In November of 1977, a little coffee shop in Arcola, Illinois garnered national attention when Charles Kuralt (known for his human interest stories) of the CBS Evening News told of the shops 164 coffee mugs, each with its own slot on the wall behind the counter.  One per customer, each cup had a simple hand painted first name plus a symbol that was representative of the cup’s owner.   For instance, Bob, the local mechanic, had a cup with a hand painted wrench next to his name.  This cup was used each time Bob came into the store for coffee.

It wasn’t stated how this collection of cups began or why the limit was 164, but to get a personalized mug, you had to drink one hundred cups of coffee (about 5 gallons, and yes, not all at one sitting), to qualify for the waiting list.

The story focused on the closeness of the community, and the personal touch of the store, but not on how one got off the waiting list and to receiving their own cup.  You see, to get a slot for a mug, someone had to lose a slot…that is, to pass away.   Death ended participation.

As I came across this story in a social media reel, I was struck by how much this tale is a microcosm of our experience here on earth.  

In Psalm 49, the psalmist penned of the man who

“…sees that even wise men die; The fool and the senseless alike perish and leave their wealth to others. Their inner thought is that their houses are forever and their dwelling places from generation to generation; They have called their lands after their own names. But man in his honor will not endure; He is like the animals that perish.”  (v10-12).

“They have called their lands after their own names…but man…will not endure.” 

We have a tendency to want to see our names on things. But in reality our names are only lightly penciled…and easily erased.

I have seen this first hand over the years.   Ranches named after their owners, amended upon change of possession.    Law firms changing names upon the death of a founding partner.   

This has been true in my own genealogy.   Our family business started as Peacock and Soice in 1886 with my great grandfather Peacock.   Passed down to my grandfather Peacock.  Changed its name to Peacock Milton after my father joined his father-in-law (my grandfather), then to be changed to Minnis when the business was sold after my brother and I both decided not to continue in the family business.

Now, I am not saying that it is wrong to put a name on a ranch, or a business, or a cup.   But I am warning about trusting in the permanence of such.   Real permanence is eternal and eternal life is heaven.   We should put our confidence in the place where our names can be written permanently, the Lambs Book of Life (Revelation 21:27) and our heavenly citizenship enduring (Philippians 3:20-21)

My counsel and encouragement is for us to hold on to the things of this life loosely. As Jesus said, 

“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal; for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”  Matthew 6:19-21

Indeed… let us store up for ourselves treasures in heaven.

Soon, all of our cups will be pulled down to make room for the cup of another.   This is sad, yes, but only dreadful if our names and focus are not on the better place.   And if our names are on the better, then we actually are eagerly awaiting the day when our cups are taken down here.

Rod

S.D.G. ~ 21

I think we all suffer from it, some more acutely than others.   The “I will be happy when…” disposition. It is a common ladder to be on. I would argue, it is our default.

Business coach Robert Holden in his book Authentic Success warns of what he calls…“Destination Addiction—a preoccupation with the idea that happiness is in the next place, the next job, or with the next partner. Until you give up the idea that happiness is somewhere else, it will never be where you are.” 

Holden suggests that our eyes are looking in the wrong place.

Jerry Bridges, in his book, Respectable Sins, shows us that our hearts are in the wrong place.   “Discontentment is sin” says Bridges. A tolerable sin, an acceptable sin, yes, even a respectable sin, but a sin nonetheless.

“But my ambitions are good!” one might argue. And indeed they may well be.    But as Dave Harvey wisely points out in his book Rescuing Ambition, “If ambition defines me, it will never fulfill me.”

Harvey expounds:  ‘Contentment means being satisfied and at peace with God’s will in all situations. It’s a state of the soul where your desires conform to wherever you find yourself.’

He continues:   “In Philippians we discover something that marks the life of every believer. On the one hand, we’re called to ‘strain forward to what lies ahead’ and ‘press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus’ (3:13-14). But we’re also given Paul’s example of learning ‘in whatever situation I am to be content’ (4:11). Is Paul confused? He seems to be saying, ‘Hunger for more’ in one chapter, and ‘Be happy with where you are’ in the next.    Exactly.  Since Paul’s ambitions were not selfish, he could live with them unfulfilled. Sure, he had dreams and desires—but they were God-focused, not Paul-focused. If they remained unsatisfied, that was God’s business.” 

God focused ambition. That is what we are to be about.    So stop, take a look.  What ladder are you on?   If on the ladder that is full of self, take your observation as a grace of God to show you that there is a better one.

Rod
S.D.G. – 20