I have started reading a devotional book titled “Peeking into a Box of Chocolates” by Karen Lee-Thorp. It’s about temptation that women (as well as men) face today. This world is extremely tempting at times. We are constantly faced with opportunities to envy, lust, and covet. It doesn’t matter what is tempting you—the minute you act on that temptation, you have sinned. The first temptation that this book covers is accumulating stuff. When I read that, I automatically responded, “Well, that’s not me. I’m not tempted with that.” (Sometimes I can be so self righteous!!!) Some of you may respond the same way. But as I continued reading, I was immediately convicted. Here is what I read:
“How often are the following statements true of you? Rate yourself on a scale of 0 (never) to 5 (constantly).
- I shop to lift my mood.
- I envy someone else for something she [or he] possesses.
- I feel inferior because I lack some consumer good (the right clothes, hairstyle, home decorating feature, and so on.)
- I feel superior because I possess some consumer good.
- I need to spend money (on cable TV, movies, eating out, and so on) in order to be entertained or enjoy my leisure time.
- I have trouble letting go of stuff that won’t fit in my home or closet; I use my garage or storage unit to handle the excess.
- I spend enormous amounts of time thinking about buying.
- I believe I would be happier if my household income was more than it is now.”
One of the spiritual disciplines we covered while I was in Mission was simplicity. We read a book called “The Celebration of Discipline” by Richard Foster. Foster says this about simplicity: “The inward reality of simplicity involves a life of joyful unconcern for possessions.” In the book Foster gives ten outward expressions of simplicity. A few of the expressions include: “buy things for their usefulness rather than their status, reject anything that is producing an addiction in you, develop a habit of giving things away, refuse to be lured into the need for gadgets and ‘new’ everything, and shun anything that distracts you from seeking first the kingdom of God.”
Though we are in this world, we are not of this world. We are called to be a peculiar people (1 Peter 2:9) in a land we are only passing through. Now, don’t get me wrong. I’m not saying that having “stuff” is a sin. The real question is, is that “stuff” controlling you? Have you, like me, become caught up in lusting over the material things of this world—things that will fade away and have no lasting value? Are you storing up all your treasures here on earth (Matthew 6:19-21)? Jesus said in Luke 12:15, “...Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of possessions.”
I repent, Lord. You are all I need.
2 comments:
This is really true Anneke. What's scary is that stuff like this in our hearts goes on unnoticed for so long but all while it's influencing our decisions and feelings! Seem like a good book that you are reading. A Celebration of Discipline is going on my reading list for 2011. I need a refresher.
I was just thinking that, too, as I was flipping through the pages of CoD. A refresher is much needed!
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