The coffee and the cup

The coffee and the cup

Taste of coffee is not dependent on the price of the cup. No matter how expensive and decorated the cup is, the coffee will taste the same as in the cheapest and most unattractive cup you can find. So, for fullest enjoyment, one has to work on the coffee instead of the cup.

Similarly, enjoyment of and fulfillment with one’s life is not influenced by the amount of money and shiny and expensive things one has and surround one’s self with. It is a proven fact that not all wealthy people have a better quality of life than the less wealthy people, even though they might have more than what they need. Most of the time, things that make life worth living are those money cannot buy. Money can buy you an expensive cup but that wouldn’t make your coffee taste any different. Money can buy an expensive lifestyle but not a great, enjoyable, fulfilling and purposeful (God’s purpose) life.

Most of us are sacrificing everything to get the best cup there is, the best cup we can afford, because we believe that the best cup equates to the best coffee. Oh!, what an illusion we live in. Yet we get frustrated when the coffee doesn’t taste any better no matter how decorated and exquisite the cup is. Most of us wants to be rich or wealthy, but most cannot give good reason why they want to be wealthy, yet they subject themselves to pain and abuse, and dignity-assassinating activities in their attempt to accumulate wealth.

Unlike Esau, we shouldn’t sell our birthright chasing after things that don’t really matter, we shouldn’t sell our soul for wealth. The fulfillment of life is in living one’s God-given purpose and not in being the wealthiest man alive. Knowing one’s purpose is only through one’s creator, God Himself. Unless we live our life according to God’s principles and precepts we would always try to decorate the cup instead of working on the coffee.

I know of one billionaire who is still staying in the house he bought long ago before he was as wealthy as he is right now. He has all the money he needs to buy the most exquisite house in the world, but he says buying an expensive house would not make him any happier nor more fulfilled than he is already. Every year he give so much of his personal wealth away to different charities. Yet you and I are compromising our values, perhaps even morals, sucking up to or bosses and killing our dignity in the process, so we could get as much money as possible.

“And he said unto them, Take heed, and keep yourselves from all covetousness: for a man’s life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth.”
‭‭Luke‬ ‭12:15‬ ‭ASV‬‬

All of us want a good life and knowing at the end of our life that our life mattered. Yet we are going about it the wrong way; by chasing after wealth or what we were deceived to believe makes a good life. If wealth or abundance of possessions cannot make for a fulfilling life, then we should not destroy everything ( health, dignity and friendships) we have chasing after it. That is like decorating a cup hoping the coffee would taste better.

Are you focusing on your cup or your coffee? Don’t let yourself go back to an exquisite big house you sacrificed so much for at the end of each day still unhappy and unfulfilled only to realize than all the sacrifices and selling of your soul was not worth it.
Most of the time we want the most exquisite cup to make up for the bitterness of the coffee we are drinking already. I have grown to realize that, no mater how bitter my coffee is, God is always the sweetener. So I cannot go to the store to buy the better looking cup because that won’t change a thing. Instead I go to my church and lift up my hands and ask Him to intervene.

“When they came to Marah, they could not drink its water because it was bitter. (That is why the place is called Marah. ) So the people grumbled against Moses, saying, “What are we to drink?” Then Moses cried out to the Lord, and the Lord showed him a piece of wood. He threw it into the water, and the water became fit to drink.”
‭‭Exodus‬ ‭15:23-25‬ ‭NIV‬‬

What a mighty God we serve. May your bitter coffee be sweetened by God today, in Jesus’ name.