Tag: materialism

  • From Guilt to Joyful Generosity

    06.08.11 | Comment?

    by Peter Warski

    Earlier this year, I was riding home with a friend. We were returning from dinner at Zeek’s Pizza, which had provided me with some leftovers I was planning to enjoy for lunch the next day.

    Sometimes, God speaks softly, and at other times, He punches you in the gut. On this particular evening, He chose the latter form of communication.

    We pulled up to a red light. As I thought about how tasty the pizza had been, a man came alongside our car, holding a sign: “Hungry. In need of food. God bless.”

    At the bottom of the sign was a drawing of a pizza.

    The box of Zeek’s in my hands suddenly felt heavy. It became instantly clear what I should have done. The man wasn’t asking for anything questionable. He was asking for something to eat.

    As my friend rummaged for her purse, my mind raced. I should give out of my abundance — but then what will I eat for lunch? Before I could complete my thoughts, the light turned green, we were off, and I hadn’t moved an inch.

    When I got home — pizza box still in hand — the pangs of guilt swept over me. Was I really that greedy? So greedy that I wouldn’t give up cold pizza slices just because I’d have to find a different lunch? Guilt soon led to self-condemnation. Self-condemnation convinced me that I simply needed to pray.

    As I did, I was reminded of a few points. First, when it’s clear that God is calling us to do something — whether it be as mundane as giving away your leftovers, or as monumental as moving to the other side of the world — we should be obedient. We should not rely on our own reasoning. Doing so inevitably leads to us putting our own interests and desires ahead of our biblical mandate to love and serve others. I’ve learned that the hard way.

    Secondly, we need to remember that God’s grace is always sufficient: “For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him” (John 3:17). The guilt and self-condemnation I experienced was not from God — but the scenario that led to it was. He wants us to be reminded of the responsibility we have as His followers. But He wants us to carry out that responsibility with joy and humility, not guilt or reluctant obligation. That’s why He gave us the greatest gift of all — one that eternally frees us from those latter negative emotions so that we can be a light in a dark world.

    This is what the Spilling Hope campaign is all about. As we come upon Celebration Sunday, I encourage everyone to keep this message in mind — and accordingly, to give with humility, joy, generosity, and obedience to God. By remembering Christ’s sacrifice, and by following His example, we truly begin to reflect His nature in the midst of a broken world.

  • Spiritual vs. Material Wealth

    06.03.11 | Comment?

    by Cherith Brooks

    Living in a pretty big city in America (Seattle) places me in the center of commerce.  As I walk downtown, I move past stores with giant pictures of models in bizarre poses, lights beaming off of the facets of gems placed on black mats to emphasize their glamour, and people sitting on the corners of streets with cardboard signs.  I find myself right in the middle of these two different worlds.  Should I continue to gaze upon items that make me feel as if I do not have enough, or should I pay attention to those who show me that I definitely could survive with much less? Spilling Hope has taught me to reconsider my beliefs about what I actually need.

    While Spilling Hope has been going on, I have been cutting back on spontaneous snack purchases. Since I am already a cautious spender, I had to think of some way that I could noticeably live more simply. When I thought, “Maybe I’ll get a coffee,” I would think about if I really needed it, and then would acknowledge that I could make my own drink at home. Hearing about how little financial resources people in different countries have to live on astonishes me. One spontaneous snack purchase of mine could go a lot further somewhere else. Participating in Spilling Hope has made me grateful, and has inspired me to know that change can be made. The people that receive the wells from Spilling Hope also inspire me to be more joyful about God’s blessings and provision, which is plentiful.

    Matthew 6:19-20 is a good reminder: “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.” Instead of gaining satisfaction and worth from material ownership, it is more rewarding to participate in community and honest work. Many of us find that when we get the item that we have wanted, we are content for a short time before thinking of something else to want. Since there is this constant gap between where we want to be and where we are, there is room for dissatisfaction.  This scripture reminds us that spiritual wealth is the most significant wealth. I do believe that spiritual fulfillment through living in an active relationship with God is the only way to reach satisfaction.

  • “If Only They Knew”

    05.30.11 | Comment?

    by Malia Drennan

    It was a year ago this month that I found myself on a plane en route to Africa. My time there drastically challenged my concept of wealth and truly transformed my way of thinking. I began to ask myself far too many questions and was never fully satisfied with any of my answers. But one of the reoccurring thoughts that kept floating around in my head was this idea of the relativity of wealth. I mean what does it really mean to be wealthy? And does this definition vary across countries and continents? And is the concept of wealth simply relative depending on your personal perspective, or what?

    In Africa I was hyper aware of all of our stuff. We had packed all sorts of things into our suitcases — two cameras, one computer, one iPod touch, two iPods, tons of clothing options, multiple pairs of shoes. And that doesn’t even include all the things that wouldn’t fit into our suitcases, all the things that were waiting for us back home, such as a car, a few more cameras, another computer, a TV, couches, a comfy bed, pots and pans, snow skies, fishing poles, more clothes, and even more shoes.

    Even though we didn’t carry all of these things around with us and most of our tangible wealth was hidden behind closed doors, we quickly learned that our country of origin and the light color of our skin were simply enough to denote wealth. At first these assumptions of wealth angered me and left me frustrated. I even found myself thinking, “If they only knew how simply we lived in comparison to other Americans, then maybe they wouldn’t assume such things” (makes me laugh now thinking about my ignorant thoughts).

    But the reality is their assumptions were true. We are wealthy! We may not make a whole lot of money, but we do have a lot of stuff! And if we were just basing our wealth on the accumulation of all of our things, we would be considered wealthy.

    It is so easy to lose sight of our wealth when we are just comparing ourselves to other Americans. So stop for a minute and compare yourself, your wealth, and all of your stuff to someone living in a different country, a developing one perhaps? And think about all the stuff you have and all the stuff they may not have. It is easy to lose sight of ALL the things we have when they simply fill the open space in our apartment or our house, but ALL of these things are made real when you move from one place to another –- when you are forced to pack up ALL of your stuff. How long would it take you to move? How many boxes would you have? How many moving trucks would you need? And how important are all of these items in the first place?

    So I leave you with one final question — or questions I should say, because I can’t ask JUST one — What is it you spend your money on? What could you go without? And ultimately, how could you live more simply?

    Lira, Uganda

    Lilongwe, Malawi

     

  • Simplicity, Stuff, and a Free Garage Sale

    05.18.11 | 2 Comments

    by Wendy Miller

    A few weeks ago, I came home from work, plopped down on my bed, looked into my room and was suddenly overwhelmed with the sheer amount of stuff that I owned but never used on a regular basis. Immediately, I got up and began going through my bookshelves, closets and cabinets. It was time for some spring cleaning.

    I started tossing a few items into a box, thinking that I’d probably make a trip to Goodwill at some point. However, as I went through my bookshelves, cabinets, and closets, I remembered the Spilling Hope challenge to simplify and began to hatch a plan.

    Instead of a typical spring possession-purge — getting rid of items I hadn’t used during the last season, or clutter that had accumulated — what if I gave my possessions a deeper evaluation?

    What if I looked at my possessions with less sentimentality, more practicality, and in consideration of those who survive on much less?

    And what if I gave those possessions away — even the items that I considered more valuable and could possibly sell on Craigslist?

    What if I held a garage sale where nothing had a price and everything was free? How would that affect my decision to get rid of something or to keep it? How would that affect my future buying decisions?

    In response, I decided to make a commitment spend the 50 days of Spilling Hope with “eyes to simplify” my possessions and then to host a free garage sale and give it all away.

    Now, when I walk into a room, I scan the items that I see and imagine what it would be like if I didn’t own them, if I never owned them, and if I truly needed them.

    That is the way I’ve been looking at my stuff over the last few weeks.

    So far, I’ve accumulated a good stack of items to give away. Most importantly, I’ve gained a new way of looking at my possessions that has enabled me to redefine what I consider valuable and influenced my buying decisions.

    If you’re still looking for a way to simplify for Spilling Hope or want to take your simplification process to the next level for the second half of the campaign, I encourage you to take a second look at your possessions. Give them a good evaluation for usefulness, sentimentality, and simplification. Then give what you collect away.

    Or stop by my garage sale (see details below). Maybe you are in need of something I’m giving away. If you find something, consider giving the money you saved as a part of your contribution to Spilling Hope. Everything at the garage sale will be free, and if someone wants to make a contribution, I’ll give it to the Spilling Hope campaign.

    Free Garage Sale
    Sat, May 21 from 9am-3pm
    6421 Greenwood Ave N
    Phinney Ridge: Corner of 65th and Greenwood

    Also be sure to check out another Spilling Hope garage sale in the same area (at 9236 3rd Ave NW) or the other garage sales that are part of the Annual Greenwood Garage Sale Day. Purchasing things that you need from a garage sale is a great way to simplify and you could contribute the savings to Spilling Hope!