It's been 24 years since Kathleen Kelly asked Joe Fox, "Don't you think that daisies are the friendliest flower?" Yes, Kathleen, I sure do! (For those of you who haven't watched this movie 300 times, it's You've Got Mail.) Naturally, I was delighted when I received two beautiful bouquets of mixed flowers for my birthday several weeks ago, and both of them included daisies. I pulled all the daisies out and put them in their own vase (an old green bottle) to display on my desk. The colourful flowers decorated my dining room table.
Last week I was walking by a local florist and decided to pop in and see if she had any daisies so that I could fill that green bottle again. She only had one sprig left and it was four dollars. At first I thought, "Four dollars for a few daisies?" but then I handed over two toonies (those are two-dollar coins we use in Canada) and happily brought my daisies home (pictured here).
Along the way, I reflected on my initial reaction and how we determine whether things are cheap or expensive, and how different people may be willing to spend money on different things. I thought about other things I could buy for about four dollars: a couple of candy bars (which I could devour in a minute and then regret eating), a second-hand book, a bus ticket, a pair of pantyhose, and so on. How I spend four dollars will depend a lot on what my need is in a particular moment and what value (whether short-term or long-term) that expenditure adds to my life.
For me, pretty daisies on my desk have more value than a jumbo pack of Reese's Pieces, even if the price is about the same, because the candy's cost to me is more than the retail price. There's also the cost to my health. I'm pre-diabetic and overweight, so the candy would cost me more than four dollars. The daisies, on the other hand, add value to my life because they're pretty and make me smile and remind me of God's creativity and care.
I can't tell you how to spend your money, but I do want to encourage you to pause and consider an expenditure's price versus its cost and value (I looked up that link after I wrote the thoughts above to make sure I was using my own words). Whether you have a lot of money or very little, God has appointed you as steward over the resources He's given you, so make sure you use or invest or spend them wisely.
"Honor the LORD with your wealth and with the best part of everything you produce" (Proverbs 3:9).
Have a great Monday!
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