Yesterday I was driving from Black Mountain to Asheville. I was amazed at how much traffic was on the interstate. People were lined up on the freeway trying to exit at the Asheville Mall, the River Ridge Mall, Walmart, as well as the Biltmore Square Mall. It was an absolute zoo! As I thought about the shopping frenzy that was taking place, I was reminded of how materialistic our world has become.
Rick Warren, pastor of Saddleback wrote the following words of wisdom about materialism at Christmas:
It's tough to be content in America at anytime, but it's particularly hard during the Christmas season. At no other time of the year do people in our churches more often lose their battle with materialism. Marketers spend most of the holiday season trying to convince us that we must have their products, and we must give them to our friends and family.
There's nothing wrong with the desire to acquire. God gave it to us. But any desire that's out of control is a sin. The Bible calls an uncontrolled desire to acquire coveting. Today, we call it materialism - the uncontrolled desire to acquire. It creates all kinds of problems in our lives when it goes unchecked.
So how do you beat materialism this Christmas?
1. Be grateful for what you have.
The first thing we need to do to defeat materialism is open our eyes and see how much we've already been blessed with. All we have is a gift from God.
Many of us struggle with this. We figure we worked hard for what we have. But we must see that God gave us the energy, brains, and ability to work for our house and nest egg. None of us would even be alive if it weren't for God. So we need to treat life - and everything else God gives us - as a gift.
Solomon reminds us of this in Ecclesiastes 5:19. He says, "If God gives a man wealth and property he should be grateful and enjoy what he has. It is a gift from God."
The reason we're often not content with what we have is because we get ourselves into the "when-and-then" thinking trap. We think, "When I get ___________, then I'll be happy."
A lot of people are silently thinking these kind of thoughts. But when-and-then thinking just doesn't work. It will always lead you nowhere. Discontent will always drive you to wanting more. Happiness isn't getting everything you want; it's enjoying what you already have.
2. Be generous with what you have.
God doesn't bless us for our own benefit. He does so because he wants us to share it - to give it away. The Bible tells us in 1 Timothy 6:17-18 (NLT), "Teach those who are rich in this world not to be proud and not to trust in their money, which is so unreliable. Their trust should be in God, who richly gives us all we need for our enjoyment. Tell them to use their money to do good. They should be rich in good works and
generous to those in need, always being ready to share with others."
If you live in the United States, by the world's standard, you are rich. Most of the world is worried about where they're going to get their next meal. Most of us are not worried about that.
God says we should use what we have to help further the kingdom and his work in the world.
Every time we give generously, we win a spiritual victory over materialism.
The whole world says get all you can and keep it for yourself. Every time we give something away, we break the grip of selfishness in our lives.
A person's giving tells you a lot about his or her spiritual maturity. It shows the direction of a person's heart. It shows what a person's really like inside. And before we can be content with what we have, we must learn to give generously.
3. Have a godly perspective on what you have.
What does it mean to have a godly perspective on possessions? Paul tells us in 2 Corinthians 4:18 (NLT): "So we don't look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever."
If you want to help your people deal with materialism during the holiday season, remind them that there are two realities in life - the material world (what we can see) and the immaterial world (what we can't see).
God says nothing you see will last. Your cars, stereos, furniture - everything - will eventually rust, decay, deteriorate, fall apart, wear out, and return to dust.
God wants us to focus this Christmas on what does last - such as our relationship with him and other people. That's what really matters.
James Dobson says it like this: "I concluded that the accumulation of wealth even if I could achieve it is an insufficient reason for living. When I reach the end of my days a moment or two from now, I must look backwards on something more meaningful than simply the pursuit of houses and lands and machines and stocks and bonds. Nor is fame of any lasting benefit. I will have considered my earthy existence to have been wasted unless I can recall a loving family, a consistent investment in the lives of other people, and an earnest attempt to serve the God who made me." There's a guy who's got his priorities right.
Materialism has a grip on many of us. But true and lasting contentment will only come when we have a relationship with Christ. Psalm 17:15 (TLB) says, "As for me my contentment is not in wealth but in seeing God and knowing all is well between us."
Many people today are so weighed down by stuff they can't take a single step toward Jesus. This Christmas, let's look at life thru these 3 points and strive to overcome materialism. If we will, a huge barrier to becoming a follower of Christ will be eliminated from our lives.
