Keeping up with the Joneses

One of the biggest dangers  I have noticed on Social Media is falling into the trap of "Keeping up with the Joneses".
We get to take a small peek into other people's lives. And sometimes we mistake thier pictures for perfection.
They may have a beautiful family, a huge house, gorgeous clothes and a nice shiny expensive new car. They may have perfect hair and perfect teeth that sparkle in every picture. They may seem to have a perfect marraige with adorable clean kids who smile for the camera.
And before we know it we begin to compare our lives and our belongings with what they have.

 Without meaning to, we become dissatisfied with what we have been blessed with and we soon desire more. We focus on all the things we don't have instead of counting our blessings for the abundance of things we do have.
We fall into the pit of "Keeping up with the Joneses"
We think we have to have things we don't need but we want it simply because they have it.

While doing the Fashion Challenge during Valentines, I was honored to meet some of the most amazing women.  There were ladies that had the most incredible style and there were a few that had very expensive taste. There were also many ladies that shopped at thrift stores and were so talented with piecing outfits together.
One of the challenges was  not to  buy anything new but put clothes together that you already had.
I really appreciated that.
The emphasis was not on who had the cutest clothes, or the most expensive but the focus was on being creative with what you had in your closet.

It would have been so easy to compare myself to all these amazing fashionistas. But, I would have instantly drowned myself in insecurities. It would have been so easy to fall into the lie that my clothes and my style did not measure up and I needed what they had. But that would have defeated the whole purpose of the challenge.
Instead, I focused  on making new friends and gleaning  some inspiration from thier expertise.

I wanted to share this thought with yall because I know that I must not be the only human being with these struggles.
It's easy to compare ourselves  and feel we don't measure up.
But this is a lie from Satan himself. He wants us to be discontent with our lives and our families.
He wants us to buy things we don't need and can't afford.
He wants us to fall into the dangerous trap of keeping up with everyone else.
He knows financial struggles will destroy a family.
He knows if He can get us to compare our family with someone else's  picture perfect family that we will soon become unhappy.
He knows if He can get us unhappy He can come in for the attack. And then He will try to destroy.....And believe me He is out to destroy our families!!!

So my plea for all of us is,
don't fall into the social media trap that someone else's life is perfect.
 It's not!!
Everyone has thier own struggles and insecurities. Behind that perfect picture of the perfect family with the huge house and shiny new car that you are jelous of. There just may be a debt that is crushing their  marriage.
There may be a secret that the camera is hiding!

So...
Be confident in who you are.
Be content with what you have.
Enjoy your life.
Love your life and
Live your life.
(It's the only one you will get)
Sparkle and shine for the Glory of God.
And don't try to "keep up with the Joneses"