“The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; surely I have a delightful inheritance.” Psalms 16:6
We’ve all done it.
I’m guilty, too.
We peek over the ‘fence’ into someone else’s life, and think they have it easier, more comfortable, more prosperous. Their children seem more well behaved and well-adjusted. Their vehicles run better, their kitchens are more upgraded.
In other words, the grass is looking mighty green over that fence…
The truth is, God has granted each of us a little piece of ‘property’ – our own life to live. And while every property is different in size and location and level of development, each has potential.
While we waste time peeking over the fence at someone else’s property, we could be working to upgrade our own.
As the Psalmist says, our property lines fall in pleasant places.
Really?
Cancer? A rough marriage? Abuse and neglect? Poverty?
Tough property lines, those.
All of us, even the neighbours with the greenest grass, have hard things included in our little allotment in life. We will all have challenges to overcome, rocks and stumps to remove, so to speak, before our yard is completely useable. Some have steep grades to consider, or issues with zoning and traffic noise. Some of us will be left with a generational mess dumped on us because of the sin of our parents.
Some of us will need to clean up a mess we created for ourselves because of poor choices.
But – here’s the ironic thing – despite the choices of others which can’t help but affect us (government policies which perpetuate poverty, for example), and our own messes, the poet here talks about a ‘delightful inheritance’.
Delightful.
As in, charming. Lovely. Attractive.
‘Causing delight.’
As in, the grass inside our own fence can be the greenest on the block.
We’re going to explore this topic more fully in the next few days, because there is a lot here to unpack. But for now, it is enough to know that whether large or small, flat or mountainous, littered or pristine, God has given each of us something to be delighted in.
And I think it’s up to us to find it, and choose to treasure and care for it.
Do a property evaluation with me today?
Father, You have given each of us a piece of property that holds something of value and delight, a wonderful inheritance. Give us eyes to see it, appreciate it, and develop it as we are called to do. Amen.
Growing in Grace 