Walking through the memories of your mind is an awesome place. I awakened this morning, flipped the light switch on, wandered into the bathroom, splashed water on my face,went to the kitchen, made coffee and sat down to read the Bible. Thoughts of my Mother, grandmother and ancestors flow through my head.
How different life is for me than for my Great Grand Mother, Aunt Josie Sizemore.
If Aunt Josie could come to visit today how would life compare? For a great part of her life, she did not have electricity or running water in the house.
As a former real estate agent, I am mentally “showing” her a house this morning. It goes like this. Aunt Josie, love this kitchen you just walk to the sink and turn this and water flows. It can be hot or cold. Now, here load all of the dirty dishes and push the button. This machine washes your dishes. Here is your refrigerator. It keeps your food cold. Push a button and cook your food here Aunt Josie, you don’t have to carry wood to cook your food.
Look at this bathroom. This is a commode. Pull this lever down and the water flows, washing all content away.
Aunt Josie cooked on a wood stove. Water was hauled from a well. Water was heated by building a fire under a “wash” tub. The mail delivered by a man riding a mule, did not contain an electric bill. The bathroom was an outhouse.
As we imagine showing her a house today, look at the new words she would need to learn. Imagine her shock with the computer, jet travel, automobile travel, a hospital where babies are born….
Would she choose to live like we do? Would she enjoy having an electric bill, cable bill, internet bill, car payment, mortgage payment or would she Walk away?
Why do we allow others to infuse us with fear? Fear we cannot survive without electricity? Fear we cannot live comfortably unless we have a huge house, with an exorbitant electric bill, high taxes, furnishings we don’t use?
Does God not furnish us with light during the day, a beautiful lamp called the moon for our night light? Just for today, let’s reflect on the Free things He has given!
Do I want all of the stuff available? Maybe. Do I need it all? Do you?