Money, money, money. Everything is about money.
Have you noticed that you can not go more than an hour in life without being bombarded with some form of advertising. And what is advertising? ALL Ads exist to make you spend your money.
Some ads are funny, entertaining, subtle or in your face. No matter how they are presented, their message is always the same,
“Buy me! Buy Me! BUY ME!”
Don’t believe me?
Wieden & Kennedy Portland’s ‘The Man Your Man Could Smell Like’ campaign for Old Spice, which launched in February, has resulted in 16.7% increased sales for Procter & Gamble in the U.S. “Old Spice is now the number one male body wash and deodorant in both dollar and volume share,” according to a spokesperson for Old Spice.
Advertising works.
Then you have to work… to earn the money to spend. Or if you get caught up in the advertising, you will know you can buy on Credit and pay it off one day.
Life begins to spin… work…spend…work…spend… and quickly turns into The Rat Race!
Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.
1 Timothy 6:9-10
Now you will like it all for awhile… we all do. But eventually it will dawn on you that it isn’t much fun being in the Rat Race.
The solution to slowing down or even getting off is found in these wise words:
But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that.
1 Timothy 6:6-8
So the key is: Godliness with Contentment!
And for the Christian, God has this, in addition, to say about the Rat Race:
But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness.
1 Timothy 6:11
Let me put a challenge out to you:
For ONE DAY, keep an eye out for all the advertising… look around and see if you can recognise it. Consider how much there is of it… and how does it really influence you.
And THAT NIGHT, consider, “Am I content with what I have?”. And if not, ask, “What more do I need?”, and, “How much is enough?”.
See if you can answer these questions honestly.
TIP: If you don’t want to ask these questions, or don’t have time to answer these questions, know that one day the Rat Race will end… then what?