DAV Magazine — November/December 2017
How will you be remembered?
As the holidays approach, we are inundated daily with the spirit of consumerism. From billboards to magazine ads to TV commercials, we receive a constant flood of voices that tell us, “You need this, and you need it now!” This very quickly leads us down the road of materialism and a focus on possessions. We begin to lust for “things,” and eventually we give less and less away for the sake of feeding our own appetites.
How often do we let temporary things, which have no longterm or sometimes even short-term value, control our lives? Nothing lasts forever. Have you ever heard the saying, “Money is the root of all evil”? Well, that’s not necessarily true. After all, for some people in certain situations, money can be a true blessing.
My faith teaches me that the love of money is the root of all evil, not wealth itself. Having things is not wrong, and even having an abundance of things is not wrong. Instead, it’s the condition of one’s heart that brings the offense.
This longing desire for possessions can cause us to do unthinkable things. Materialism has become the biggest competitor with one’s faith. People love their money and enjoy spending it on temporary things. We live in a country whose government has laws on the books that allow compensation for our sacrifices in military service. What a blessing! And you have the right to spend your money the way you wish, don’t you?
Of course, we all have the free will to spend as we choose, but let us enter the holidays with a charitable heart. DAV and Auxiliary members are some of the greatest givers America has in assisting veterans and their families, both monetarily and through gifts of time. But we must also be careful that we do not feed others who have an insatiable appetite of having possessions for the sake of having possessions. Material goods are only temporary when we consider the bigger scheme in life.
If we want to find eternal life, if we would find happiness, joy, satisfaction, peace of mind and serenity of heart, it will not be piling up credit with our Creator through keeping commandments and observing rules and regulations. Instead, it will be by reproducing his attitude of love and caring for our fellow man.
This holiday season, be good stewards of the blessings you receive, and in time your generosity in helping others will result in a greater reward. Take a look at your possessions and ask yourself what story they tell. How do you want to be remembered?
In His Service to You.
How often do we let temporary things, which have no longterm or sometimes even short-term value, control our lives? Nothing lasts forever. Have you ever heard the saying, “Money is the root of all evil”? Well, that’s not necessarily true. After all, for some people in certain situations, money can be a true blessing.
My faith teaches me that the love of money is the root of all evil, not wealth itself. Having things is not wrong, and even having an abundance of things is not wrong. Instead, it’s the condition of one’s heart that brings the offense.
This longing desire for possessions can cause us to do unthinkable things. Materialism has become the biggest competitor with one’s faith. People love their money and enjoy spending it on temporary things. We live in a country whose government has laws on the books that allow compensation for our sacrifices in military service. What a blessing! And you have the right to spend your money the way you wish, don’t you?
Of course, we all have the free will to spend as we choose, but let us enter the holidays with a charitable heart. DAV and Auxiliary members are some of the greatest givers America has in assisting veterans and their families, both monetarily and through gifts of time. But we must also be careful that we do not feed others who have an insatiable appetite of having possessions for the sake of having possessions. Material goods are only temporary when we consider the bigger scheme in life.
If we want to find eternal life, if we would find happiness, joy, satisfaction, peace of mind and serenity of heart, it will not be piling up credit with our Creator through keeping commandments and observing rules and regulations. Instead, it will be by reproducing his attitude of love and caring for our fellow man.
This holiday season, be good stewards of the blessings you receive, and in time your generosity in helping others will result in a greater reward. Take a look at your possessions and ask yourself what story they tell. How do you want to be remembered?
In His Service to You.
Message