CONSUMERISM

CONSUMERISM

                 “Thank you, Lord, for this job, this well-paying job.  May I not use this money for my own selfish consumption.”  With that prayer I began my eye-wash station modification, adding a thermo-valve for freeze protection this winter.

                As I work, I think of my oldest grandchild, Jonathan, who is seven.  We are soon to spend some time together on our annual family gathering vacation.  (I want to establish a tradition of at least once a year, besides the holidays, of getting us all under one roof.)  He reminds me so much of myself as a child – pensive, maybe a little socially awkward, intensely intelligent (wink), and importantly, introspective.  He has a temper that flares sometimes, also!  I am curious about what he would add to the conversation going on inside my head?!  Given the chance, I will ask him!  I pray the Lord gets more good out of him (and all of them!) than he has me.  May Jonathan (and the others, too) give his life in selfless service.  Pass it on.

                I know his mother, Sarah, my oldest, has learned the lesson her grandfather passed on to his oldest.  She has embodied this gift in a plaque she made, quoting Elizabeth Seton, “Live simply, so that all may simply live.”  As Paul wrote, we’re to work to provide for our families AND to help those in need. (Eph.4:28; 1Tim.5:8)

                Last night in Bible class we studied James 4-5.  Sometimes theologians struggle with the (perceived) Paul vs. James faith/works issue.  But, they see NO struggle in this matter!  Scripture, all of its writers, in a united voice speaks of social justice, compassion for the poor, helping the needy …  whatever you want to call it.  James says pure and undefiled religion is “…to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.” – holiness and helping! (Jas.1:27)  Similarly, Paul exclaims, in agreement with the directive of the Jerusalem Council, “we should go to the Gentiles and they to the circumcised; ¹⁰ only they would have us remember the poor, which very thing I was eager to do.” (Gal.2:9-10)  Besides the evangelism of the world, the Jerusalem Church leaders emphasized the need to “remember the poor”!

                James spoke of God’s “jealousy” and our “adultery”!  (Jas.4:3-5)  All of this in the context of asking and not receiving because “you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.”  Consumerism!  Adultery is an ugly betrayal of human love and a violation of a sacred vow.  It is not “hooking up” or some other cute euphemism.  It is a violation of so much that is good and holy.  For this reason, alone, Jesus allows a rightful dissolution of a heavenly bond.  And, this is what James chooses to call what we call consumerism.

                Paul does not call it “adultery” but rather “idolatry”.  Bible students catch the strong meaning!  Wanting “stuff” is as bad as worshipping idols.  (that’s Rule #2!!)  Idolatry is the very thing that took God’s chosen people into Exile.  God put up with a lot.  But, idolatry was the limit.  He is a jealous God.  Rule #1 is “no gods beside me”!  We do not worship Baal and Moloch; but, we do sacrifice to “BMW” and “Mercedes”!  We have forgotten what “no” means.  “Enough” is not in our vocabulary.

                But, do not miss the point – we are not talking about statues and sex.  The point of this is CONSUMERISM!  Big money is spent creating these desires, these cravings, these passions.  We want bigger, better, newer, shinier, …  Let’s go back to the words of the Savior, in his great Sermon on the Mount – “¹⁹Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust consume and where thieves break in and steal, ²⁰ but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust consumes and where thieves do not break in and steal. ²¹ For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. … ²⁴ “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.” (Mt.6)  Paul, wrote, “For the love of money is the root of all evils; it is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced their hearts with many pangs.” (1Tim.6:10)

                We sit back, relaxing, admiring our new and bigger barns full of shiny, expensive toys; and, we smile, “a-h-h”.  God is NOT smiling!  We settle into our nest and whisper, to the needy, under our breath, “…go, be warmed and filled” – but we DO nothing, except dream about our next toy.

                I think on a story of Jesus about a rich man, some call “Dives”, and a homeless man named “Lazarus”.  Look at the context of that story.  WHY did Jesus tell that story?  He had just challenged the money-loving Pharisees about their value system! (Lk.16:13-15)  Jesus said that what the world values is despised by God.  And, then, Jesus goes on to reinforce his point about loving money by telling this story.  Some use the story to see into the after-live.  The point that Jesus is making is about THIS life!  RM feasted and just outside his door, Lazarus was waiting on the maid to fill the garbage can with his next meal.  A fat man stuffing his face ignoring the homeless outside the restaurant – this is an UGLY picture!  And, Jesus does mention the table being turned and a great chasm, uncrossable.

                Run to the Cross, now.  Ask for mercy for selfishness and greed and blindness.  Store up treasures, in Heaven.  Follow the Man who had no place to lay his head. (Mt.8:19-20)