Minute Meditations

”Growing old isn’t so bad when one considers the alternative.” This saying is credited to Maurice Chevalier who has since taken the alternative, not of his own free will, but due to the fact that death is the lot of all men in due time.

There are a lot of things that are easier to accept when we consider the alternative. We may not always like the food we eat but it is a lot better than starving. We may not like the old car we drive but it is a lot better than walking. We may feel that our living quarters leave something to be desired but they are a lot better than living in a tent.

We may complain about many things but if we would stop for a moment and consider the alternative, we may find that we should be thankful indeed for what we have. Things do not bring happiness. Happiness is a state of mind. We can be happy having little and we can be miserable with all the worldly luxuries that money can buy surrounding us.

As members of God’s royal family, we ought to be the happiest people on earth. Just think what we have. We have God as our Heavenly Father who knows our every need and will provide. We have Jesus Christ as our elder brother who died so that we could live forever. Growing old isn’t bad for us for we have that much more opportunity to serve the Lord we love so dearly. Death holds no fear for us, for ”precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints.” Therefore whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord’s. ”While I live I will praise the Lord,” exclaimed David.

There are happy brethren and sisters in poor health living in one little room in places like Panama and there are miserable brethren and sisters living in what could be relatively termed the lap of luxury in many places in the United States and Canada. Why? They are thinking differently. When we say miserable brethren and sisters we mean those who with their own lips admit that they are miserable. In fact, some seem to actually enjoy being miserable and evidently think that miserableness is next to godliness.

Paul said we should follow him even as he followed Christ and he declared that ”I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.” He also told Timothy that ”godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and raiment let us be therewith content.”

There are no people on earth today who have so much to rejoice about. Let us stop a minute and count our blessings. Consider the alternative. What if we were aliens from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise? what if we were without Christ and God in the world? Would we trade our exalted position with anyone that is without hope? No matter what else a person may have, they are truly miserable if they are without God. Others may have material possessions we think we would like to have but certainly we would not trade anything they have for the hope we have. Jesus did not even have a place to lay his head yet he will soon be king of the world. If we carefully consider the alternatives we will rejoice in the hope that soon we shall if faithful be kings and priests and reign on earth with him.