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I Want More
Joshua 17:16
"And the children of Joseph said, The hill is not enough for us: and all the Canaanites that dwell in the land of the valley have chariots of iron, both they who are of Bethshean and her towns, and they who are of the valley of Jezreel."
The children of Joseph had one of the same problems that many people have today and that is they wanted something for nothing. They wanted Joshua to have everyone else go and conquer their territory, and then give it to them without them having to do anything. They wanted to enjoy pleasures without the responsibilities it took to acquire those pleasures. However, Joshua was wise in telling these people that if they wanted more than what they had, then they needed to find a way to get it and not to depend on the rest of Israel to help them.
There are many in our society who seem to want something for nothing. One of the ways many presidential candidates win people's vote is to promise them that when they become president they will have the government pay for certain luxuries. As good as this may sound, this is wrong. If a person wants to have something, then they need to work for it. 2 Thessalonians 3:10 says, "For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat."
Christian, be careful about becoming someone who always has their hand out. It is nothing more than murmuring about God not meeting your needs when you whine about what you don't have. God says in Philippians 2:14, "Do all things without murmurings and disputings:" A Christian is to live their life without begging people to help them. If you want to beg someone, then beg God and not man. God tells us in Matthew 7:7, "Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:" God is the only One Who is capable of meeting your needs. If God wants you to have something, then He will be sure to impress upon someone's heart to give it to you.
Moreover, if you want something, then have the initiative to go find a way to get it. Learn to be creative and find ways to get what you need. One of the greatest assets you have is your mind. So, become creative by using your mind to think of ways to get what you need. Don't expect anyone to give you something, but find ways to get it yourself. If you live with the mentality that you will get what you need, then you will not be disappointed if someone doesn't give it to you.
Furthermore, parents need to teach their children to work for what they get. Just because your children want a new pair of shoes doesn't mean you should go directly to the store and purchase it for them. If their shoes are in good condition and they want better shoes, then tell them to find a way to earn the money to purchase the shoes themselves. Teaching your children at a young age to work for what they get will help them to appreciate what they have. If you give everything to them as a child, then they will expect society to give everything to them as an adult.
Be careful about not becoming like the children of Joseph who wanted others to give them what they could get themselves. If you want something, then find a way to get it, but don't become a Christian who whines and begs for everything. God promises to supply your need, but He didn't say that your need would always come from others, most of the time He will supply your need by having you working to get that need met.