‘Don’t wear yourself out trying to get rich; ‘Riches disappear in the blink of an eye;’ Proverbs 23:4-5 (MSG)
Materialism is the biggest challenge to this generation. More and more people are growing up assuming that whatever they want, they should have. Advertisers have convinced people that luxuries are necessities, and they shouldn’t be without them. Lives have become full of so much ‘stuff’, that priorities have drifted off course. It is almost impossible to keep up with such expectations unless you have an endless supply of time and money. The only antidote to the spiralling materialism is giving, and giving extravagantly. Sadly, this generation is renowned as being the poorest givers ever. Lasting contentment doesn’t come from getting more things. John D. Rockefeller was asked how much money a person needs to be truly happy. ‘Just a little bit more!’ he said. Being satisfied means having fewer wants, not wearing yourself out to get rich. Have you ever tried drastic measures to reduce your consumption of material goods? What about going on a ‘clothes fast’ for a year, and refusing to buy anything else for your wardrobe. Maybe at the same time you could sort through your clothes and donate anything that you haven’t worn in the last year to charity. Ask Yehovah what He wants you to be spending your money on! Paul says, ‘He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for Yehovah loves a cheerful giver’ (2 Corinthians 9:6-7). This advice is as valid now as it was then. What have you decided to cheerfully give this week?