Lent 2018 Devotional: Day Seven
“Remove from me falsehood and lying; give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with the food that I need, or I shall be full, and deny you, and say, ‘Who is the Lord?’” —Proverbs 30:8-9a
We live in a consumption-driven culture. The invariable answer to the question, “How much do I need?” is, “More.” We are expected to be seeking a raise at work, regardless of the additional time or stress that might accompany it; a more desirable place to live; newer things; just more. If we acquire enough, we can shield ourselves from the nagging sense that something is missing, a more by a different measure. When we have an excess of material goods and the appearance of security, we can also gain a false sense of control. The problem is, once that game starts, security must be protected. We hoard; we protect what we have from others for fear of losing it, rather than sharing in the gifts of God’s abundance. When we protect ourselves rather than opening ourselves, we can also fail to be honest—with ourselves and others—about the real needs of those struggling around us.
Jesus calls his followers to be free from enslavement to consumerism and false material security. What are you holding on to out of a sense of scarcity? What would it feel like to give up something that shields you from what God has to show you?
We live in a consumption-driven culture. The invariable answer to the question, “How much do I need?” is, “More.” We are expected to be seeking a raise at work, regardless of the additional time or stress that might accompany it; a more desirable place to live; newer things; just more. If we acquire enough, we can shield ourselves from the nagging sense that something is missing, a more by a different measure. When we have an excess of material goods and the appearance of security, we can also gain a false sense of control. The problem is, once that game starts, security must be protected. We hoard; we protect what we have from others for fear of losing it, rather than sharing in the gifts of God’s abundance. When we protect ourselves rather than opening ourselves, we can also fail to be honest—with ourselves and others—about the real needs of those struggling around us.
Jesus calls his followers to be free from enslavement to consumerism and false material security. What are you holding on to out of a sense of scarcity? What would it feel like to give up something that shields you from what God has to show you?
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