Moving Away From Materialism

From the series “How Foreign Missions Changed Me”

For My people have committed two evils: They have forsaken Me, the fountain of living waters, And hewn themselves cisterns—broken cisterns that can hold no water.

Jeremiah 2:13 NKJV

I was once a shopaholic; not for a minute, but for decades! Whenever I was worried, feeling bad about myself, or feeling hurt by someone’s rejection or snubbing, I would head to the strip mall for a full day of pure retail therapy. I literally shopped ’til I dropped.

I’d return home exhausted, devising a plan to diffuse my new items into the home gradually, so as not to awaken the disapproval of my husband. Sometimes these items stayed hidden under things in my trunk, or behind the mega-bag of recycled gift bags and the mountain of shoe boxes on the floor of my closet.

I used to justify my spending on the fact that I grew up poor. I didn’t have a lot of the things other kids had. I remember feeling inferior because I didn’t have the Jordache jeans all the popular girls wore. I remember being ashamed of my poverty. I remember walking down aisle of the school bus, praying my Walmart jeans would just fade into the army green seats, and nobody would notice how poor I was. I remember being teased by a classmate because I wore one of my precious few blouses twice in the same week. He laughed at me and mocked me in front of other students. I think somewhere in my consciousness, I decided then and there that one day I would have plenty of clothes, and nice clothes.

When my son was born, I knew he would never be teased for having shabby clothes or not having enough. Instead, I made sure he grew up wearing the high-end clothing brands, and he always had an abundance of clothing–too much, actually.

You’re reading about a gal who likes to look cute. I like bling! I like all the stuff. Yes, I still do.

This root of inferiority, the need to prove I’d made it, the need to prove that I fit in to the imaginary club in my head, it was a deep root. I recognized it’s existence and the need for Jesus to heal it long before it ever was.

I remember the Lord dealing with me at church one Sunday morning. This scripture jumped into my heart so solidly that I could not ignore it. I meditated on it for days, maybe even weeks:

“But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be provided for you. ”

Matthew 6:33 HCSB

I remember asking, “Aren’t I seeking Your Kingdom first?” After all, I tithed religiously. I gave offerings frequently. As the Holy Spirit removed the scales from my eyes, my own conscience answered for me, “NO”.

I knew I was seeking first man’s approval, man’s acceptance. I knew I was seeking first to gratify my lust for more stuff. I knew this was idolatry.

You’d expect that this revelation would lead me to repentance and deliverance for the grip of lust for more stuff. Unfortunately, I struggled with this sin for years after this revelation came.

I remember praying earnestly and repeatedly that God would set me free from seeking after the things that aren’t His Kingdom. I asked Him to give me a revelation of His provision and take away the idolatrous craving for stuff.

Thank God for His never-ending, never-failing GRACE!

My transformation didn’t happen until I obeyed God’s command to “GO”.

Pay attention beloved, there’s something God wants you to know. Some things aren’t going to fall off of us by mediating on the Word alone. Many sins aren’t going to fall off by instant deliverance by the Spirit of God. That does happen, and it’s amazing when it does! Sometimes transformation comes through obedience.

Am I now a minimalist? Not even close. But now, I don’t get the thrill or joy out of shopping that I used to. I feel whole. I am happy. I am content in who I am and whose I am. I am satisfied with what I have, and I have far less than I did in those shopaholic days.

I recently gave away half my wardrobe, including shoes, scarves, coats… half of everything. Perfectly balanced… as all things should be. And I haven’t replaced it with more clothing and shoes!

I’ve streamlined my kitchen utensils; now I just have the bare necessities. I’m planning to give away even more. Now I’m getting ready to give away probably 75% of my jewelry. I know, very strange indeed. How in the world did this change come about?

It wasn’t because I have been trying hard to curb my spending, or because I was saving money for missions. I have been doing this, but that’s not what brought about the change.

Even though we’ve been trying to save our money, spend responsibly, and spend thoughtfully, it was still a struggle.

What remained was the desire to buy those cute sandals from DSW (after all, they’re on sale for 30% off, so I’m SAVING, right?), and that amazing hair appliance that creates the perfect curls that scrolls past my eyes every time I check Facebook.

The desire for stuff didn’t go away until I completed a few foreign missions. I don’t claim to completely understand how this shift in my thoughts and desires happened, or why it happened. But I do know the source of the change: God, and my choice to obey Him, to go.

The foreign nations we’ve visited were very poor. Many people don’t have electricity, or clean water. Many families with children only eat once a day. Some of their homes have a dirt floor, and pieces of tin for a roof.

A typical meal in Dominican Republic usually consists of rice and beans or whatever grows wild: bananas, mangoes, pineapple, yucca. The level of poverty we’ve seen in Ghana and the Dominican Republic doesn’t exist in America.

Through foreign missions, I’ve learned that it actually takes very little resources to meet our physical needs. A little food, clean water, some clothing, some kind of roof over our heads; much more than that now feels wasteful.

Coming back to the land of plenty after being in a third world country will cause some unexpected culture shock.

You fly into the airport and the shops full of expensive perfumes, watches, sunglasses, clothing, liquor…these bombard your now changed heart, and eyes, ears and senses with the realization that America is indeed materialistic.

For the price of one pair of airport sunglasses, I can feed a Dominican family for 2-3 months.

Suddenly, a pair of $3 Walmart sunglasses is what I am now happy with, as I realize the purpose of sunglasses is to block the sun from my eyes. The Walmart glasses will do that just fine.

I’ve made many changes in my spending habits. A big one was giving up my professional hairstylist. I now apply box color, get a Super Cuts trim every 4-6 months, and trim my hair myself in between cuts. I’m OK. I look fine. My heart will no longer let me spend $140 for my hair to be colored and cut every 8 weeks.

I’m not telling you to give up your designer sunglasses and God forbid, I am NOT saying to quit seeing your hairstylist. Please hear my heart.

These are just some of the things God dealt with me about. We all have a personal relationship with God. If you don’t, I can tell you how to change that.

Every relationship is unique. If your heart is open to hearing God, He will deal with you about things. He’s gentle and kind. He never forces us to give up anything. We always have a choice.

I’ve learned that obedience is the best way. Our offerings and sacrifices are good, but obedience is the way of perfection, the way of maturity, and the way of true blessing and riches.

“What is more pleasing to the Lord: your burnt offerings and sacrifices or your obedience to his voice? Listen! Obedience is better than sacrifice, and submission is better than offering the fat of rams.

1 Samuel 15:22 NKJV

As I write this, I am repenting for the years of wasting the provision God gave me to feed the hungry.

Father, forgive us for not always stewarding your money the way you wanted. Help us to change. Help us to put first things first, to put Your Kingdom first. Help us to hear you and to obey you. Help us to let go of those things that don’t satisfy us. You satisfy our every need. Without You, we can do nothing. Thank you for hearing my prayer, Father. Amen.