Kowloon is an incredible place for shopping. Everywhere you look, there are different kinds of goods for sale. Shopkeepers are looking to deal, prices are crazy, and the variety is amazing. No matter how often one comes the breath, depth, and commitment to making money is astounding. Anything one’s heart could desire, and even a bit more is there for all to see, admire, and ponder.
Billboards, hawkers, and products all promise happiness, a good time, and a cheap price. Shops are stacked back into alleys and on top of each other. People are milling the streets well into the night with special shopping zones open through the morning sunlight. Everyone thinks about shopping, regardless of the ability to buy.
There is a small irony in the fact that accurate price discovery is virtually impossible. The number of shops, the willingness to strike a bargain starting from a really bad price, and the sheer variety of goods cause more confusion and sense that reality is a long ways away. Commercials of far away lands drive one to examine the options and choices. The promise is there. “I’ll give you the time of your life.” (Proverbs 9.17)
As we walked back to the ferry, the intense fa?ade that we call Kowloon stood out in stark contrast to the harbor and moonlit hills surrounding Hong Kong. I have no idea if anyone really understands just how vulnerable we are. This life has everything to offer. This life can easily destroy, eternally. The choices are there, yet I find myself trapped by old messages, focused on the external, and caught looking to do it all myself.
It seems that happiness is my responsibility; it must be available somewhere. It appears that success lies completely in my corner, if only I could work harder and smarter. I know that everything I look for is available, when I find and pay the right price.
God offers you and I everything we need. His gifts of peace, love, and acceptance are here waiting for us. Everything we need and want is available.
