The Good Charlotte Gospel: Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous

(A continuation from The Good Charlotte Gospel: The Anthem.

2) Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous

Lifestyles of the rich and the famous 

They're always complainin'

Always complainin'

If money is such a problem 

Well they got mansions 

Think we should rob them (rob them)

(They would fall, they would fall)

Lifestyles of the rich and famous 

We'll take your clothes, cash, cars, and homes just stop complainin'

Lifestyles of the rich and famous

Lifestyles of the rich and famous

Lifestyles of the rich and famous

I'm literally writing a book about complaining.  God has really focused on that with me this semester.  It's hard, but it's good.  We don't realize how much complaining we do until we sit back and look for it in our daily conversations.  I mean, even our greetings are complaint-filt.

Person 1: "Man, it's so hot out there!"

Person 2: "Yeah, I hate this weather..it's terrible..."

Then we complain about having too much homework, not enough vacation time.  God gives us a bonus check and we complain about how long it takes to save up to buy a new boat.  We gossip to others and tell them how horrible it is living with this man...working with this woman...or wearing these shoes.

Nothing is ever good enough.  Everything falls short.  

The preacher was too long today.  The music was a disaster.  I hated the piano solo.

Nothing meets our standards.  People let us down because they can't live up to perfect.

We cry, and hate, and gossip, and talk and try to change everything that is out of our power by complaining.  Even the good things are burdens to us many times.  We try to talk others into doing what we would rather have them do, and we talk ourselves out of what we should be doing--complaining of the heavy sacrifice.

WELL YOU KNOW WHAT...??  

Go to Africa.

Seriously.  We Americans are foolish and inconsiderate.  If you compare the wealth of the average American, to that of any foreigner, you would quickly be humiliated at our complaint list.  Check out these articles:

• Americans Are the 1%
• Our Poverty are the Richest in the World
• Standard of Living in the U.S.-wikipedia article

Also check out this website and you can see how you personally compare to the rest of the world..it's pretty cool, and humbling too. http://www.globalrichlist.com/

And yet the more we get, the more ungrateful we become.  How does this happen, I wonder?  Probably because money will never satisfy the soul.  Only God can do that. 

 Lecrae puts it this way: "Lovin' money is like crack, both of 'em will leave you dead."  

Check out the rest of his lyrics...

Then check out his track "God is Enough."

Look how God puts it in 1 Timothy 6:6-10:

"But godliness with contentment is great gain. 

 For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it.  

But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that.  

People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction.  

For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil.  

Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs."

I love how the Good Charlotte lyrics say, "if money is such a problem, well they got mansions, I think we should rob them."  I wonder if orphans and widows around the world echo this same phrase as they watch Americans live their daily lives.  

It is more blessed to give than to receive!

Obviously I have been very convicted about this too.  It's a hard, deliberate work to strip your vocabulary of ungrateful responses, but this is what a heart in love with God requires.  1 Thessalonians 5:18 tells us to give thanks to God always.  Try it this week. :)

"Lovin' money's like crack; both of 'em will leave you dead."

--Lecrae