Tools or Museums
Deuteronomy 20:6
"And what man is he that hath planted a vineyard, and hath not yet eaten of it? let him also go and return unto his house, lest he die in the battle, and another man eat of it."
Not far from where I live are several museums where people come to take vacations and see the artifacts or handiwork of people. The artifacts or handiworks inside these museums are not there for people to use, but they are there for people to look at. In all reality, the objects inside the museums are worthless for they are not being used. On the other hand, in my garage I have two toolboxes that are full of tools. These tools are used to help fix things and make things better. The tools help me make my quality of life much better. If I had to choose between having tools or visiting a museum, I would choose tools every time because they can be used.
In the verse above, God gave a command to Israel that when they went to war they were three categories of people who were to stay home and enjoy what they have. A man who built his house and did not have time to dedicate it was to stay home from the war so he could enjoy his house. A man who planted a vineyard and had not enjoyed the fruit of the vineyard was to stay home from the war so he could taste of its fruits. A man who married a wife and had not been married for a year was to stay home and enjoy his wife. Each of these represent three areas of our lives: investments, possessions and relationships. God was teaching us a truth in these verses that these areas are not to be museums, but they are to be tools that we use for enjoyment. In other words, God doesn't give us what we have to look at like its a museum, but God gives us what we have to use, enjoy and to serve Him.
Don't let your relationships be nothing more than a museum. For instance, you are not married just to say you are married. There are too many marital relationships where the couple literally exist with each other. They don't enjoy each others presence for they are never together. They don't do things together for they are too busy doing everything else to enjoy the person to whom they are married. This could also be said about the parent/child relationship. There are many parents who never enjoy the child God gave them. Their child lives in their home, but the parents are never there to enjoy the gift God has given them. Be careful that you don't treat your relationships like museums. That is the quickest way to lose your relationships. Enjoy the people in your relationships by spending time with them.
Furthermore, don't treat your possessions like museums. You home should be a tool to use and not a museum that is never used. What I am talking about is your home can be used to be hospitable to people, or you can make it a museum where no one comes to visit because you are afraid its not clean enough or you simply don't want "other" people in your home. Every possession you have should be a tool you use to serve God. I'm not promoting not taking care of what you have, but I am promoting using your possessions to enjoy life on this Earth.
Moreover, don't let your investments become museums. The purpose of investments is to have something to help you enjoy life when you become older. You can let your money sit in the bank or investment account to tell everybody how much money you have, but that money is worthless in such a state. Don't spend foolishly, but also don't be so stingy and tight that you can't enjoy life because you've made your investments a museum.
If you treat what you have as a museum, then you will lose it. The objects inside a museum are worthless and can never be used again; however, the tools in a toolbox may be a little dirty, but they are used all the time. Simply put, enjoy the relationships, possessions and investments that God has given you and use them as tools to help you better serve Him.