Daytime TV

Those times when I am at home during the day, I often have the TV on for noise.  I just shake my head at the commercials.  You would be amazed at what you can purchase for $19.99 – and if you act in the next five minutes, they will not only double the order, but also give you all kinds of free gifts with your purchase, as long as you pay separate shipping and handling. If you don’t want to purchase anything – you can contact a lawyer for any kind for of problem you have.  And then there are the online universities that will give you a degree in any possible area that you want.  And if that isn’t enough for you – check out the life insurance policies.

Of course, it seems that these items are just simply too good to be true.  And if you have ever purchased any of these TV offers, you will most likely find that they really don’t work exactly as they promise to work.  So, the laundry folder – or the lint trap cleaner – or the device that chops, dices, and even makes julienne fries – winds up collecting dust in a corner of the laundry room, or in your junk drawer. 

We spend so much time chasing the elusive dream.  It might be a relationship.  It might be a job.  It might be a certain size or shape.  It might be acknowledgement from a specific group of people.  It might be a certain amount of money.  The truth is that none of these things brings happiness, and even when we obtain that which we think we want the most, it seldom brings the happiness we are looking for. 

So, where does happiness come from?  There is a clue in the parable of the talents.  The master is going away, and gives five talents (or bags of gold) to one servant, two talents to another servant, and one talent to a third servant.  When he comes back, and finds that the first two servants have doubled what he gave them, he says, “Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!”  (Matthew 25: 21 and 23, NIV)

Happiness does not come in seeking the things that we think we want.  Happiness comes from serving God and serving others.  When we do this with our whole hearts – we find that happiness is a byproduct – not the end itself.  Happiness is the journey, not the destination.