them too much. Many think it is a parent’s obligation to give a child the best of everything… not true.

For example, In the Calallen High School parking lot I see a lot of nice new cars that the students are driving.

In 1970 when I was 16 years old I bought my first car with the money I earned throwing newspapers. It was a 1965 Pontiac Lemans and it cost me $400. Dad didn’t help me.

Fast forward to 1998, I told Walker and Lauren that I would help buy them a car. Whatever money they saved up I would match. Walker saved $400 and we bought him a car that cost $800. Lauren saved $3000 and we bought her a car that cost $6,000.

Lauren later bought a new car and sold her old car to Walker… he is still driving it.

God didn’t give Israel everything they wanted during the 40 year wilderness wandering, he gave them just what they needed and no more to teach them humility. He used that lesson to teach future generations a sense of appreciation and thankfulness for a time when he would give them more than they needed.

Teach your kids humility when they are young and when they grow up and are the type of people they need to be… give them plenty.

That’s what God did with his children.