Count Your Blessings

William R. White told a story about two merchants that were fierce competitors in a large town. Their stores were across the street from each other. The merchants didn’t measure the success of their business by daily or weekly profits. Their only concern was doing more business than the other. If a customer made a purchase at the store of one merchant, he would taunt his competitor when the sale was complete. The rivalry grew more and more every year.

One day God sent an angel to one of the merchants with an offer. “The Lord has chosen to give you a great gift,” said the angel. “He will give you anything you want. You can have riches, long life, healthy children or anything you desire. Just ask and it is yours. But there is one condition,” the angel said. “Whatever you receive, your competitor will get twice as much. If you ask for a million dollars, he will receive two million. If you become famous, he will become twice as famous. If your business grows to ten stores, his will grow to twenty.” The angel smiled and said, “This is God’s way of teaching you a lesson.”

The merchant thought for a few minutes. Then he said, “Let me make sure I understand what you are saying. You will give me anything that I ask for. But whatever I receive, my competitor will get double. Is that right?” The angel said, “That is correct.” The merchant smiled and said, “My request is that you strike me blind in one eye.”

God wants us to be the best that we can be and use the gifts and talents that He gave us to bless others. But sometimes we lose our focus and look at everything and everyone as our competition. We want the biggest house, the fanciest car, or the largest church.

Jesus said, “Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted. God is not concerned with what you have or what you accomplish. He is concerned with how you use what He has given you. Learn to count your blessings instead of comparing them.

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