He was rich!!
He could not wait to spend his money. He kept talking about all the things he was going to buy with it.
As we were grocery shopping today, we first stopped at the bank to cash his check. He was so excited to have the lady hand him back a real ten dollar bill. He told her about the things he wanted. The new Mario movie, some candy corn, and even some flowers.
We had to pick up a few items, and the suspense was killing him. He wanted to run to the movies and choose his favorite one. When the time finally came for him to make his choice, he found a toy Mater car that talks when you shake it, and the wheels turn sending it flying across the room. To a four year old boy, this was close to heaven. He loved it, and continued to shake it all throughout the rest of Wal-Mart.
When we got to the register, I took out his new ten dollar bill and he very proudly handed it over to the cashier. The man joked with him and asked if Zechariah was buying the toy for him. (As if an old man really needed a Cars toy.) Zech very stingily told him, "NO. It's for me!"
As we made our way outside to our car, Zech requested that he get to hold Mater on the drive home.
We were just pulling out of our parking spot when Zech asked in a very panicked voice, "Where is my money? I lost it."
I told him, "You used it to buy Mater, remember?"
"No. I need my money with the head on it."
He was referring to his $10 in cash. I reminded him again. "Zech, you spent it. You handed it to the man and he gave you back Mater."
My reassurances didn't help him. He started freaking out about it. "No. I need my other money. The paper one."
I tried to tell him we turned his paper money, into real money at the bank. Didn't he remember that nice lady? I told him his money was all gone, and now he gets to play with Mater. He wouldn't be able to leave the store with his toy if he didn't give them money. I asked him, "Aren't you happy you get to keep Mater?"
He was crying now, and getting mad at me because I just didn't understand. He wanted his money back.
When I explained to him that he could give the store back Mater, and then they would give him his money back, I expected him to get upset about the loss of his gift. However, he didn't. In fact, he was overjoyed to find that he could give the toy back and get his money again.
The money was all that mattered to him.
He didn't care about all the wonderful things he could buy with it. He just wanted to feel the money in his hand, or put it in his pocket so he could take it out and look at it whenever he wanted.
What was the point of that?
I can relate to the feeling. So often I just want to hold onto my money. I probably do it for a different reason then Zech, but still at the core it's the same thing. I'm afraid of what might happen if I run out. On way too many occasions I find myself worrying and thinking about money, or a lack of it. What's really sad is that we aren't even close to running out of money, yet, I fear that it could happen.
I'm trusting in the dollar to get me something, rather than God. There has never been a time in my life where I've been without. Yet, so often I see money leaving my hand, and I feel that same panicked feeling as Zechariah. I want my money back. I just want to hold onto it so I know that it's there.
It sounds really funny when I say it, but I'm sure there are times that God is blessing me, and I'm there trying to tell him, "No, God. Not today. You know I have this bill coming up and I'm going to need the money for that instead." As if I would know better than Him.
I'm just like Zechariah. His grandma was trying to give him a gift, a blessing, and he wasn't ready to accept it. He wanted to just hold onto the money, the piece of paper, and not appreciate what the money could actually buy for him. Money is a tool, meant to be used, not collected and stored up.
God has given me SO MUCH. I want to accept His blessings in my life, not hoard them for a later date. I must learn to trust God and depend on Him and His understanding, not my own.
I don't know if this is for anyone else, but God has really been hammering it into my head. Trust me. Trust me. Trust me. This applies to so much more than just money. It took a little, almost 4 year old boy, to bring home the point. God wants to bless me, but do I want to let Him?
who walk in obedience to him.
You will eat the fruit of your labor;
blessings and prosperity will be yours.
Your wife will be like a fruitful vine
within your house;
your children will be like olive shoots
around your table.
Yes, this will be the blessing
for the man who fears the LORD."
Psalm 128:1-4
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