“He who follows righteousness and mercy finds life,
righteousness, and honor.”
Proverbs 21:21
In our world, contentment is a strange street vendor, roaming, looking for a home, but seldom finding an open door. He moves slowly from house to house, knocking on doors, offering his wares: an hour of peace, a smile of acceptance, a sigh of relief. But his goods are seldom taken. We are too busy to be content.
“Not now, thank you. I’ve too much to do,” we say. “Too many marks to be made, too many achievements to be achieved…”
So the vendor moves on. When I asked him why so few welcomed him into their homes, his answer left me convicted. “I charge a high price, you know. My fee is steep. I ask people to trade in their schedules, frustrations, and anxieties. I demand that they put a torch to their fourteen-hour days and sleepless nights. You’d think I’d have more buyers.”
He scratched his beard, then added pensively, “But people seem strangely proud of their ulcers and headaches.”
from 'No Wonder They Call Him the Savior'
by Max Lucado