The Millionth Customer
This generation thinks they invented reality television, but it was born almost as soon as television was invented. The old “Candid Camera” and “To Tell the Truth” programs used to put real people into hysterical situations. Years ago, one of those shows picked out three people as they were paying their bills at a grocery store in New York City. As the middle lady paid her bill, bells went off and balloons dropped from the ceiling. She was told she was the one millionth customer. Of course the other two were the number 999,999 and 1,000,001. Only the millionth customer was real, the others were plants. First they announced the prize for the customer number 999,999 – a trip to Europe. The 1,000,001 customer got her prize next – a trip around the world. At this point he millionth customer was overjoyed. If that is what the near winners got, she could only imagine her wonderful prize. Her prize? A walking tour of New York City. She was furious. She protested that since she was the millionth customer, she ought to have the biggest prize and did not want the walking tour.
Of course we know that she had done nothing to earn her gift. The “walking tour” was still more than she earned, but instead of being happy with what she was given, she compared her gift to what the other had received.
Aren’t you glad you don’t have this problem? You never compare yourself to someone else, do you? In case you don’t know it, that is facetiousness. It is a problem as old as mankind. Cain killed Able because Able was praised for his gift, while Cain was not (Gen 4:3-8). King Saul tried to kill young David because the people sang “Saul has slain his thousands.” That would have been okay, but then they sang David has slain his ten thousands (1 Samuel 18:7).
Do you know the secret of happiness? It is simple – learn to be content with what you have (Hebrews 13:5). Unhappy people focus on the things they do not have. They look around them and compare their possessions to the things and stuff and junk that others have. They imagine that they themselves are not blessed.
When we fail to look at all that God has given us and focus on all that we do not have, we will be miserable. We are all rich, when compared to someone. We are all poor, when compared to someone else. We are all great athletes compared to some and clumsy compared to someone else. We are all attractive when compared to some. We are all plain when compared to others. We would do well to remember, no matter how we are, we are exactly what God needs us to be.
Do not spend your life thinking about what others have that you do not have. Such a life will never have joy. Do not spend your live feeling like the millionth customer that ought to be given something. There is no happiness in that.
Lonnie Davis