Many people in the developed world have adopted materialism as the basis for their lives. They believe that nothing exists except physical matter and that the universe in which we live is evolving. The hypothesis of evolution tells us we are all caught up in a meaningless process in which people don’t ultimately matter. Materialism tells us we are all essentially animals and that only physical things really matter. As a result many people have become materialists who spend their whole lives seeking to accumulate wealth and possessions in the hope of finding pleasure and satisfaction through them.

Materialism is defined as “the belief that money, physical comforts, and possessions are more important than spiritual, intellectual, or emotional values.” One very serious consequence of a materialistic lifestyle is that the true value of people, including you and me, is lost. We are encouraged to believe that the things we possess give us value and worth. Our “stuff” defines us. The sad and tragic lives of some rich and famous people teach us that money and possessions do not guarantee happiness but may even destroy us.

The Bible warns us of the dangers of being materialistic. Jesus told a man who wanted to inherit a legacy, “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of possessions.” The apostle Paul said, “But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil.”

The example of Jesus provides a radical alternative to materialism and points the way to true and lasting happiness. The Apostle Paul wrote; “For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich.” God created men and women with both a body and an eternal soul. We need to think seriously about eternity. On the Cross Jesus “became poor” when he suffered the punishment our sins deserve so that we might be forgiven and receive the gift of eternal life. Through his poverty we can become eternally rich. Jesus teaches us that every one of us is valuable in God’s sight and that heaven is real.