“And he said to them, ‘Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.'” – Luke 12:15
This is a good word for us as we navigate life in a hyper-materialistic culture!!! It’s easy in this modern world to get caught up in the ad-driven, media-fueled frenzy to accumulate more and more stuff. We often wind up measuring ourselves and others by temporary things like bank and 401(k) balances, cars, homes, or tech toys. The flip side of the coin is that it’s all-to-easy to sink into despair when we face economic hardships that threaten our ability to get more stuff.
As you navigate economic uncertainty in this summer of 2022, embrace Jesus’ reminder that your life isn’t measured by stuff. Your value isn’t based on your net worth. Jesus loves you because you’re created in God’s image. Your life has significance, meaning, purpose, and dignity in and of itself! If you’ve trusted in Jesus as your Lord, then Jesus also loves you because you’re a precious child of God and His adopted brother or sister. Your life is a beautiful ongoing union with Jesus Christ Himself. Your life is eternal and worth infinitely more than all the stuff in the world combined!
So, be on guard! Be on guard against the consuming hunger for more stuff. It won’t satisfy you for long. Be on guard against defining your identity and sense of worth based what you do or don’t have in this fallen world. Your life is a treasure that will last forever. As such, it’s worth far more than any earthly possession will either wear out, break down, become lost, get stolen, or be left behind when you die.