A Cup of Grace – with a shot of espresso

 From a young age I loved Disney. Just to give you a feel for how long ago that was, that was when you could only see movies in the theaters, and I had Snow White on a record. Several years later, I wrote a paper in college for a technical writing class about how Disney outstripped Warner Brothers in terms of its cartoon quality. About the same time, Little Mermaid came out, and I dragged my then boyfriend, now husband, to the theater with me. Just a year later, he bought it for me on VHS as a Christmas gift. It was at that point that my collection of Disney movies began.

When I was growing up, attending the movies was a special treat. They weren’t readily available for viewing in the home probably until I was in junior high. But one of the things I was intentionally taught by my parents was to evaluate the messages in “entertainment.” 

We saw Star Wars (the original first movie) three times in the theater. My dad loved sci-fi. But afterward there was a discussion in the car on the way home about the worldviews presented in that movie. The message was a New Age message, and my dad didn’t want me passively taking that in. It didn’t lessen my enjoyment of the movie, but it made me aware.

Fast forward to my early twenties and I’m watching Ariel as she sings her song “I Want More.” I thoroughly enjoyed the movie, but I saw the dangers of an unfiltered taking it in. Ariel isn’t satisfied with what she has and ends up nearly selling her soul to get what she believes she wants. Little girls all over the world watched and wanted her to “Kiss the Boy” to get her dream. Ursula is the villain, but Ariel is in trouble because of her choice to believe her which is motivated by Ariel’s disatisfaction.

This is not an anti-Little Mermaid spiel. My children watched it and my grandchildren may. I do want to address the message that’s in that movie because it comes at us in all sorts of forms over and over again in our culture. In fact, we are bombarded, lambasted really, all the time with the message that we should have more and not just stuff. 

We are certainly told repeatedly that if we have thus and so, or the newest version of this, we will have an easier life, be cooler, look younger, be more attractive, be intelligent. Whatever it takes to appeal to us is attached to the product being promoted. But this message of more extends to power, fame, success, reputation, love, self love, beauty, youth.  

This message of “never enough” is, in fact, one of the first lies Satan sells in the Garden. He encourages Eve to look at the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil and to believe that she’s missing out on something, that God is withholding something from her.

This isn’t a hunger issue. She is surrounded by the choicest fruits. Who knows how many delicious options surround her. This pre-dates fungus, disease, parasites, and anything else. These foods are all in their top form.

She also gets to walk and talk with God on a regular basis. She already knows good. She has experienced it in its truest form. Yet, the longing grows in her heart for more. She becomes convinced that what is being offered will somehow make her better.

She lays down her trust in her Creator who provides all she needs. And she takes one more thing. The results are devastating and have acted like a tsunami on the rest of humanity and creation. But we don’t learn. Satan uses the exact same message to continue to wreak havoc and devastation in our lives. 

Even as Christians we continually deal with the desire for more and the feeling that we’re missing out. I’m happy with my phone until a more powerful model comes out. I’m happy with my appearance, and then I see someone thinner and fitter and less wrinkled than me. I’m happy with my clothing until I wander through the stores with what’s new for the season. I’m content with my blog until I see how many thousands of followers someone else has. 

If I open social media, the algorithms have figured out what I’m dissatisfied with and cater to it. Or if I don’t have anything I’m unhappy with, it will tempt me with possibilities with things like, “What You Shouldn’t Wear If You’re Over 50,” or “How to Know If Your Husband Doesn’t Love You Anymore,” or “10 Things Successful Writers Never Do,””Outfits for Vacation,”  “The Secrets of French Women,” “What You Should Be Doing at the Beginning of Every Month.” 

It goes on and on and on. None of those are out and out bad articles or reels. A few might be helpful.  But if I don’t have the filter over my brain and heart, I will begin to long for “more” or to be more. It will be just this vague misty sensation of not quite being enough. A quiet disatisfaction seeps into my pores. Slowly this can become a fear that I’m not doing life quite right, an insecurity, a sense that I’m falling behind. 

Too often, I try to self help my way through. I will use reason to  convince myself that I don’t need the latest wrinkle treatment. Or I might scold myself for being vain. Those may quiet the longing to a whisper, but I’m not getting to the root of the problem. I’m simply trouble shooting the symptoms. However, scripture’s truth can always be depended upon to redirect my thinking and my desires. Truth is always the best antidote to lies.

Psalm 23:1 in the King James Version says,”…The Lord is my Shepherd. I shall not want.” When said that way, the modern English speaker thinks: “That sounds like a command I need to summon up the will to follow.” However, I think perhaps the CSB communicates the idea more clearly to the modern ear, “…I have what I need.” I also like what happens to it in French.  In French the direct translation becomes something like “…I will not miss anything.” 

The Psalmist isn’t trying to summon up willpower. He’s looking at the facts. He’s looking through God’s perspective. I don’t have a reason to want because I have what I need. He goes through the basic needs of a sheep: green pasture, fresh water, direction, comfort, and protection. The Good Shepherd provides it all. 

But the sheep have to trust that that’s enough. The sheep have to follow and quit mindlessly wandering off. The sheep have to recognize the wolf who seeks to convince them that this grass over here really is better, more nutritious.

Are you like me? Do you occasionally have trust issues with the Good Shepherd? Do you even recognize that’s what’s going on? Can you identify that feeling of disatisfaction or do you not even sit with it long enough to realize that’s what it is? Reaching out and taking more has become so easy that I’m not sure we pause long enough to question whether it’s a good or right decision. 

Though we can slow it, we can’t stop the constant flow of the message of more into our hearts and minds. What this means is that our filters need to kept in good repair. That comes by spending time in God’s word.

Have you experienced the creeping dissatisfaction that seeps in like a fog over your heart and mind? Do you find you are more critical of yourself, less content with what you have or where you are in life? What sets it off for you? Take a minute to evaluate what content you are taking in. It may appear “harmless,” but has it shifted your focus?

What will you do about it? Will you trust your reason which is so easily manipulated and try to fix it yourself? Or will you fill your heart and mind with the truth of scripture. Like I said, truth is the best antidote to lies. 

”Turn my eyes from looking at worthless things, and revive me in Your way.”

Psalm 119:37