I have been thinking a lot about cows recently.  It seemed that everyone in the Bible was always talking about cows and cattle and milk and cheese and other things that come from them. Having a lot of cattle was clearly a status symbol. I just see Abraham talking to Isaac like Tony Montana (from Scarface) , “In Israel, first you get the cows, then you get the calves, then you get the gold, and then you get the women!”

Obviously, times have changed. I was down in New Orleans recently and it was obvious during the 1800s, the status symbol was the amount of slaves you had and the amount of acreage. It took a lot of workers to make a plantation profitable and slaves were really expensive! According to the film, 12 Years a Slave, slaves cost about 30-35,000 (in today’s dollars), each! I am not saying that to justify slavery, obviously is wrong both then and today!

Today’s status symbols are obviously nice cars, big houses, exotic vacations, and which school your children go to.

The Bible talks a lot about status symbols and showing off and valuing yourself based on them. One site said there are 57 verses about status symbols, striving for status, and related topics. The Bible has and will forever call us to the things that are important to the Lord.  Allow me to encourage you to spend more time with the Lord and concerning yourself with His viewpoint than impressing your neighbors. However, we like them, don’t we? I know I do! I think about why I do and it seems to come down to competition. This desire for competition is inherent in all men. It is part of what makes men, men. I am not denying that. I am asking that we put competition and our desire for status symbols in its place.

Paul even said in Galations 6:14 that we should only boast in Christ. For Paul, knowing Jesus was his only status symbol. He knew that he had access to other status symbols (Roman citizenship, extensive education, etc…)  but he was so focused on what the Lord was doing, he was distracted from such things and was content. God took care of him in terms of food and shelter and material needs. He knew that money cannot buy happiness! He knew that no moving trucks follow hearses and we all crap our pants when we die!

The question is, what is the currency of Heaven? It is faith, hope, and love in ourselves, in other people, and most importantly, in the Lord. When we are rich in those things, we will find that godliness with contentment is great gain and the Lord will bless us with what we need and want.

Psalm 50:9“I shall take no young bull out of your house Nor male goats out of your folds. 10“For every beast of the forest is Mine, The cattle on a thousand hills. 11“I know every bird of the mountains, And everything that moves in the field is Mine.…

——————————————————————–W.