The last time I bought a suit was in 1988. That’s right, 25 years ago! It hasn’t fit in a long, long time. I have the privilege of working with churches and there are times when I dress nice for those meetings. However, I have not been required by any to wear a suit. Â
I am fine with my 25-year-old suit. My wife is not. There will probably be an event coming up later this year though that is going to require a suit.  As a proactive measure we went to a place that I passionately avoid, an evil place – the mall to go shopping.
While at the men’s store, I waited 40 minutes to be helped. Then it took another 1 hour and 20 minutes to pick out the suit, try it on, get measured, buy the accessories, pay, and get back to my car. Needless to say, I was extremely frustrated.
Of all things though that frustrate me, it was spending that amount of money. My poor wife. She is a saint. After putting up with my incessant whining, she said these words, “Brian, when is the last time you bought something of great value for yourself? It was over 13 years ago when you bought that double-decker VCR. Your birthday is next month. Enjoy the suit.”
I’ve thought a lot about what she said. I remember paying over $700 for that VCR. It was a real splurge. It was a great piece of electronic equipment. But it pales compared to my family.
It has been a privilege to provide for my family the last 13 years rather than lavish myself with nice, shiny gifts. It is an honor to serve them.  I receive great fulfillment from their happiness.  A great sense of satisfaction comes from blessing them. I love my job and it was absolutely wonderful knowing that my efforts there go to improving their quality of life.
You know the real irony. Over the last 13 years, I have never felt that I lacked anything. I have always had nice clothes, multiple pairs of shoes, a leather jacket, a flat panel televsion, the NFL Network, a quality car, when I want a book I can go on Amazon and order it, and basically anything I have ever wanted.
But what I really desire is for my wife and daughter to know they are loved and valued, both by God and by me. I want them to know that I would protect them, sacrifice for them, honor them, pray for them, and do everything I could to pass on a Godly legacy that breaks many of the bad habits in my family’s history.
I hated the shopping experience but was humbled and honored by my wife’s evaluation of the last 13 years. It is always sobering to know that a great past does not guarantee anything as a husband and father tomorrow. Trust is built over a lifetime but can always be lost at a moment in time. Therefore, I need to be just as diligent, maybe more so, for the next 13 years.
And I have already started saving for when I buy my next suit 25 years from now in 2037!
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