Growing up I had a friend of mine that was a classic “one upper”. Get a new bike….he had one better! Get to go on an amazing family vacation to Disney world…..his family was traveling the globe and going on an African safari. The day after Christmas was a good time to avoid talking to this individual. Whatever you got was sure to be second rate compared to his haul. Needless to say we are no longer close friends.

As I’ve aged and matured into adulthood I’ve realized that I really don’t care to be around “one uppers”, and more importantly I don’t want to be one myself. I try to remember that my satisfaction doesn’t come from stuff or vacations, but from Jesus alone.

Reading today's passage made me think of this experience from a spiritual perspective. In Psalm chapter 49 the psalmist describes people who boast about their wealth. For these people the most important thing in their life is what they have materially and they let you know about it. In this passage we come to understand that riches and wealth can’t be taken with us. They also don’t help redeem us or act as our ransom to God. Instead we have Jesus who took our place and gave us the ultimate gift-his life as a ransom for ours. He is our singular hope and the only thing in which we should boast.

This doesn’t mean we shouldn’t enjoy a new bike (boat in adulthood) or take our family on nice vacations, it’s just a reminder of where our boast should be-Jesus!