Counsels on Relationships

Counsel #18 — Materialism

Picture: Counsel #18 — Materialism CR 49.1

John Wesley, a Christian reformer, once urged believers to “save all you can, by cutting off every expense which serves only to indulge foolish desire.” His words should challenge you to consider if you’re spending money to impress, satisfy fleeting cravings, or to serve a greater purpose. In a culture obsessed with material things, God invites us to take a different path: one of simplicity. CR 49.2

Living simply isn’t about living in poverty or giving everything away, but it’s about living with purpose and resisting materialism. That might mean choosing not to upgrade your phone every year, cutting back on impulse purchases, eating more meals at home, or buying fewer clothes by prioritizing what you truly need. It could also look like driving a reliable car instead of the flashiest one, or choosing sustainable, secondhand options to reduce waste. These small acts of restraint become powerful tools for service, freeing you to support the poor and give more to God’s work. Remember, everything we obsess over now will one day be gone. What will matter is how we loved, how we gave, and how faithfully we lived for God’s kingdom.^[49] CR 49.3

“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal.” Matthew 6:19 NIV CR 49.4

“That which you bestow in the cause of God is not lost.” Ellen White in Counsels on Stewardship , p. 342 CR 49.5

Reflect: What matters most to you? Your stuff, or God? CR 49.6