Bank Account

International Savings Bank Building

I received an e-mail entitled "Bank Account", about an elderly gentlemen accepting a move into a nursing home.  In spite of advanced age, loss of his wife and eyesight, he tells the nurse:

“It's a decision I make every morning when I wake up. I have a choice; I can spend the day in bed recounting the difficulty I have with the  parts of my body that no longer work, or get out of bed and be thankful  for the ones that do. ... Old age is like a bank account. You withdraw from what you've put in."

It concluded with this advice:

1. Free your heart from hatred. 
2. Free your mind from worries. 
3. Live simply. 
4. Give more. 
5. Expect less.

Sounds good at any age, but it's missing so much.  How about:

1 - Do a bit more than free our hearts from hatred:  And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen. For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: (Matthew 6:12-14 KJV)

2 - Replace the worries in our minds with peace.  And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:7 KJV)

3 - Living simple has been done by example.  And Jesus said unto him, Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head. (Luke 9:58 KJV)

4 - Give all - give ourselves.  And there came a certain poor widow, and she threw in two mites, which make a farthing. And he called unto him his disciples, and saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That this poor widow hath cast more in, than all they which have cast into the treasury: For all they did cast in of their abundance; but she of her want did cast in all that she had, even all her living. (Mark 12:42-44 KJV)

5 - Expect less here -- and allow God to provide.  Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith? (Matthew 6:30 KJV)

So many people will read, and resend, the five simple suggestions for a better life, and ignore what the Bible has to say along those very same lines. Just spend a little time with the Bible while building that bank account. 

We do decide when we open our eyes each morning how we are going to spend our day.  When we keep our eyes on the Lord, our days are filled with His love and His plans for us.  Living with Him daily does give us a lot, but He has promised us so much more.

But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. (1 Corinthians 2:9 KJV)