Our Life Defined

Covetousness, as it is referred to in some Bible scripture, can cause us to make choices and decisions that we normally wouldn’t make if we were to look at things through the eyes of common sense.  But because of all of the subliminal marketing messages, our brains have been trained to think a certain way, and we make most choices without thinking much about them.

There’s no doubt that we live in a materialistic world; it’s all around us, no matter where we look.  The world is in one awful mess.   Our culture has created this mess…it’s too busy, it’s too noisy, there is too much going on in our lives.  The reality is, it is affecting our lifestyle.

As a result, what’s happening causes us to get distracted from our relationship with God to the point that the world itself starts to become our priority.  After all, God made some pretty cool stuff for our enjoyment.  Even He said it was all “very good,” back in the Book of Genesis (1:31).  The problem is that all too often the pleasures of this world have our full attention.  For most people there’s no room for anything else.  This is the difficult situation in which Christianity now finds itself.  The things of God are nowhere near the forefront of most people’s minds.

It’s important that we not let all that we desire distract us from our walk with God.   As Matthew (16:26) says, “What profit would there be for one to gain the whole world and forfeit his life? Or what can one give in exchange for his life?”  Not a single thing here on earth will profit us in lieu of securing our eternity in heaven.

The Gospel of Matthew (6:19-21) states, “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and decay destroy, and thieves break in and steal.  But store up treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor decay destroys, nor thieves break in and steal.  For where your treasure is, there also will your heart be.”

So many times we’re not satisfied unless we’re constantly getting bigger and better things.  We buy homes that have more room than we know what to do with.  Or we keep adding on and/or improving them so they feature the newest and best in amenities.  And the cars we drive get more and more expensive, sporting the newest in luxuries, the fastest engines or the latest and greatest in technology.

With all that we have or can have, there seems to be this discontent in our lives.  And as we become more discontent, we spend more time and effort pursuing things, instead of pursuing God.  But God warns us about this in Deuteronomy (5:21), “Neither shall you covet your neighbor’s wife.  Neither shall you desire your neighbor’s house, or field, or male or female slave, or ox, or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.”

As Hebrews (13:5) tells us; “Let your life be free from love of money but be content with what you have, for He has said, I will never forsake you or abandon you.”

Bottom line: How is your life defined?  I was struck by this question as it was posed to us in a recent Homily.  Something to meditate on – Is it defined by the 3 P’s – Pride, Possessions, and Power, or by the 3 T’s – Time, Talent, and Treasure?