What happens when we confuse blessings with prosperity?

The cold stung my nose so I quickly tugged my balaclava up over my nose as I headed out the door for morning supervision duty. The fresh inch of snow covered up a wicked layer of ice, so I abandoned the sidewalk to walk through the grass.

My Gore-Tex insulated hiking boots would keep my feet dry, and my wind-proof, breathable Eddie Bauer pants and jacket protected me from the wind and my Polartec jacket and tights kept me warm. I smiled to myself, smug at my preparedness.

When I reached the commons area, every single sidewalk sported more frozen rain and a thin layer of crisp white snow. I grumbled a bit to myself that if I still lived in Montana instead of Arizona, the maintenance department would have already salted the sidewalks and I wouldn’t have to worry about students cracking their heads open when they slipped on the ice. I’d also be able to cruise around like usual getting the bulk of my daily step goal in whilst watching over the students.

The outdoor basketball court had a layer of bumpy ice as well, so I went to the cafeteria to let the students know that they couldn’t play on it until it further notice. I figured that the brisk 16˚ temperatures and dusting of snow would keep the kids inside until the last moment, when someone would open the administration buildings about ten minutes before classes started.

Instead, they seemed to pour out of the cafeteria earlier than usual. They politely stayed away from the basketball court, and they even stayed mostly off the sidewalks. They did what I didn’t expect.

They rolled in the snow. They washed their faces in the snow (their OWN faces—not someone else’s!). They plopped onto their backs on the hard, frozen ground and made snow angels in the scant covering of fluffy white.

Hatless, gloveless, unjacketed, wearing jeans or even shorts, they smiled and laughed and reveled in the unexpected blessings of a thin layer of snow. I forgot my case of the grumpies and my need for steps and enjoyed their joy for fifteen minutes until the vice-principal walked by on her way to open the school—at which time the student body flocked to the warm building to dry off before classes started.

I had ten minutes of duty remaining, so I went around and recorded their artwork.

And then it hit me. So often I overlook the little blessings in life because I have so much. The things I’ve been blessed with don’t excuse me from experiencing the joy of the beauty God blesses me with. Nor should I ever equate ‘blessings’ with ‘prosperity’.

God doesn't promise us money, he promises us #blessings. Click To Tweet

Next time it snows, I plan on plopping down in the snow alongside my students and making a few snow angels of my own. I don’t need a foot of snow nor the perfect conditions before I enjoy the blessing. God wants my time and my willing heart and, yeah, maybe a snow angel or two.

What about you?  Have you ever equated ‘blessings’ with ‘prosperity’?