I have a $100 bill in my wallet. I've had it there for a couple of months. It's something I learned from my dad. You know, to always have a certain amount of cash around. But there isn't a week that goes by that I'm not tempted to use part or all of that $100 to buy something I want.

I was teaching a class this last semester and we got onto a discussion about consumerism in America. As the discussion from my end was leaning towards the idea that Americans have too much stuff (especially contrasted with the rest of the world's population), one of the students said, "But we've worked hard for the things we have." I just happened to have started reading Affluenza at the time. Somewhere towards the front of the book there are two pictures contrasting a suburban American family with all of their possessions and a farming family in India with their possessions. Needless to say the difference is overwhelming. I held the pictures up for the students to see...."Who has worked harder in their lifetimes?"

There is a pride that says "I deserve the things I have"...or more accurately, "I deserve more than I have." I remember being a youth pastor and having that concept. Rich Mullins said that we deserve Hell and we should be thankful for anything we get beyond damnation. Paul in his letter to the Colossians said, "Godliness with contentment is great gain. [emphasis mine]" If we could learn to be content with the things we have and, beyond that, to feel blessed in the things we have, then we would learn true happiness. The reality that life is hard, that I'm a sinful man, and that God is the only one who is good is a liberating concept. It helps to keep expectations in their proper perspective.

The first truth of Buddhism is "Life is suffering." The 2nd Truth of Buddhism is "Suffering is caused by unmet craving or desire." America has the highest rates of despression in the world. In our consumer culture--where everyone believes they deserve more and expectations are not based upon reality--we heap suffering upon ourselves. We believe we can be content and happy when we own or consume certain things. We unconciously buy into the ad culture and actually believe that things make us who we are. Contentment illudes us and we are left with the emptiness of our expectations.

So the next time you feel that overwhelming urge to buy something, ask yourself "why?" Is it because you need it? Deserve it? Are you trying to make yourself feel better? It may be better to simply be content.


posted by Jimmy at 2:02 AM | |