“Whoever loves money never has money enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with his income. This too is meaningless. As goods increase, so do those who consume them. And what benefit are they to the owner except to feast his eyes on them.

I have seen a grievous evil under the sun: wealth hoarded to the harm of its owner, or wealth lost through some misfortune…Naked a man comes from his mother’s womb. As he comes so he departs. He takes nothing from his labor that he can carry in his hand.” (Ecclesiastes 5:10-15)

We live in a consumer culture that constantly seeks to stimulate our wants. Colin Campbell, in The Romantic Ethic and the Spirit of Modern Consumerism, calls consumerism “self-illusory hedonism”. It is

“characterized by a longing to experience in reality those pleasures created and enjoyed in imagination, a longing which results in the ceaseless consumption of novelty. Such an outlook, with its characteristic dissatisfaction with real life and an eagerness for new experiences, lies at the heart of much conduct that is typical of modern life, and underpins such central institutions as fashion and romantic love.” (p.134)

Consumer ideology teaches us to construct our identities through our lifestyle choices. When a person does not have an understanding of personal identity from within, e.g. that the Lord is my shepherd, that I belong to God, that he loves me and cares for me, that identity must be constructed from without. When we experience spiritual emptiness in our inner being, we have to fill it with something. “To have is to be. For many western young people…. The belief ‘I am what I consume and what I have’ remains strong..” (Gunter and Furnham, Children as Consumers, p.43)

In Overcoming Overspending, Olivia Mellan writes that overspenders believe money can buy, or substitute for, love or happiness. She says that it’s like feeding yourself empty calories.

“You may feel yourself gratified by the appearance, the aroma, the taste – the whole sensory experience of consuming – but shortly afterward you feel hungry again, because you haven’t really been nourished.” (p.29) “Overspending can also be a way of numbing ourselves to past or present fears, anxieties, or injuries. Like eating, spending is often the solace, we learn to seek when we’re feeling lonely, sad, frightened, helpless, unfulfilled, or unlovable.” (p.31)

Jesus speak much about the lure of Mammon. He tells us how hard it is for a rich man to enter into heaven. He tells the rich fool that accumulating money is no insurance for when our soul is required of us. He challenged the rich young ruler to give generously to others in order to enter the kingdom. On the other hand wealth is not sinful if it is seen as a gift from God earned gainfully and honestly to be used for the benefit of all. Money can make things happen for good.

“Then I realized that it is good and proper for a man to eat and drink, and to find satisfaction in his toilsome labor under the sun during the few days of life God has given him – for this is his lot. Moreover, when God gives any man wealth and possessions, and enables him to enjoy them, to accept his lot and be happy in his work – this is a gift of God. He seldom reflects on the days of his life, because God keeps him occupied with gladness of heart.” (Ecclesiastes 5:18-20)