Raspberries

Margaret Feinberg’s blog ((http://margaretfeinberg.blogspot.com) recently sported a post about having an opportunity to over-indulge in raspberries. She lives in Alaska and so fresh raspberries are not readily available. She was in Colorado and so took the occasion to purchase 10 containers of fresh raspberries (nice and healthy!). In partaking of them, she learned something we all know, but something that is hard to remember. Somewhere between consumption of the fifth and sixth package of raspberries, they began to provide less delight. The law of diminishing rewards kicked in. How did something truly good turn out to be something lackluster? Her point was that:
“Over-indulgence promises you never-ending flavor and just when you think you've discovered it, the satisfaction fades away. You're left eating, consuming, but somehow unfulfilled. The promise of more only leaves you with less room for that which really satisfies. “
She then talks about how, obviously, that relates to more than eating and reminds us that sometimes “less is more.”

I agree with her, and appreciate her reminder. As I considered responding to her post, I knew that what she says is true, but I also know how hard that can be to see on the outset. It is so hard to imagine that when we get something good, in quantities greater than what we dared ask, it can be something that will not bring us the happiness we would associate with it. Think about it, if I like Seven Jeans and I get the opportunity to have one pair and I am thrilled about that, then it seems logical to assume that if I get the opportunity to have seven pairs of Seven Jeans then I will enjoy immense satisfaction. The challenge, as I see it, is two-fold: 1) how do I remember going into the situation that this is not going to bring about the desired outcome and 2) can I intentionally decide up front how much is enough and be content with the lifestyle God allows me?

The thing that brings me momentary happiness could be anything – food, money, praise, raspberries or jeans or whatever. Obviously, those of us who are Christ followers, should have ourselves rooted in our acceptance by Christ and theoretically, at least, should be less susceptible to allowing something else to provide us with ultimate satisfaction. However, we all end up being in situations where we have the opportunity to get a lot of something we like and it feels like a great opportunity. How do we get what we know to be true to the forefront of our minds at a time like that? I really have no grand solution, I’m in learning mode. I can only offer a few self-evident ideas, such as we need to remember moderation for a host of reasons, we need to remember that we are stewards of someone else’s treasures, and I guess we just plain ol’ need to remind ourselves of that which we know to be true. I like Ken Boa’s definition of faith. He says “Faith is believing God’s word despite my experience to the contrary.” I think that is applicable.

Regarding the second part of the challenge – intentionally determining how much is enough, and choosing to be content with the lifestyle God provides us with – that is crucial. One of the things Ron Blue often teaches is that everyone needs to decide how much is enough. It is simply recognizing the reality of the human heart to realize that if we do not predetermine how much is enough, we will never feel like we have enough. When I first heard that idea, I disagreed. I thought surely if I had a million dollars I would feel like I had enough, but then I heard of so many examples where that was not the case in other peoples lives and there is no reason to think I am better than them. Think about it, when we were in college and living on $500 a month I thought if I could just make $30,000 I’d have it made, and then when I made $30,000 I thought now if I could be making $40,000 I certainly would be content but I’ve discovered that my lifestyle has grown with my wages. It still feels like if I ever make $100,000 a year I’d certainly be content, but I know better than to believe that now. I have to intentionally decide now how much is enough or I might be deceived into thinking one more box of raspberries, more dollars, or whatever would make me content.

I appreciate Margaret’s post. I hope to get in my heart that which I know is true, to determine how much is enough, and to cultivate a contentedness with the lifestyle God gives me. I may be naive, but in so doing, I believe I will be doing something to protect myself from a consumerism that can never give me enough to feel satiated..