Family Friday #8 – The gumball machine

Most everything about Jim was intentional. He was a master at making a lesson or a joke out of almost everything. he learned magic tricks and perfected them so that he could us them to illustrate truths in class and in ministry. He also made a game out of even the most mundane things like taking role at day camp or tuning his guitar. one item that was always in his office was a gumball machine (or several). He even had a gumball machine fish tank. He usually had his machine  filled with Jelly Bellys or Good-n-Plentys. Usually at least one had gumballs in all the colors of the rainbow. He loved to be reminded and to remind others that life is full of surprises and you never know which color you might get. But, whatever color you get learn to be content and be grateful that you got a gumball at all!

Try as we might we cannot control what color is dispensed. Often we can learn to be okay with what comes out until someone else gets the one we wanted! Similarly we can learn to be content and grateful until we start looking around. Comparison is a slippery slope that leads us to an entitled attitude at best and a sinful grumbling spirit or worse. When we look around we take our eyes off of Jesus and we lose sight of the reality that the “color” of the gumball doesn’t matter! We trade the truth that God is generous and kind for a lie that others have it better than we do.  Our good God gives good gifts to His kids and He is not prone to favoritism. He is not unjust or stingy.

These days I again am reminded that, in spite of my current circumstances and instead of complaining about the wages and the home I don’t have, what I have is more than enough. Today I choose gratitude – God is for me and good to me.