Everybody has heard of materialism. Even if you can't give a dictionary definition, you still have heard of it. But what is materialism? What is its significance? Is it wrong, and if it is, why?
Let's start with the first question. According to the dictionary, materialism is a preoccupation with or stress upon material rather than intellectual or spiritual things-in other words, greed. But what does it mean? In essence it is a focus on things instead of ideas. Of course some people have their own definitions. Andrei Platonov for example, said that "Happiness will come from materialism, not from meaning," while according to Doug Horton, "Materialism is the only form of distraction from true bliss."However, I think that Adam Sedgewick described it best, when he said that "A cold atheistical materialism is the tendency of the so-called material philosophy of the present day." Materialism is the tendency of today's philosophy.
A book I once read stated that "if people bought only what they needed, world trade would collapse." World trade is only one small example of the influence of materialism in this world. It is because of materialism that we can travel around the world in a week-without it, we would have far less reason to make faster and faster vehicles. Of course, without the materialistic mindset, there would not be such things as Foie gras or Caviar, for which geese and fish would be thankful. Materialism is why capitalism works and socialism does not--because people are greedy, they try to get more and more. Of course, it is, according to many, the reason why there is such a divide between the rich and the poor.
Materialism is so ingrained into our lives that our culture itself is shaped by it. "The Game of Life," for example, is about having the most money at the end of the game. So is Monopoly, although at the end of that all losers have nothing. Even Risk is materialistic--your goal is to own the world. Game shows, too, are shaped by materialism--in even their names (Who Wants to be a Millionaire, Greed). Materialism is so powerful that there's a song called "Material Girl." None of this is inherently bad, unless materialism itself is. Is it?
Proverbs 15:27 says that "Whoever is greedy for unjust gain troubles his own household, but he who hates bribes will live." In Mark 8:36, Jesus asks, "For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul?" In Luke 11:39, He names it together with wickedness. Paul lists greed as something to avoid in 1 Corinthians 5. Much of the teaching in the Bible is about greed and money. All of it seems to put Materialism firmly in the category of "bad stuff." So what should we do about greed? My suggestion: follow the teaching found in Hebrews 13:5: "Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”
Unfortunately, the issue is not quite that simple. If you take what I've said so far at face value, you could easily come to the conclusion that all material things are evil and should be avoided. this viewpoint is called Asceticism, and is just as dangerous in its own way as materialism. The fact is that just because materialism is not perfection incarnate does not mean that its opposite, asceticism, is. The idea that it was the true ideal originated with ancient Greek Philosophers, and not the Bible. In 1 Timothy 4:4 Paul says that "everything God created is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving,"which is hard , if not impossible, to work with asceticism. The problem with asceticism--the reason that God does not call us to shun materialism by clinging to it--is that it can easily lead to pride. In George MacDonald's "The Wise Woman," there are two main characters, a princess and a shepherdess. Both are told that they are Somebody, and told it constantly; as a result, both gain serious character flaws. However, it is not the princess who suffers from pride, but the shepherdess. As often seems to happen, the high road-God's plan--is the middle ground.
Given all these facts, my challenge to you is simple: learn to pray the prayer of Proverbs 30:8-"give me neither poverty nor riches, but give me only my daily bread"-in spirit and in truth. If you can do that, neither materialism nor asceticism will have any power over you.
