by Jewell Johnson
A young couple commits to large monthly payments to own a luxury car.
A family maxes out their credit card to take a costly vacation.
A woman leaves more than two hundred pairs of shoes in her closet when she passes away.
We can easily convince ourselves we will be happier if we own more things. But how much is too much? The Bible recognizes our need for food, clothing, and shelter. It also gives us principles by which we can assess our relationship to what we own.
Possessed by possessions. Houses and lands — the things we own — demand attention, but if they possess us, we have too much. Our preoccupation with our possessions, money, and jobs can desensitize us to what is really important. In the parable of the sower and seed, the seed falling among thorns is choked out by life’s cares (Matthew 13:22).
Jesus told the parable of a farmer who built bigger storage barns for his crops (Luke 12:18-21). Absorbed in gathering and storing the abundant harvest, he didn’t factor God into his life — only getting more. He was not rich toward God.
When the things we own and care for consume most of our time and energy, God’s face becomes veiled. Our possessions control us.
Forgetting our Source. We have too much if we forget our true Source. James notes that God is the source of our possessions: “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights . . .” (1:17). We cannot provide for ourselves; we depend on God for life’s provisions. When we pray, “Give us today our daily bread” (Matthew 6:11), we acknowledge the Lord as our source.
Ignoring the poor. God is concerned about the hungry child, the homeless family, the frail, aged person. If we ignore them, we have too much. In the Old Testament, God commanded the harvesters to leave the corners of the fields for the poor (Leviticus 19:9, 10). Paul encouraged the church in Corinth to send an offering to the needy Christians in Jerusalem (1 Corinthians 16:1-3).
One purpose of earning wages is so we may help the poor. Paul writes, “Anyone who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with their own hands, that they may have something to share with those in need” (Ephesians 4:28). The poor are so important to God that He pronounces a blessing on those who help them: “Blessed are those who have regard for the weak; the Lord delivers them in times of trouble” (Psalm 41:1). Sharing our resources to help those in need is not a suggestion but a command that followers of Christ take seriously.
Discontentment. Why does a father uproot his family frequently as he searches for just the right job? Why does a woman buy clothes she doesn’t need? Often feelings of discontentment are the
culprit — another sign that we have too much.
The Word of God instructs us, “Be content with what you have” (Hebrews 13:5). And “If we have food and clothing, we will be content with that” (1 Timothy 6:8). These verses are a plea for a simpler lifestyle. If we are not satisfied with food, clothes, and shelter — the basics — we may need to scale back our possessions and work to cultivate an attitude of contentment. The person who is content with their place in life and what they own has discovered one of the secrets of happiness: “Godliness with contentment is great gain” (1 Timothy 6:6).
Unthankfulness. When I was a child, my mother often reminded me, “Remember to say ‘Thank you.’” I wondered if those words were so important.
They are. God is pleased when His children express gratitude to Him. Paul writes, “Always [give] thanks to God the Father for everything” (Ephesians 5:20). He also instructs, “Be very careful, then, how you live — not as unwise but as wise, . . . always giving thanks to God the Father for everything” (vv. 15, 20). The simple act of bowing our heads before eating a meal, or recounting blessings at the end of a day, is pleasing to our Creator. Possessions are temporary. Our relationship with God is eternal. Christ assures us that when we seek first the kingdom of God, “All these things will be given to you as well” (Matthew 6:33). We will have enough.
