Are You Happy With You?

I was watching the movie Robots with my boys the other day. I’ve seen bits and pieces of it but had never watched it all the way through. It’s a cute story about a young robot that wants to become an inventor in a world of robots. He travels to the big city to find his hero who is known for embracing new ideas, but instead he runs into a new leader who wants to profit by convincing old robots to trade in their parts so they can be new and improved. His advertising campaign is based on the statement:

“Why be you when you can be new?”

And in selling his approach to the board of directors he states:

“Quit telling everyone they are fine as they are. How can we make them buy our stuff if we don’t make them feel crummy about themselves?”

When the movie was over and we turned off the video, there was a commercial on TV talking about how to get a bright white smile. Next came one for a weight loss program that insinuated that you would get a ‘steaming hot body’ if you just joined their program. In quick succession I saw ads for lasix eye surgery, a car for a new generation, and shoes that the ‘in crowd’ was wearing.

Wow – this children’s movie about the future is actually truth in the here and now! How many of you even thought about the color of your teeth ten years ago? And at 46 I am really pretty pleased to have a healthy body. Losing 15 pounds would not give me that smoking hot body that was advertised anyway…I’d require massive surgery to be built like that! I may not be too happy with the body I’ve been given, but I don’t need to compare myself to what the world defines as hot. (Just as an aside, the commercial for the same product offered to men has the claim “now my wife says she doesn’t find me as disgusting as I was”…hmmm – that comparison might be fodder for another column).

The whole purpose of advertising these days seems to be aimed at making us dissatisfied with the status quo. It’s not good enough to have a healthy mouth full of strong teeth; they have to be brilliant white. And having a healthy body isn’t the end goal; the objective seems to be that we all look like Barbie dolls. Even the do-it-yourself television shows cause us to be dissatisfied with our surroundings.

That night I came across this verse:

2 Cor 10:12 We do not dare to classify or compare ourselves with some who commend themselves. When they measure themselves by themselves and compare themselves with themselves, they are not wise. (NIV)

How timely! God doesn’t’ want us to compare ourselves with others despite the best efforts of marketing professionals to tell us otherwise. He wants us to compare ourselves with our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, and seek to be more like Him. I find that I am much more satisfied with myself and my life when I turn off the TV and focus on the things of God:

Philippians 4:8 8Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. (NIV)

Don’t let the world cause you to be dissatisfied with what God has provided. Just a few verses later Paul again gives us great words of wisdom:

Philippians 4:11-13 11I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. 12I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. 13I can do everything through him who gives me strength.

Let’s focus on what God wants us to be, and don’t let the world cause you to be dissatisfied with His provision.