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we loved this couple, it was obvious that we had very little in common, and though they often tried their best to make us feel bad about our "poor" living conditions, when they would go home, we always felt sorry for them.

Because they just didn't understand the things that mattered most in life. You see, while outwardly, they seemed to "have it all," their lives were also riddled with troubles. They both drank heavily, they both smoked. They both spent beyond their means and there were other problems including addictions and infidelity in the marriage. And while they claimed to be Christians, their lives showed no fruit of a Christian walk. Dan used foul language constantly, and would leer at women in public and make rude comments about them. There were constant arguments and fights between them and they would often come for visits not speaking to one another.

I had another friend, Jim. Jim is also a proud, bragging man. He would brag about all his money, all his investments, all his cars and expensive toys. He also claimed to know God. Now I am sure that he believes there is a God, but he literally knows nothing about Him. His is a god of his own making. He is not interested in learning the truth about God, let alone coming to know Him personally. Most likely because he fears a serious, personal relationship with the King of Kings would mean a lifestyle change and he's not ready for that. He does things his way and he's proud of it.

Now, I am not without fault in this area either. Probably none of us are. Back in 1989 when I opened my photography studio on main street, my proudest day was when they installed the sign on the downtown building with my name, proclaiming, "Robert Pue Photography!" There was my name in lights, so to speak. How proud I was. Yet to the public, it was just a sign showing the location of the business. Certainly God was unimpressed.

And because I was less spiritually mature in those days, I had my moments of frustration too. It seemed I was working so very hard in my business and struggling financially for many years. Yet I stayed close to God, and Lisa and I built our marriage and our home upon our relationship with Him. Yet here were these other people in our lives who seemed to have utterly no regard whatsoever for God and they seemed to be blessed beyond measure. Sure, their personal lives often left much to be desired, but why did they have so much money and so many material things that we seemed to lack? It was a real mystery

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