Dear Younger Me,
Name-brand doesn’t name you. The desire for name-brand things is real. But what I hope for you is that the desire for those name-brand things will be because you want them, and not because you want them to feel cool or popular. If you think having a swoosh on your backpack makes you cooler, it might to other people, and you might feel pretty cool yourself, but that doesn’t define who you are. It’s funny how much power a name-brand can have, but I wish you would see how loved you are as a child of the King without the symbols of status. 1 Peter 3:3-4 says, “Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as elaborate hairstyles and the wearing of gold jewelry or fine clothes. Rather, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight.” Your worth isn’t in the stuff you have...it’s in the spirit God gave you.
Even your future home may not look like it was decorated by Joanna Gaines, but I can tell you you’ll have so much joy in the hand-me-down items that you’ll assemble together to someday to make your home. And hey, it’s far cheaper! Some of those items will have even more value to you because of who gave them to you and the gift they gave you in sparing you from making those purchases on your own. Matthew 6:19-20 says, “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.” Having beautiful things in this life is wonderful, but remember that your real treasure should be somewhere else.
Love,
Megan
