Keeping Up With The Joneses
“Do not let your adorning be external—the braiding of hair and the putting on of gold jewelry, or the clothing you wear—but let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God’s sight is very precious.” - 1 Peter 3:3-4
Have you ever heard the term “Keeping up with the Joneses?” It refers to comparing and competing with others to maintain a certain lifestyle, social standing or prestige. The term originated from a comic strip, which ran from 1913 to 1940, where a family wants to climb the social ladder, but is struggling to keep up with their neighbors.
It’s a phrase you may know all too well if you have ever tried to keep up appearances to maintain the status and lifestyle you see of others.
The problem with having this mindset is that you are always chasing a moving target. You see someone with something; and you work to achieve that, only to find that there are more expensive cars, bigger homes, larger bank accounts, and those with more prominent jobs and positions.
It leads to disappointment and unfulfillment because you can never really appreciate what you have, and you are trying to obtain what others possess without understanding how they maintain what they have or realizing what they have to do to achieve it.
There is nothing wrong with having nice things. However, those material possessions and positions are not what give our lives value. God calls His people to be set apart from the world. He wants us to focus more on the internal than the external. More on giving than receiving, because that’s where true happiness lies.
When you pursue what God designed for you, you will find the ultimate fulfillment and realize you don’t need to impress anyone along the way.
Have you ever heard the term “Keeping up with the Joneses?” It refers to comparing and competing with others to maintain a certain lifestyle, social standing or prestige. The term originated from a comic strip, which ran from 1913 to 1940, where a family wants to climb the social ladder, but is struggling to keep up with their neighbors.
It’s a phrase you may know all too well if you have ever tried to keep up appearances to maintain the status and lifestyle you see of others.
The problem with having this mindset is that you are always chasing a moving target. You see someone with something; and you work to achieve that, only to find that there are more expensive cars, bigger homes, larger bank accounts, and those with more prominent jobs and positions.
It leads to disappointment and unfulfillment because you can never really appreciate what you have, and you are trying to obtain what others possess without understanding how they maintain what they have or realizing what they have to do to achieve it.
There is nothing wrong with having nice things. However, those material possessions and positions are not what give our lives value. God calls His people to be set apart from the world. He wants us to focus more on the internal than the external. More on giving than receiving, because that’s where true happiness lies.
When you pursue what God designed for you, you will find the ultimate fulfillment and realize you don’t need to impress anyone along the way.
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