Living Better

I think one of the lies of Satan is the definition of 

BETTER. 

 When we are small, we begin to believe the lie, as we are held away from things we want.

"Wait until you are bigger."

And, thus, we begin to believe the lie. 

As we grow, we work more to earn more to spend more so that we can be bigger. Bigger house, bigger car, bigger vacation, bigger retirement, bigger birthday parties, bigger gifts, bigger restaurant tabs, bigger business, bigger debt. Bigger anxiety, bigger stress, bigger schedule.

And when we get to the end, we realize it isn't better. Just bigger.

Bigger regret.

Last weekend, I had the honor and sacred privilege of caring for my husbands grandfather before he died. He was, by the standards of his community, wealthy. He channeled his wealth back into his community and opened a summer resort and winter ski area that was open to the general public in a generation when skiing was only available to the elite who were wealthy enough to purchase a membership to the Country Club. He gave local kids cheap lessons, jobs, instructor certification and a ticket to a different life, where choices were made based on character and not by how much bigger they were able to live. Many left the community for higher education and different opportunities. Almost as many come back every season to pour their hearts back in to their home. 

This makes it better. 

Lloyd seemed to know the difference early enough to mold his life's choices around being better. And, when the time came, he was able to reflect and say, "I've had a good life," and then wait to greet death like an old friend instead of something to be feared. 

The gift of the dying is that we have a window to what is most important. The things that are bigger are not what make life better. Easier, perhaps, at certain times. But not better. We are given direct insight to the difference between bigger and better.

And we can choose BETTER.