I Would Rather Have Jesus than Silver & Gold

I've been wondering about myself lately. I've been probing the cobwebbed corners of my soul to see if, maybe, in those remote places I may find some reason why I have become so distraught by the current living situation in which I find myself. Am I really a girl akin to my sister in the Lord, Lottie moon? Do I, like her, flee from the comforts of riches and the Western world? Am I really a child of Sarah; do I do good and not fear anything that is fearful? How can I come to a place where my trust is completely based on the steadfast love and compassion of God? Can I do it willfully by living an ascetic life? By being more simple in my appearance- neglecting my beloved earrings (and now nose ring)? Or, can I embrace these things with a certain disconnect? When is it too much for my foolish and wayward heart to desire such unnecessary things such as hot water, or a blanket on my bed at night?

What has gotten me thinking, you may ask. Well I could provide you with a list of 'shortcomings' of my new house here in Indonesia, but there is no need, for as you might have thought, these things are trivial (Aside from the broken front door). Coming home to a house which seems so inadequate TO ME, but is quite expensive on the local market- that is culture shock. That is a harsh reality. So, when I lay in my actual bed at night, and not a cot, I wonder how in the world I have come to think that I somehow deserve to have that bed, or that I deserve to wake up to a hot shower, or that I deserve to wake up at all. I've always thought that I am a pretty unworldly girl, but as my cultural perception and comfort have been challenged this week, the Lord has been showing me my own sinful heart. Not so easy to take a look in the mirror these days. So, I praise the Lord that I have a house. I thank my wise father who has provided me with a bed. I am grateful that we have a refrigerator with food in it, and a stove to cook on. I am thankful for clean water to drink. Most of all, I am thankful for God teaching me and purifying my heart- though it may be through fire. I praise him.

So, while others are attracted to the world and pray for more wealth, I shall pray for the opposite. I will pray for a distaste for comfort, a distaste for riches, and a distaste for things. This will be a hard lesson to learn.

Silver and gold, silver and gold, I would rather have Jesus than silver and gold. As for these guys, I cannot say the same :-)






On one of my recent adventures to one of Jakarta's many malls, while eating lunch, I noticed a strange silver man heading in my direction. Thought he was a robot, till he started busting a move and was joined by the golden guy :-) Last week, I also saw several silvermen in my own mall, Supermal Karawaci, which is where EF is. So strange, but apparently these guys are all over the world. Check out the video from Vienna!




I will keep my camera at the ready in hopes of catching one of these guys on the move!