I have concluded that all the things that people value in life often turn out to be unimportant in the grand scheme of things. Sometimes it takes a lifetime to come to this conclusion.

A group of college alumni, all highly established in their respective careers, got together for a visit with their old university professor. The conversation soon turned to complaints about the endless stress of work and life in general.

Offering his guests coffee, the professor went to the kitchen and returned with a large pot of coffee and an eclectic assortment of cups – porcelain, plastic, glass, crystal, some plain looking, some expensive, some exquisite – telling them to help themselves to the fresh coffee.

When each of his former students had a cup of coffee in hand, the old professor quietly cleared his throat and began to patiently address the small gathering: “If you noticed, all the nice-looking, expensive cups have been taken up, leaving behind the plainer and cheap ones. While it is only natural for you to want only the best for yourselves, that can also be the source of much of your dissatisfaction, problems and stress.”

He continued, “Be assured that the cup itself adds no quality to the coffee. In fact, the cup merely disguises or dresses up what we drink. What each of you really wanted was coffee, not a cup, but you instinctively went for the best cups, then you began to eye each other’s cups.”

“Now consider this: Life is coffee.”

Jobs, money, and position in society are merely cups. They are just tools to shape and contain life, and the type of cup we have does not truly define nor change the quality of the life we live. Often by only concentrating on the cup, we fail to enjoy the coffee that God has provided us.

God provides us with coffee, but does not place much value on the cups.

Richard E Simmons III is the founder and Executive Director of The Center for Executive Leadership and a best-selling author.