Expanding On “It’s OK To Want Stuff”

A couple of weeks ago, I wrote a post that mentioned the fact that “It’s OK To Want Stuff.”

I realized that this could be confusing to some people. Some might look at that statement and say “Well, Duh! Of course it is!”

But for those who are focused on a spiritual path, or who were brought up in a traditional Christian religious household, or both, it may not seem so cut and dried.

Slapped by Wattles

I’ll never forget the first time I read the following from “The Science of Getting Rich” by Wallace Wattles:

Whatever may be said in praise of poverty, the fact remains that it is not possible to live a really complete or successful life unless one is rich. No man can rise to his greatest possible height in talent or soul development unless he has plenty of money; for to unfold the soul and to develop talent he must have many things to use, and he cannot have these things unless he has money to buy them with.

That hit me hard; it actually offended me! Here I was, reading a book on getting rich, and I was insulted by the author’s statement that we had to get rich in order to live a full life.

Talk about being of two minds. While I had this natural desire for a better life, I’d been fed such a steady diet of “selflessness” and putting others first that I couldn’t comprehend the connection between my own acquisition of money and living a spiritual life.

Thank god I continued to read the book, and didn’t just toss it to the side.

Roots of Not Wanting

While it’s not my intention to attack any organized religion (they all have their place), if you take a look at the history of Christianity, a major part of it shows a pattern of acquisition on the part of those in power, while those who weren’t on the “inside” went without.

It seems like the Bible was used as a tool to control the masses and keep the wealth and power for themselves, rather than as a collection of spiritual writings aimed at empowering those who needed it most.

Combine this with translation problems, changes that were probably made to the original text, and taking passages out of context, and you end up with some quotes that can easily be used to encourage lack, such as:

“So the last will be first, and the first will be last.” Matthew 20:16

“For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil.” 1 Timothy 6:10

“Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.” Matthew 19:24

Each of these quotes are part of a larger context, each of which points more to the problem of attachment and putting things before your own spiritual growth rather than a direct condemnation of money and riches.

Consider the following:

Six days before the Passover, Jesus arrived at Bethany, where Lazarus lived, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. Here a dinner was given in Jesus’ honor. Martha served, while Lazarus was among those reclining at the table with him. Then Mary took about a pint of pure nard, an expensive perfume; she poured it on Jesus’ feet and wiped his feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.

But one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, who was later to betray him, objected, “Why wasn’t this perfume sold and the money given to the poor? It was worth a year’s wages.” He did not say this because he cared about the poor but because he was a thief; as keeper of the money bag, he used to help himself to what was put into it.

“Leave her alone,” Jesus replied. “It was intended that she should save this perfume for the day of my burial. You will always have the poor among you, but you will not always have me.”

John 12:1-8 (New International Version)

No matter what Judas’ motivations were, it seems to me that Jesus didn’t mind a little pampering now and then. A “year’s wages” for a bottle of perfume; that better be some sweet smelling stuff!

No More Guilt

Money isn’t the end all and be all of life. But it’s a useful tool, and the most flexible tool that modern society has at it’s disposal.

So stop feeling guilty for wanting stuff, even money. Don’t let the people in the media tell you that your desire for money boils down to greed while they run their billion dollar corporations. Don’t let the religions of the world tell you that you have to pay them a set amount of your income while you are struggling to pay your bills. Don’t let the Hollywood celebrities convince you that because you haven’t given X amount of your dollars to their pet cause that you are selfish and stupid.

Follow your own heart. Your desires are born of God, and are therefore good.

It’s what we do with those desires that make all of the difference.

[This article has been included in the premier edition of the Abundance Thinking Blog Carnival]

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