Are You Enough?

Last week was the biggest event in football - the Super Bowl.  Did you watch the dramatic ending?  Or were you more focused on the commercials?  I admit to both.  I enjoy watching a good game and the good commercials are always fun.  There was a lot of drama surrounding this year's game and personally as a Bronco fan, I didn't really care too much who won.  I'm not a fan of either team.  But something hit me when I heard the news about the Patriot's homecoming celebration in Boston.

They had delayed the big parade because of the weather, which still wasn’t great the day of the parade but the fans still showed up in huge numbers to cheer on the Super Bowl Champs.  As I was listening to the radio news describe the event, the broadcaster remarked at how the Patriots were holding up four fingers to the fans, representing the four Super Bowl victories they had won since 2002 under the leadership of Bill Belichick.  A pretty remarkable feat no matter how you feel about the team.

What surprised me, and made me a little sad, was what the broadcaster said next.  As the Patriots held up four fingers, the fans held up five – signifying they wanted five wins now.  Wow.

As if four wasn’t a great accomplishment in and of itself, the fans wanted more.  Four is great but five is better!  Almost immediately I heard the Lord remind me, “The world will always want more.  You can never do enough or be enough to satisfy them.”

How true.  I have encountered this more times than I’d care to admit.  How many times have I tried harder, worked longer, made up my hair/face/clothes to match the magazines, read the blogs on being a better wife, mom, homeschool parent, friend, pastor’s wife etc… All to no avail.  I fall flat when I listen to what the world wants. 

You didn’t yell at your kids today?  Good for you.  Now make sure they excel in sports and education.  Cooked a gourmet, organic meal?  Eh.  Grow your own veggies if you really cared about your family.  Went on a date with your hubby? Make sure that your body looks like the model on the magazine or he’ll look elsewhere. 

It’s enough to make you crazy and feel like you’re a hamster in a wheel.  Running and running but never really getting anywhere.

But then I tune my ears to God. I seek Him first and I measure up every time.  Not because I am perfect but because He is.  I'm always growing and changing but it isn't to please the un-pleasable, it's submitting to the One Who knows me intimately and wants the best for me and my family. Opposite of the cookie cutter, impossible to achieve expectations the world gives us. 

Feeling like just when you get ahead you discover you're actually far, far behind?   Who are you listening to?