Thursday, April 28, 2005

Stuff

Recently I preached a sermon concerning the problem people have when it comes to deciding what is a "want' versus a "need". When it comes down to it, I have all I need - a good family, food, shelter, clothes, I love my job (most of the time) and a good relationship with the Lord. So why do I fall into the trap of thinking I "need" more stuff? Is it societal, cultural, or what? Like the Diamond Rio song - Stuff (stuff) stack it on up...got to build a bigger place so I can move in More Stuff. What say you??

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

We are creatures of impulse, the quick fix and instant gratification. We kid ourselves into believing that we will be better off with that bigger TV, newer car, fancier house. When in fact, more stuff only creates more insanity. Bigger TV's mean we spend more time watching it, newer cars lead to more gas money spent and fancier houses lead to more work to keep them up. Just think where we would be if we spent that time getting to know Jesus better.

Anonymous said...

I like STUFF. If STUFF doesn't interfere with committments, family and church needs, what's wrong with a litte STUFF. A big TV doesn't mean I haven't given to the church or robbed my family of groceries and food. It's relative. State of mind and heart are to core issues.

Anonymous said...

I have to say that many people, including myself can get caught up in stuff, but I also think that God wants to bless us and sometimes he does so by giving us the means to have more stuff. In my experience, the more I give of my time and money, the more money and time I have to give. God must like giving me money to buy stuff, because He does it all the time. Its fun to think of all I have as His, and that He wants me to use it both for His work and for my pleasure. COOL!!!

Anonymous said...

I think allot of poeple have trouble figuring out what the difference between a want and a true need is. Most have had modern conviences all their lives and don't know what it is to have lived without running water and bathrooms in the house. They have never had to heat water on the stove to cook with or to take a bath out in the old wash house, even to hang clothes on the line in the dead of winter because you didn't have a clothes dryer in the house. As one who was raised that way, I have a whole different take on what a want and a need is. Rick is right, when you have a good personal relationship with our Lord almost everything else is gravy. God has provided me with more than I ever thought I would have in life, even though some people would consider me not real poor, but by no means very well off in thier eyes. I seek what the Lord deems wothy, not what this world deems worthy. (Faith, hope, and love, and the best of these is love).