Thoughts on possessions

Life is not about things. You’ve got to maintain the right perspective about possessions, or you’ll be possessed by your possessions. You’ve got to realize none of it is going to last.
Jesus says in Luke 12:15, “Watch out and guard yourselves from every kind of greed; because your true life is not made up of the things you own, no matter how rich you may be” (GNT).
Never judge your self-worth by your net worth. Never think your value is related to your valuables. Realize that the greatest things in life aren’t things. You didn’t bring anything into the world, and you’re not taking anything out of it. Life is not about acquisition or achievement. Life is about relationship and learning how to love God and other people.
The best way to remember that your life is not about things is to build your life on eternal priorities. Focus on what will last forever. Every possession is temporary, so don’t build your life on acquiring possessions. Only two things are going to last forever: the Word of God and people.
You’ve got a choice to make. The world is telling you that you’ve got to get more to be happier, more successful, more important, more valuable, and more secure. You’ve got to decide if you’re going to listen to Madison Avenue or the Master. Are you going to listen to culture or Christ? Are you going to listen to the world or the Word?
One will make you dissatisfied the rest of your life; one will make you truly happy. Before you can move toward financial freedom, you have to ask yourself, “What is the primary purpose of my life? To just get more? What do I think about, talk about, and give my most to? What am I living my life for?”
There was a famous millionaire in Orange County who took her own life many years ago. At the funeral somebody said, “I don’t understand it. She had so much to live for.” I thought, “No. She had so much to live on. She had nothing to live for.”
You may have a lot to live on, but do you have anything to live for? Do you have a relationship with God? The myth of the world is that you can have it all. The truth is that you can’t have it all. And more importantly, you don’t need it all to be happy. You’re as happy as you choose to be.
The secret of contentment is finding your security and your satisfaction not in what you have but in whose you are. You find it in Christ.

Psalm 17:15 says, “But as for me, my contentment is not in wealth but in seeing you and knowing all is well between us. And when I awake in heaven, I will be fully satisfied, for I will see you face-to-face” (TLB).

Rick Warren