When your family asks you what you want for your birthday, the list is incredibly long: Legos, earrings, gift cards, a trip to a water park, electronics, a new bike, fancy clothes, a puppy, and every single toy in the dollar bin.
If they ask you what you need, you might make the same list. When an adult named Paul wrote a letter to a young man named Timothy, he said the list of things he needs is actually very short. Food. Clothes. That’s it.
“If we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. 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. But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness” (1 Timothy 6:8, 10, 11 NIV).
When you look around your bedroom and see all the things you think are missing, you focus on the stuff the world thinks is important. When that happens, Paul told Timothy to flee, to run like you’re being chased by bees!
When you know your parents can’t afford it but you still beg, “I’m the only one who doesn’t have a phone. I need a phone,” run away!
If you think kids will like you better because there’s a brand name on your hoodie, flee!
When you believe expensive clothes on the outside means you are more valuable on the inside, get away!
As you run away from thinking that stuff will make you happy, start chasing the things God says will bring you real joy: living God’s way, hanging in there when you’re discouraged, giving away the toys and books and clothes that you don’t need, loving people who are mean. Be content, and you’ll be thankful for the blessings you already have.
