We are referred to as "consumers", creatures that never stop consuming and are never satisfied. That's what companies and brands want. They don't want us to be happy with what we have because that means we won't buy their new products. They spend millions of dollars marketing their products as the next thing we can't live without so that we keep on consuming.
But have you ever noticed that "stuff" never satisfies? We can want something for months and months, we can think about that thing ALL OF THE TIME, but then, a week after we get what we so desperately wanted, we don't feel the same excitement we felt when we first bought it, and it isn't long before we start wanting something else instead. The old adage, "Money can't buy happiness" is true. The celebrities in our culture might have fame and wealth, the power to buy anything they want, but have you ever seen a happy celebrity? Our love of stuff is the reason why our culture is largely drowning in debt. According to a study from 2013, Canadians owe $1.64 for every $1 we earn. We are spending more than we have, making ourselves slaves to banks and credit card companies.
As a Christian, I find it difficult to live simply in a culture that tells me that I need to keep upgrading, that I won't be happy until I have the newest piece of technology in my hand. When I'm constantly bombarded with ads, it's hard to differentiate between what I NEED and what I WANT. I've found two ways to combat the materialism and consumerism that surrounds us. When people tell me that I can't live without _______________, this is what I think about. It keeps me grounded in reality. It curbs my appetite to CONSUME.
1. BE CONTENT
"True godliness with contentment is itself great wealth. After all, we brought nothing with us when we came into the world, and we can't take anything with us when we leave it. So if we have enough food and clothing, let us be content." -1 Timothy 6:6-8
"Take care, and be on guard against covetousness, for one's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions". - Jesus in Luke 12:15
Are you happy with what you have? Do you realize how incredibly blessed you are to live where you do and to be so well provided for? Do you realize that we are counted among the richest people in the world? When people tell me that I need to buy a house, I think about how my 2-bedroom apartment is a PALACE to the 80% of the world that lives on $10 or less a day. Be thankful for what you have! Think about how truly rich you are! The best way to curb our appetite to CONSUME is to realize that, for the most part, we live without any real NEEDS.
2. BE GENEROUS
I've heard a lot of people say that God must be evil for allowing people to die of hunger or from diseases that could be easily cured, but the truth is, God has left US in charge. As some of the wealthiest people in the world, we have a responsibility to spend less in order to give away more.
The Bible has a lot to say about money. But, interestingly, the verses that talk about spending money on ourselves are few and far between (actually, I could only find one). The Bible tells us that this is how we should spend our money:
1. To take care of our own family (1 Timothy 5:8)
2. To help those who are in need (too many to mention, but Acts 11:27-30 and Acts 2:44-45 are good ones)
3. To support spreading the good news of Jesus (1 Timothy 5:17-18, 2 Corinthians 9, Philippians 4)
It's amazing that, from childhood, our natural inclination is to not share. Our natural inclination is to be selfish. It is important, and biblical, to fight against this. It's important to be generous. When we are truly grateful for all that we have, when we realize how incredibly rich we are, the natural next-step is for us to spend less in order to give more.
DISCUSSION/TIPS:
1. Ask your teen to write a list of all of the things they have- the things that someone living in poverty in Africa might only dream of. It'll be a long list. (food, clothes, ipod, video games) Take some time to pray together and thank God for how blessed, for how RICH, you are.
2. Think about ways that you can give as a family this year. One of our family traditions is to let our kids pick a few gifts from the World Vision catalogue. I share with them about how rich we are and that God has blessed us, not so that we can have more stuff, but so that we can help people who have nothing. By visiting World Vision on Youtube, you can see videos of how gifts like chickens or water filters can make a person feel like they've won the lottery. Think about ways that you can spend less in order to give more.
