The Myth of the
Greener Grass
January 26, 2004
All of us periodically suffer from the myth of the
greener grass. Haven't there been times in your life when you
thought things looked better on the other side of the fence? In
your drive to succeed, haven't you dreamed of a field with less
hardship and more rewards? Maybe in the face of some of your
marital struggles you think life would be better if you had a
different wife. Perhaps there have been occasions when you've
climbed over a fence without looking up and getting God's
approval.
If you've ever longed for a better world, then
you'll have no trouble understanding why the man Jesus delivered
from a host of demons wanted to follow him. For years the man
had been bound with chains and kept under guard. Yet, the power
of the demons enabled him to snap the chains and flee to
underground tombs (Luke 8:26-39).
After Jesus healed the man, he begged to travel
with Jesus. No wonder! What better way to show his appreciation
than to be a part of Jesus' support team? And what a powerful
impact his story would have on others who were investigating the
claims of Jesus!
But God had a different plan. Jesus told him to go
home. Obviously from that man's perspective he was missing out
on the action. He may very well have felt that Jesus had just
sent him away with a poor Plan B. Yet Luke tells us that this
man who had been given a new lease on life "went away and told
all over town how much Jesus had done for him" (Luke 8:39).
Like that liberated man, you too may want to enter
a new field that looks greener. But could it be that God has you
where he wants you? Maybe the issue isn't finding a greener
field, but finding contentment where you are. How? Paul said
true joy and lasting contentment comes from one source: Jesus
Christ (Philippians 4:12-13).
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