And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus. -Philippians 4:19 (NIV)

Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. -Matthew 6:19 (NIV)

In the cafeteria where I work, a strange song came over the speakers. It was called “4 Carats,” a playful song by former American Idol winner Kelly Clarkson asking Santa for a gemstone ring of that weight. One stanza of the lyrics go:

I won’t tell (I wont’t tell anyone)
Anyone
I’ve been good all year long
Oh Santa make my Christmas Eve
4 Carats please

I got that it was a playful song, something like Eartha Kitt’s “Santa Baby,” but it so heavily smacked of worldliness and materialism that I felt bothered by it. It’s reminded me of what Jesus spoke about in Matthew 6:19 above.

Being a dad, wordplay always comes to mind, so my mind then thought of four carrots…something far more precious than four carats of gemstones, if you were starving!

God supplies all we need, which isn’t always the same as what we want. But the more we aspire to align our hearts with His, the more closely our wants will match His wants for us. When we do that, our attitude changes from “I want more” to “Thank You for what You provide.”

Gratitude turns life into a meaningful gift, rather than trying to piece together a meaningful life with material gifts.