In God We Trust

Go ahead.  I dare ya.  Try to find a coin that doesn't have the quote, "In God We Trust" on it.  You might have to look hard at the dime, but yup, it's there too.  I know it's on the dollar bill, written in letters a little easier to read.  Since I rarely carry cash, can't say if it's on other bills or not.  But my guess would be "yes."  So ironic, I think, that this phrase was chosen.  I wonder if God "inspired" our lawmakers to use it.  If that's the case, then he definitely has a sense of humor. Because, is it really true that we all trust in God more than we trust in our money?

Well, all of this brings me to my point.  The other day, I was standing in the check-out lane.  Pulling out my cash, I just happened to glance at that phrase - that "In God We Trust" phrase.  Of course, it's always been there, but in that moment I had a sort of epiphany.  Here I was holding the money in my hand, knowing that it would buy me what I needed.  So in that moment, was it really God that I trusted in or was it that flimsy little piece of paper?  I had to smile, even laugh, because I know that when it comes to money, I soooo put my faith in it above God.  I don't care what it represents. Money, in the end, is really just a piece of paper -  backed up by a shiny little rock (or bar if you want to get technical about it.)  What is it really worth?

Jesus said, "Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them.  Are you not much more valuable than they?"  (Matthew 6: 26)  Yes, we are more valuable to God.  But is he more valuable to us?  More valuable than our cars, our homes, our jobs, even our money?  Look, I'm not saying that we should all just quit working and wait out in a field for God to drop food from heaven.  Then again, that's exactly what he did for the Israelites, dropped manna from heaven each day to provide for their needs.  I guess what I am saying is this;  in the end it's really not the money, it's really not the job, it's really not the grocery store.  It's God, our Father, who provides.  His every good and perfect gift from above is ours to enjoy, not to worship.  If we're loving the gifts more than we love the Giver, maybe our priorities need to change.