The world is always promoting new and better. Societies probably have always been that way, but the idea has been especially prevalent in our society since the mid-19th century, when the Industrial Revolution began to take off. Below is a quote from the Britannica website:
“The Industrial Revolution transformed economies that had been based on agriculture and handicrafts into economies based on large-scale industry, mechanized manufacturing, and the factory system. New machines, new power sources, and new ways of organizing work made existing industries more productive and efficient. New industries also arose, including, in the late 19th century, the automobile industry.”
This is called progress. And don’t get me wrong, I certainly appreciate the modern conveniences that progress has produced. But I often wonder, “at what cost?” Like so many things in life, progress is a double-edged sword. New and better isn’t always best.
Our society today is totally driven by its economic structure. When the economy is good, life is good. When the economy is bad, life stinks. And at the core of our economy is the mighty DOLLAR. The worth of just about everything is determined by the dollar-value it has or can generate rather than by its innate quality. Even the worth of a person is considered in dollars more than by character in this money-crazy society!
Our society requires us to have money to function. So, we have jobs to earn money. Then we use that money to get the things we need to be able to live our lives. For the most part, the system works, but it can also open the door to negative responses like greed or envy. Of course, this is not a new thing, we have seen greed and envy throughout all history. But it seems to me that in this day and time, these things are running rampant! I might go so far as to say that the dollar has become some people’s god. And at the root of their thinking is the love of money, which the Bible clearly admonishes us against.
1 Timothy 6:10 – For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.
I don’t think that the majority of people, especially Christians, are caught in the snare that 1Timothy 6:10 is talking about. But I do think we might drift toward it sometimes. Not that we love money necessarily, but our wants and needs might get out of balance. In other words, our wants may outweigh our needs and overshadow our desires. And that unbalance is promulgated by worldly strategies. The schemes of the world are intended to draw us into the money pit and keep us there.
Do you ever watch TV? If so, you know that commercials account for at least half (probably more) of your viewing time. We are bombarded with ads, all of which are aimed at getting into our wallets. And if we are not careful, we will open our wallets more than we should. We can fall prey to the ‘new and better’ scheme. We can end up craving new and better, even when what we have isn’t old and worse.
For example, you have a perfectly good toaster. But you see that Williams Sonoma has a SMEG Dolce & Gabbana 2-Slice Toaster, in Blu Mediterraneo design for only $700. Suddenly, your toaster is not good enough and you yearn for this incredibly new and better toaster. Every time you use your perfectly good toaster, you think, “I wish I had that beautiful new toaster.” And you become dissatisfied with what you have. This is how the scheme works to keep us buying more and more, thus making someone else richer and us poorer.
Now, my example may be exaggerated (although, there really is a toaster like that at Williams Sonoma!) but I bet we all have experienced wishing for things. That is exactly what the worldly schemes are devised to do. Wishing for things never acquires them. It is a futile effort that leaves us unhappy and wanting. And when we are wanting, we are “easy marks” for the world’s trickery.
Does anyone really NEED a $700 toaster? Probably not. But the world dangles these kinds of things before our eyes so that we focus on what we don’t have instead of being thankful for what we do have. The world wants us to resent that others can have a $700 toaster, but we cannot. That attitude is envy. And there is great verse about that:
Proverbs 14:30 – A sound heart is the life of the flesh: but envy the rottenness of the bones.
Envy and greed work together to keep people in bondage because neither can be gratified.
Greed seeks to amass great wealth. Of course, this doesn’t mean that every wealthy person is evil. Wealth in and of itself is neither good nor bad. But wealth can be used for good or bad. We must remember that God looks on the heart. And it is the wealthy person’s heart that determines whether they will give or take; whether they will be selfish or selfless.
The avaricious person is never satisfied. In its nature, greed is insatiable. When greed is one’s sole motivation, love is absent in every category except for the “love of money”. And we already know that is “the root of all evil”. Hate and greed go hand-in-hand, just like love and giving. But they are polar opposites. And in the end, hate kills, but love makes alive.
Now, I am pretty sure that no one who reads my blog is steeped in greed or envy. But, if you are anything like me, you might feel twinges of them from time to time. You might feel like you are lacking while others have plenty. You may long for what they have or begrudge them having it. If you ever find yourself having those feelings; the cure is to remember that God is bigger than anything the world has to offer. God is our loving, caring Father. He has no favorites. He never leaves us nor forsakes us.
Hebrews 13:5 – Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.
Isn’t it interesting that the wonderful promise that God will never leave us nor forsake us is in the context of avoiding covetousness?
God is our sufficiency. He promised to supply all our need. Jesus Christ came that we could have an abundant life. So, what are we lacking? NOTHING! When we live for God, our lives are rich and full beyond measure. We are filled with many wonderful things that money can’t buy. And we have great peace, which neither greed nor envy could ever provide.
1 Timothy 6:6,7 But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out.
And here’s the kicker…
If you really want that $700 toaster, and you have the means to get it, go for it. As long as that toaster isn’t more important to you than God is, He doesn’t care what kind of toaster you have. If new and better blesses you, get new and better. It’s all a matter of heart. Material abundance is not a bad thing if our hearts are right before God.
Matthew 6:33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
Keep God FIRST in your life. Allow Him to be your supplier.
As it is with everything in this life, financial prosperity is a balance. And the keys to maintaining that balance are thankfulness and giving. We must be thankful for what we have and willing to share of our abundance. When we live like that, material things won’t hold the allure that the world promotes. We will be made free from the greed and envy, which are running so rampant today. And the peace of God will rule in our hearts.
Note to my readers: Life is short. Don’t let dollar signs cloud your joy. Thanks for reading.