And He said to them, “Take heed and beware of covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses.”
Luke 12:15
Recommended Reading: Luke 12:13-21
Actress Shannen Doherty who passed away from stage 4 breast cancer once said that her battle with cancer had changed her perspective on her physical possessions. She told People magazine she accumulated a lot of antiques, but they were sitting in storage. “I’m not enjoying it and others aren’t enjoying it, and do I really need any of it? Do I need to have three dining room tables? The answer is no, none of us really need all the stuff that we have.”1
We’re living at a time ancient kings couldn’t conceive. A time when inventions, devices, technologies, and new products are coming at us on a daily basis. How do we keep our perspective? When we give the first ten percent or more of our income to the Lord, it helps us find balance.
The best way to deal with materialism is by tithing. Giving God the first ten percent of our income is a way of showing Him that He is our priority, not the things we possess.
There is nothing wrong with me possessing riches. The wrong comes when riches possess men.
Billy Graham
- Esme Mazzeo, “Shannen Doherty Shared How She Was Preparing to Die and Her Wishes for Her Funeral Before Her Death,” People, July 15, 2024.
DAILY DEVOTIONS, NEWS AND INFORMATION 