The pull of materialism and pride

"For everything in the world - the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life - comes not from the Father but from the world." - 1 John 2:16

Don't we live in a culture where we can get everything we want, anytime we want it by a click of a button?

We live in a day and age where everything is accessible and all of this convenience means we don't often choose to go without something. It's hard not to get swept up in the quest for more. We are marketed to constantly: TV ads, postal ads, Black Friday, Cyber Monday, Amazon Prime Day, to name a few! The internet and our smartphones track us with the purpose of targeting us with ads. And all these advertisements promise us something - pleasure, status, convenience, comfort.

I remember going to buy my first car. The showroom was full of lovely new luxurious models but I could not afford them. I settled for a second hand car, which, incidentally, I loved until a friend turned up in a brand new car... One look at it, and my new car did not feel quite as good!

But isn't that life?

We are happy with what we have, until we see there is a better car or a bigger house! Comparison makes us feel disappointed.

Aren't we all tempted by that?

No matter what we already have, our old nature will always be craving something else. It's a cycle of wanting, acquiring and then wanting more; often leaving us feeling strangely empty despite all the 'things'.

We all need food to eat, a place to live, clothes to dress accordingly to the British weather, and some means of transportation and communication. Taking care of our material needs in the right way is hard because we are all surrounded by many things to spend our money on!

As a result, we can get pulled by materialism and pride, which can lead us down a path of slavery.

When talking about the battle against materialism and pride, 1 John 2:16 shows us three places where we need to keep our hearts in check:

"The desires of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride in our possessions or the boastful pride of life."

The Bible doesn't say that certain things, experiences or honours are bad, but it is our attitude towards these things where we have to be on our guard. What we put in our mind and in our eyes affects what we do. When we start believing that our worth is tied up in what we own, we are on a slippery slope. Jesus warned against this mindset, emphasising that life is more than material wealth.

We must seek to be content with what we have and materialism is the exact opposite of that contentment. It causes us to strive for more and more and more, all the while telling us that this will be the answer to all our needs and dreams.

The Bible tells us that a person's "life is not in the abundance of the things he possesses" (Luke 12:15) and that we are to "seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness" (Matthew 6 :33). Our new nature can be satisfied in our relationship with Jesus. He gives us Living Water so that we never thirst again. He gives us the Bread of Life so that we never hunger again.

So let's spend some time reflecting honestly on our desires and our cravings.

Is there anything on which we have become hooked?

What things in our lives have become compulsive, causing us to lose a sense of personal freedom?

What most affects our mood and sense of wellbeing?

Our response to these questions could give us a clue to those empty substitutes that rob us of a closer walk with God.

In a world obsessed with more, contentment is revolutionary. Jesus modelled a life of simplicity, focused on relationships and service rather than possessions. He taught that our lives do not consist in the abundance of our possessions, but in the richness of our connections and our purpose in God.