Battling the Consumer Culture

"Then [Jesus] said to the crowd, 'Take care to guard against all greed, for though one may be rich, one's life does not consist of possessions.'" Luke 12:15

This was part of the gospel reading for today. It is so easy to get wrapped up in our consumer culture - to believe that what we have determines what we are. My son David (age 4 1/2) has really been in a greedy stage lately. He has become very aware that there are all these wonderful toys are out there for the having, and he would like to have them all. Having been told that Santa might not bring everything on his Christmas list because his list was very long and Santa has to give toys to all the children in the world, not just him, David decided that he would start working on his birthday list (his birthday is in April). He said that list he would just give to Grandma!

I really work hard to try to have my children be thankful for what they have, and to realize that they are very fortunate because there are many others who have far less. I also realize that the desire for things is very natural. I can remember myself as a child looking through toy catalogs in the summertime working on my Christmas list! I have managed to grow up to not be a slave to my possessions. Hopefully, my children will also. It's OK to have possessions, and even to enjoy them. It's when they become the most important things in our lives that we begin to have a problem.