Contentment

I belong to the Cult of the Next Thing.  It is dangerously easy to get enlisted.  It happens by default…not by choosing the cult, but by failing to resist it.  The Cult of the Next Thing is consumerism cast in religious terms.  It has its own litany of sacred words; more, you deserve it, new, faster, cleaner, and brighter.  It has its own deep-rooted liturgy; charge it, instant credit, no down-payment, deferred payment, no interest for three months.  It has its own preachers, evangelists, prophets, and apostles; ad men, pitchmen and celebrity sponsors.  It has, of course, its own shrines, chapels, temples, Mecca’s: malls, superstores, club warehouses.  It has its own sacraments: credit and debit cards.  It has its own ecstatic experience; the spending spree.  The Cult of the Next Thing’s central message proclaims, “Crave and spend, for the Kingdom of Stuff is here.” (Trapped in the Cult of the Next Thing, Mark Buchanan in Christianity Today 9/6/99)

What a fitting example of where so many live today.  Our current economic mess with foreclosures, bankruptcies, and credit crises could all have been avoided with obedience to God's command in Exodus 20:17 not to covet.  The American dream has been redefined as an accumulation of stuff with no boundaries. It has morphed into an attitude that he who has the most toys desires more toys.  As a result, we are experiencing economic turmoil throughout the world.

The answer lies in learning to be content with what we have.  The Apostle Paul understood this principle when he wrote in Philippians 4:11-13:  I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances.  I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through him who gives me strength.

How could Paul do that?  He knew God would provide for his every need.  He understood Jesus' words in Luke 12:22-31 that we don't need to worry about what we eat, drink, or wear.  If God takes care of the least of creation, how much more will he take care of us?  The key to contentment is to "seek his kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well."  Seeking God's kingdom first will keep you out of the Cult of the Next Thing in the Kingdom of Stuff.

Come see us Sunday.  We will be talking about that.

Pastor Jeff