The Danger of Materialism

In this day and age, people are pressured to buy the latest crazes, fashions, styles, and you get the picture. The world puts so much stock in material things and don't realize they will eventually rot. You can't take those earthly things to heaven.

Here are some of my favorite Bible passages that talk about  materialism. 

Deuteronomy 8:13-14
" And when your herds and flocks grow large and your silver and gold increase and all you have is multiplied,  then your heart will become proud and you will forget the LORD your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. "
This portion of the Bible says that when you get more and more, you will forget the LORD more and more. You will think you're too good to need Him and His grace, and will just ignore him.

Matthew 19:23
" Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Truly I tell you, it is hard for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of heaven."
 This is saying that riches can hinder your entrance to heaven. 

1 Timothy 6:7
"For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it."
You weren't born with all your possessions, and you can't take them out of the world, either.


There are also several other portions of God's word that talk about the danger of materialism.
1 Timothy 6:9
Proverbs 23:5
Proverbs 27:24
Matthew 6:19

And I'm sure you can find several more.

This is an area I've been convicted in. I've thought things that won't benefit me eternally and that will just rot and destroy. 

 'Boy, if I just had a nicer house I could do so many things.' That's not only a thought of materialistic want, but also discontentment. 

'If I had the brand-new Macbook Air {Apple laptop} my life would be so much better.'

Those are just some examples of thoughts of materialism. Don't get me wrong - it's okay to pursue something you want and buy it (if it's within your budget), but don't let it consume you, and that thing be all you think about it. Nowhere in the Bible does it say 'Don't obtain anything you want.' or 'It's wrong to possess money.'   Just don't get consumed with things. And don't think that your life would be so much better, or that the certain item will change your life. Because I can guarantee it won't.

Recently I purchased an Apple iPod touch. I do admit it - when it was on its way in the mail, I thought about it *quite* frequently. As soon as I thought about this topic, that came to mind. This attitude was wrong, I realize now, because my iPod has not changed my life, and I'm not taking it to heaven. 


You may think 'Well, look at all those people who have everything and look how great their lives look.' Sure, they may have all those things, but I can guarantee you they aren't any happier than you or I, who don't have everything. Do all their material things guarantee their entrance into heaven's gates? Does it ensure their salvation? Does it make them better than everyone else? Does it make them need God less? The answer to those questions is no. Trust me.

Another problem with materialism is that materialistic-minded people come to destruction at the end of their lives.Riches and material things will not benefit ANYBODY in the end.

 

Have a great day, rejoicing in the Lord always! 

~Lulu~