I grew up in a small town in the oil fields of East Texas. Many parking lots were lined with pipes about 2 feet off the ground rather than fences or other barriers. As a teen, I loved to walk on the pipes, keeping my balance. Steady balance was the key to staying in the game.

In my job, I have the ability to “trade” my regular schedule for more work, when it becomes available. With two kids in college, money is going out faster than it is coming in.  I now find myself trying to “up the paycheck” at every opportunity.  I was considering working more days to be a better provider, but it would be a trade-off.  I would be losing time with my kids, while they were home from college between semesters.

Before moving on to the next task of the day, I took a break to scan through the first chapter of Proverbs, and there in verse 19, my eyes caught these words, “So are the ways of everyone who is greedy for gain; It takes away the life of its owners.” This moved my heart.

It’s not that providing for my family was wrong, it’s just that I had fallen into a trap, trying to wear myself out just to have more. I sensed that I was losing my balance between having more money vs. time with those I love.

Winning the balancing act is not about running down the pipe as fast as you can, it’s about staying in the game, steady all the way to the end.