The Story of Mr. and Mrs. Thing

This story, that appeared in our church bulletin this past Sunday, provides a vivid reminder of a vital truth ...

Mr. and Mrs. Thing are a very pleasant and successful couple. At least that's the verdict of most people who tend to measure success with a "thingometer". When the "thingometer" is put to work in the life of Mr. and Mrs. Thing, the result is startling.

~ * ~

There is Mr. Thing sitting down on a luxurious and very expensive thing, almost hidden by a large number of other things.


Things to sit on, things to sit at, things to cook on, things to eat from, all shiny and new. Things, things, things. Things to clean with and things to wash with and things to clean and things to wash.


And things to amuse and things to give pleasure and things to watch and things to play. Things for the long, hot summer and things for the short, cold winter.


Things for the big thing in which they live and things for the garden and things for the deck and things for the kitchen and things for the bedroom.


And things on four wheels and things on two wheels and things to put on top of the four wheels and things to pull behind the four wheels and things to add to the interior of the thing on four wheels. Things, things, things.

~ * ~

And there in the middle are Mr. and Mrs. Thing, smiling and pleased as punch with their things, thinking of more things to add to things. Secure in their castle of things.

~ * ~

Do they sound familiar? Can you identify with any of their things? Mr. and Mrs. Thing may think that they are secure in their accumulation of things, but that's not the end of their story.

~ * ~

Things don't last. They're going to pass. There's going to be an end to them. Oh, maybe an error in judgment, maybe a temporary loss of concentration, or maybe you'll pass them off to the second hand thing dealer. Or maybe they'll wind up a mass of mangled metal being towed off to the thing yard.

~ * ~

When it's time for bed, remember to put out the cat.

Make sure you lock the door so some thing-taker doesn't come and take your things.

~ * ~

And to think that someday when you die, they put only one thing in the box.

You.

Signed, Anonymous