Fight Materialism

We are in a world that is constantly bombarded on every side by: I need more, and give me bigger, and increase my wealth/numbers/size/home/family - you name it, we want more of it.

Materialism is a battle that many if not all of us fight from time to time.  We go home after work to our beautiful homes, where we have two cars in the garage (or driveway), we have nice furniture, and probably a TV or two or three.  We don't have a need in the world.  We know what it means to have plenty, but we don't really know it.

So here's a wise thought for us today - Proverbs 30:8-9 says, Keep falsehood and lies far from me; give me neither poverty nor riches, but give me only my daily bread. Otherwise, I may have too much and disown you and say, 'Who is the LORD ?'  Or I may become poor and steal, and so dishonor the name of my God.

Do you see what this is saying?  Can you see how amazing this passage is?  Lord, don't make me rich, because if I have too much I'm going to forget who you are.  Don't make me rich, because if I've got too much I'll lose sight of you and begin worshiping my stuff.  It's admitting that we could get to the point where our car, family, house, job, money, budget, church, boat, RV, electronics, phone, or anything else has become our god.  Don't make us rich, because rich isn't happy. 

But don't make me poor either.  There's a good reason to not want to be poor.  If we're poor, we most likely will act in a way that is not pleasing to God. We might take matters into our own hands and steal to make ends meat.  If we don't have our needs met, we'll forget about God as well because our desire for the necessities in life will overtake us. 

The bible clearly says that our passion and lust for material things is the problem.  It's o.k. to have money.  It's even o.k. to be rich in the eyes of the world.  The problem is when passion, desire, and even lust for those material things pulls us away from God.  In that moment we're serving another god.  In that moment we've replaced Jesus. 

So today we thank God for his riches toward us - through the death and resurrection of Jesus we are richer than we'll ever know.  We thank God for all of the material blessings that he's given to us, from our cars and houses to our families and jobs - they are all gifts from God.  Live today in a constant state of contentment, relying on Christ for your daily needs. 

Lord, make us not rich because we can't handle being rich.  But Lord don't make us poor either because we'd act wrongly if that were the case.  So Lord take care of today's needs today.  Help me to never worry about tomorrow but trust in you and have faith in you to walk us through life providing our daily bread.  Amen.