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Bermuda is a society that nurtures greed. We have a fairly lucrative economy and our children often have the best and the latest.

We have closets saturated with name brands, plasma screens in our homes, video game stations, and periodic trips to purchase things that are yet to be worn or used.

The great deception in the western world is that we think life is about what we have.

There is an unspoken competition of possessions in which we expend relentless energy keeping up with our friends, co-workers, and neighbours.

As a result we can be deceived into thinking that life is about what we possess materially rather than who we are in character.

In both Jesus' day- and in ours - the bonds of material things were so capable of luring people into to a false life that Jesus warned about greed and money in over 60 per cent of his parables. It amazes me that even though Jesus was on the Earth over 2,000 years ago, we are still faced with the same dilemmas prevalent in his culture.... people who feel that material things are more important than anything else in life. Let's look at what Jesus taught.

Jesus told an anxious man who wanted his brother to divide his inheritance with him to.... "Take heed and beware of covetousness, for one's life does not consist of the abundance of the things he possesses." (Luke 12:15b).

There is more to life than the accumulation of 'stuff'. Real life is found in an intimate relationship with God and growing your care and love for others.

The great warning is that we have to be careful of the deception of material things, especially in our culture.

So, does God say that riches are wrong? No - but the worship and obsession with riches is. Let's look at this striking truth in 1 Timothy 6 in two parts...

If anyone teaches false doctrines and does not agree to the sound instruction of our Lord Jesus Christ and to godly teaching, he is conceited and understands nothing. He has an unhealthy interest in controversies and quarrels about words that result in envy, strife, malicious talk, evil suspicions and constant friction between men of corrupt mind, who have been robbed of the truth and who think that godliness is a means to financial gain.

But godliness with contentment is great gain. (Vs. 3 - 7)

The Bible teaches us something that goes against the tireless quest to keep up with the all the new and improved products.

The Bible teaches that we should be content rather than thinking that godly living is a means to get rich.

God is not asking us to serve Him so we can have big bank accounts; rather He wants us to serve Him because we love Him.

Notice that one can be rich in things, but robbed of the truth!

The advice continues in the last part of this passage:

For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs. (Vs. 7-10). The reality of life is that we came into the world with nothing and we will take nothing with us to the next life. I have never seen a trailer or U-Haul in a funeral procession... our material possessions will remain in the material world.

We have a generation of parents who have sent the message to their children that life is all about 'things'. We work for 'things', we live for 'things', but our youth need more than 'things'. They need unconditional love, correction when they are wrong, guidance so they can discern right from wrong when we are not around and encouragement when they feel like giving up.

As I interview people at Westgate and the Co-Ed Facility who have gotten themselves in trouble, I often ask, "What is it that you believe has sent you on this path that has led you here today?" No one has ever said, "I needed more sneakers" or "It was when my play station 3 broke."

Rather what I hear consistently is, "When my parents got a divorce", or "No one was really there for me."

Because of their lack of love and their lack of respect for authority, they end up getting expelled from school, give up alternative education, and begin a downward spiral of destruction.

Clearly possession of material things is not the answer. Quick money is not the answer. It is the unconditional love of God that really makes the difference. The next time you see the bumper sticker, "He who dies with the most toys wins", remember: he who dies with the most toys...still dies.

Let's start investing in our youth and give them what they really need: unconditional love, correction when they are wrong, guidance so they can discern right from wrong when we are not around and encouragement when they feel like giving up. n

Pastor Gary C. Simons serves as the Senior Pastor of Cornerstone Bible Fellowship, 82 Church Street, Hamilton, Bermuda.

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