The
television commercial portrayed a young family looking wistfully at a
pleasure
boat. The problem was that enough money to purchase the boat was not
available.
It was at this point that a particular bank was put forth as the
institution
that would provide the needed money to the family through a generous
loan. The
next scene depicted the happy family driving off in their car pulling
the newly
purchased pleasure boat. Then the statement was made that
“more is better” and for
one to come and borrow the money from this bank in order to buy
whatever one
desired. But is more better?
In
his effort to fight inflation, the former president Jimmy Carter made a
statement in a speech that “we have learned that more is not
better.” Have we
in fact learned that more is not better? The evidence is to the
contrary. It
seems that we all have been adversely affected with the disease of
materialism.
Webster defines materialism as being “the doctrine that
comfort, pleasure, and
wealth are the only or highest goals or values.” The
philosophy that “more is
better” permeates our society today. However, it is not
peculiar to the
twenty-first century. It seems that in every age there are those who
equate
happiness with material possessions. Yet, Jesus warned against this
idea when
he said, “Take heed and beware of covetousness, for
one’s life does not consist
in the abundance of the things he possesses” (Luke 12:15). In
the Parable of
the Sower, Jesus explained that which fell among the thorns were those
who
heard but were “choked with cares, riches, and pleasures of
life, and bring no
fruit to maturity” (Luke 8:14). The church in Laodicea
was condemned because of
lukewarmness. These brethren gave too much emphasis in possessing
wealth.
“Because you say, ‘I am rich, have become wealthy,
and have need of
nothing’–and do not know that you are wretched,
miserable, poor, blind, and
naked” (Revelation 3:17). These brethren were rich in the
world’s goods, but
poor toward God. They were ‘poor rich men.’
We all
need to learn that material wealth can never bring satisfaction even if
we had
enough money to purchase everything that our hearts desired. Consider
Solomon
for an example of this truth. In Ecclesiastes 2:8-11 we read.
I also
gathered for myself silver and gold and the special treasures of kings
and of
the provinces, I acquired male and female singers, the delight of the
sons of
men, and musical instruments of all kinds. So I became great and
excelled more
than all who were before me in Jerusalem.
Also my wisdom remained with me. Whatever my eyes desired I did not
keep from
them. I did not withhold my heart from any pleasure, For my heart
rejoiced in
all my labor; And this was my reward from all my labor. Then I looked
on all
the works that my hands had done And on the labor in which I had
toiled; And
indeed all was vanity and grasping for the wind. There was no profit
under the
sun” (Ecclesiastes 2:8-11). Later he wrote the following by
inspiration and
from experience, “He who loves silver will not be satisfied
with silver; Nor he
who loves abundance, with increase. This also is vanity. When goods
increase,
They increase who eat them; So what profit have the owners Except to
see them
with their eyes? (Ecclesiastes 5:10-11)
The
possession of material things does not insure peace of mind,
contentment and
happiness. Such qualities of the heart come about because of
one’s right
relationship with God and one’s fellowman. This was taught by
Jesus as seen in
the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew, chapters 5, 6, 7). Paul wrote that
“Now
godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into
this
world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and
clothing, with these we shall be content” (1 Timothy 6:6-8).
The wise man of
Proverbs wrote in chapter 15:16-17, “Better is a little with
the fear of the
Lord, Than great treasure with trouble. Better is a dinner of herbs
where love
is, than a fatted calf with hatred.” Again in Proverbs 13:7,
“There is one who
makes himself rich, yet has nothing; And one who makes himself poor,
yet has
great riches.” More is not better with reference to the
heaping up of material
things. A person can be “rich in faith and heirs of the
kingdom” if he seeks
“first the kingdom of God and
His
righteousness” (James 2:5; Matthew 6:33). All can be happier
in this life if
this great lesson is learned at a young age. Individuals should seek
salvation
in the Lord Jesus Christ and “lay up treasures for yourselves
treasures in
heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not
break in
and steal. “For where your treasure is, there your heart will
be also” (Matthew
6:18-19).
