What’s in Your Can of Pringles?
Have you ever stopped to calculate everything pulling at you in a single month?
If you’re anything like me, your mind can get crowded in a hurry. You start running through the mental checklist: the bills left to pay, the rising gas prices, the grocery budget, upcoming holiday spending, doctor appointments, and endless schedule demands.
Before long, a heavy feeling creeps in: *I don't have enough. I don't have enough time, I don't have enough energy, and I definitely don't have enough money.*
When life feels like a constant squeeze, our natural instinct is to pull back, lock down, and protect what’s ours. But when we look closely at how God calls us to live, He invites us into a completely different mindset.
The Home Depot Lesson
A while back, I took my son, Andrew, with me on a trip to Home Depot. Now, if you take your son to the hardware store, it’s practically an unwritten rule that you stop at the register cooler and buy him a Gatorade.
While we were checking out, Andrew spotted a small can of Pringles right next to the drinks and asked if he could have those too. I said, "Sure, grab 'em."
We got back into the truck, pulled onto the road, and after a few minutes of driving, I looked over and said, "Hey son, pass me a few chips."
He looked at me, held that can tight, and said, *"No. These are mine."
Now, Andrew was practicing the science of a finite supply. In his mind, he only had a small can of chips, and he was worried that if he shared them with his dad, he’d be left with nothing.
What he completely missed in that moment was **who actually bought the chips.**
I bought the chips! He couldn't afford them on his own. I had the resources to buy three more cans right then and there if we needed them. I wasn't asking for chips to deprive him; I just wanted to share something with him.
That trip was a clear picture of how I treat God all the time.
God supplies us with our breath, our energy, our time, our talents, and our finances. Yet, the moment He asks us to trust Him with a portion of it—to serve someone, to give, to rest, or to use our abilities for His Kingdom—we clutch our hands tight and think, *“Wait, Lord, this is mine. If I give this back to You, I won't have enough left for myself.”*
What is the "Therefore" There For?
In Romans chapter 12, the Apostle Paul addresses this exact heart posture:
"I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God."
Whenever you see the word "therefore" in Scripture, you always have to ask what it "there for."
Paul doesn't start his thought here in a vacuum. If you back up just four verses to the end of chapter 11, Paul is overwhelmed by the sheer scale of God’s grace:
"O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out! For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen."
Paul spends eleven chapters laying out the limitless depth of God’s mercy, wisdom, and provision. Then he says: "Therefore", because God has poured out all of this for you, the only reasonable response is to offer your whole life back to Him as a living sacrifice.
Notice he doesn't say our reasonable service is just showing up on Sunday morning or dropping a few dollars in a plate to check a box. It’s living for Him daily.
Changing Our Mindset
The world trains us to operate from a posture of scarcity, to chase comfort, stack up security, and view our time and resources as entirely our own. But Paul calls us to be "transformed by the renewal of your mind".
God isn't asking for your time, talent, or gifts because He's trying to drain you. He doesn't want to turn you into a slave; He loves you as family.
He wants to conform you to the image of His Son and allow you to experience the joy of reaching others with His mercy.
- Your Time: If your calendar feels completely packed, ask yourself: How can I leverage the places I already go, sports games, errands, work, to pray for people and show God's love?
- Your Talent: You don't need a seminary degree or a stage to serve. Maybe your gift is encouragement on the phone, cooking a meal for someone going through a hard time, or helping a neighbor with repairs.
- Your Rest: Even resting on the Sabbath requires trust. Resting in God's grace isn't a waste of time; it’s acknowledging that He is in control, not us.
If God did not spare His own Son for us, why do we live like He’s holding back on us now?
A Step of Faith
Maybe as you're reading this today, you realize you've been holding onto everything yourself, not just your schedule or your finances, but your very life.
The greatest gift God ever gave wasn't a resource or a blessing; it was His Son, Jesus Christ. Jesus went to the cross, took all our sins, our guilt, our pain, and our failures upon Himself, and died in our place. Then He rose again to prove that He is God and that death has no hold over Him.
God did not withhold His best from you. You don't have to carry the weight of trying to save yourself or earn His favor. If you have never asked Jesus to be your Lord and Savior, the invitation is open right now. You can pray right where you are, acknowledge your need for Him, turn away from running things on your own, and receive His free gift of grace and eternal life.
Join Us This Week
If you prayed that prayer, have questions, or just want a community to walk alongside you as you grow, we would love to welcome you in person.
Come join us this "Sunday morning" for worship or on "Wednesday Night" for Bible study.
Whether you're looking for answers, carrying a heavy burden, or just wanting to worship together, our doors are open and there is a place here for you.
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Sunday School: 9:30 AM
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Worship Service: 10:45 AM
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Location: 9210 TX-89, Van Vleck, TX 77482
Come as you are—we'd love to welcome you into our church family!
