It’s Not a Pie!

Whether it’s a strawberry rhubarb dessert or a deep dish sausage delight, both cause the same problem.

At some point, there’s only one slice left. Everyone sits around the table, trying not to ogle that last piece, trying not to drool, and trying to pretend they want someone else to eat it.

Too often, we view life like that limited pie. There’s only so much to go around, so we better get some while the gettin’s good. And, while pie can be delicious (at least fruit pies are – I’ll take a pass on those custard creations), viewing life like a pie leads to unhealthy thoughts and emotions.

Fear: “There’s not enough! I’m going to miss out!”

Envy: “She got a piece of pie. It should have been mine.”

Selfishness: “There’s only so much to go around, and I’m gonna have my piece, no matter who has to go hungry.”

Gluttony: “I better scarf it all down now, before it’s gone or spoiled.”

Judgment: “He took TWO slices?!? What a pig.”

Most often, we get hung up on the fear and envy pieces. We get so concerned that others have what we want or what we think we deserve. We find that we aren’t able to rejoice with others in their successes. Why? Because we think their success has removed another slice, leaving less for us. If they’re enjoying dessert, we might not get to.

 

 

We’re so off base.

Life. Is. Not. A. Pie.

This is such good news! It’s not a pie!

Then…what is it?

It’s a library.

That’s right – the place with volumes and volumes of texts. Do you know why life is a reader’s haven instead of a baker’s pastry?

It’s because God didn’t bake up one big pie that we all have to share. Instead, He set up a library, where He constantly adds new stories.

We don’t have to worry about a limited amount to go around. If someone else has a success story, we can have one too. Every life is its own book, and this library has limitless shelf space.

As we experience life, we are adding to it, not taking away. 

Once we realize this, we can rest. We can stop the scrambling for that last piece of pie. We can cease the envy and the fear. We can celebrate others’ stories. We can sit back and marvel at all God has done and continues to do.

We can take the focus off the pie and turn our attention to something more important:

What will our story say?