When you have it all...what then?

As I was watching some late-night political television this week, the Holy Spirit seemed to drop a thought in my heart. What I heard in my heart was, "When you have it all...what then?"

Let's see if I can simply this in writing, as well as I have simplified it in my head...

In my short 43 years of living, I have:

1) Graduated high school, college, and seminary.

2) Traveled 34 countries on 4 continents, seeing much of the world that I would have never seen, except for the blessing of God.

3) Served honorably in the United States Air Force

4) Been blest with scores of wonderful friends, just about everywhere!

5) Never gone naked, hungry, or homeless. Even bought my first home one month ago!

6) Almost always had a decent job

7) Acquired musical, writing, speaking, and other skills that can be used for the betterment of my environment (hopefully), and for my own enjoyment.

As one close friend said not long ago, "Phil, you have done more in your 43 years than most people will do in 82 years."

While it was meant as a compliment, I found it be more sobering than flattering. It was Jesus who said, "for one's life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses" (Luke 12:15).

Looking at all that I have, I can only ask, "what now?" Or better yet, "So what?"

While there are several entrusted people who keep me "in check" and "grounded," the "heart of the matter" becomes very quickly, and very succinctly "the matter of the heart."

I remember hearing a lady who was dying with breast cancer say (many years ago) that "the only things we can take from this life to the next are 1) our relationship to God the Father, and 2) our relationships with other people." And thinking about it, those two elements fulfill the "Great Commandments" as taught by our Lord Jesus.

I'm often reminded of the "elder brother" in the story of the Prodigal son in Luke Chapter 15.

The most convicting, heartbreaking part of the elder brother's whole paradigm was the fact the he obviously never "came to himself."

The younger brother had insisted on taking what was not rightfully his (yet), squandering it on hellish living, eating from the pig's pen (a good Jewish boy, now...), and then "coming to himself" and returning home...

The elder brother--who never left--had it all....but what he didn't have, sadly, and many of us fall into this trap, was the "heart of his Father." Oh yes, the Father cared about him deeply, but the elder didn't take on the "heart qualities" that so defined his Father.

I've often wondered if I am possessed of the "elder brother" syndrome? We never found in the Scriptures where the "elder brother" came to himself and realized that he had everything at his disposal.

What about us? "When you have it all...what then?"