Conspicuous Consumption

Matthew 19:23 (King James Version)
King James Version (KJV)
Public Domain

23Then said Jesus unto his disciples, Verily I

say unto you, That a rich man shall hardly enter

into the kingdom of heaven.


I guess you could say that, as an American, I'm

not impressed with the consumption orgy that I

see taking place around me. I find it hard to

convince myself that it's a good thing. Now that

I've totally offended everyone who owns a Hummer,

and all Hummer dealerships, I suppose I could

have have taken a shot at say... well... I don't

know, the Hummer seems to characterize the

situation really well as a symbol of conspicuous

consumption. It would be even more interesting

to see how many are bought cash and how many are

on credit. But I've never really understood the

value of a status symbol. It's been my

experience that those who've really arrived, are

often those who are least likely to make a public

display. Conspicuous consumption does not lead

one down the road to heaven.


But what am I supposed to tell my kids, when all

that they see around them is conspicuous

consumption? They don't want to hear about the

economic history of civilization, or the

realities of financial survival and success.

They just want another worthless piece of junk

toy, that everyone else seems to have. One of

the latest is a cellphone. They need a cellphone

like another hole in the head. But others have

them, so it's a legitimate need. You know, I

worked for years in the cellphone subscriber and

infrastructure industries, at the very beginning

of it. Little did I realize that it would become

what it is today. It's irritating that people

like to drive and talk on the cellphone. Few are

able to manage it without distraction. But it's

another one of those conspicuous consumption

things, now isn't it. I'd have never guessed,

even though I saw the potential early on.


For the past few days, I've been distracted by

social commentary. But if you look at scripture,

you'll see that there is no shortage of social

commentary within it's pages. It's the kind of

commentary that points out the tendency to drift

away from G-d centered worship and to be

distracted by the worship of things. It's a

dangerous trajectory to be on, not just from the

individual loss of fellowship with G-d, but

because it sets in place the decline of social

standards of behavior. What's really important,

gets left behind in the mad rush to acquire

material goods.


James 1:11 (King James Version)
King James Version (KJV)
Public Domain

11For the sun is no sooner risen with a burning

heat, but it withereth the grass, and the flower

thereof falleth, and the grace of the fashion of

it perisheth: so also shall the rich man fade

away in his ways.


Over and over scripture leaves warning of the

fact that material wealth is temporary, but

godliness is an enduring gain. It get's straight

to the truth that the essence of life is worship.

And when you take a look around, what is it that

you find having the higher place of worship?

What do folks get excited about? It says alot

about the social trajectory that we're on.


It's not that true wealth is, in itself, a bad

thing. It's a great advantage to be able to

contribute to the welfare of others, by making a

contribution to commerce and productive industry.

Debt, is not true wealth.


Deuteronomy 28 (King James Version)

12The LORD shall open unto thee his good

treasure, the heaven to give the rain unto thy

land in his season, and to bless all the work of

thine hand: and thou shalt lend unto many

nations, and thou shalt not borrow.

13And the LORD shall make thee the head, and not

the tail; and thou shalt be above only, and thou

shalt not be beneath; if that thou hearken unto

the commandments of the LORD thy G-d, which I

command thee this day, to observe and to do them:

14And thou shalt not go aside from any of the

words which I command thee this day, to the right

hand, or to the left, to go after other gods to

serve them.


This passage from the books of Moses, defines for

us what true wealth is, and how it is centered on

the essence of life -- worship. So, when you

look around, what do you see?


In my personal life, I see that, prior to

marriage, I was firmly in the former camp. We're

talking a twenty year track record, as a

bachelor. Not that I was on the road to riches,

only that I was financially solvent, always

enjoyed a surplus, and had little financial

concern. Slowly but surely, that has changed.

It was impossible for me to imagine that my

wife's financial insolvency would ever be able to

have an impact on my effortless ability to

maintain a surplus. Now, I realize that this is

a very common predicament in marriage, and my

case is not in any way unique. They say that the

number one issue in divorce is the subject of

financial management and I know the truth of that

by personal experience. Disagreement over the

management of your financial well being adds

loads of stress to any relationship. Any

single's out there, pay close attention to this

subject. You want to remain in the former camp.


In other words, I was very content as a bachelor.

As it is, I'm trying to find contentment with

serving a life sentence, 'till death do us part'.

It's not about me or my comfort, it's about

doing what's right. I know that get's you no

credit these days. But it goes back to Eden, and

the first recorded instance of marital conflict.

It's hard for me to imagine that Adam did not

object to Eve's discontent with things just as

they had been prescribed. The serpent saw it.

Why else would he have directed his effort at

her? Like alot of other things in modern life,

marriage, as it is structured, does not provide

the level of contentment that it is intended to.

And it has to do with the fact that many people

do not have any idea what love is and neither do

they enjoy any sense of personal contentment.

I'd even go so far as to suggest that the

majority is represented by that fact. Given the

preoccupation of the modern consumer with

consumption, and a misguided sense of worship,

there is alot to be gained by finding contentment

in being single. Even though it is so tempting

to give in to the fantasy that you want to be

loved, in fact, love is a scarce commodity. Be

content, with being content.


Conspicuous consumption is no substitute for

genuine love. If you are looking for the real

thing, this is where you'll find love:


John 3:16 (King James Version)
King James Version (KJV)
Public Domain

16For G-d so loved the world, that he gave his

only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in

him should not perish, but have everlasting life.