Spirituality vs Material Possessions‏

In his book “Everything Must Change” (click here to read my book review), Brian McLaren talks about changing our “narrative story” or worldview from that of our culture to a Kingdom view.

I know this is a popular topic among “Christian circles” (a quick glance through a Christian book story says volumes…).

Yet, what McLaren is saying is much, much deeper.

For example, take this quote from his book about capitalism and Marxism:

“Marxist revolutionaries have tended to see the oppressed poor as morally good and the rich as morally unsalvageable….Theocapitalists have done the opposite: they have tended to see the rich as morally good and the poor as morally culpable for their own poverty."

Did you catch that? Stop and re-read it – slowly this time, taking note of the word “morally”, which means "of or relating to principles of right and wrong in behavior”. (Merriam-Webster.com)[@more@]

Now bring it home:

  • How often do we, as Americans in a culture that promotes capitalism, look at those with material gain as spiritually superior to those without?
  • Or, on the opposite side, how often do we ask a poor person for spiritual advice?

In re-reading the Gospels, I would have to say that a truly Kingdom view states that ones spirituality has NOTHING to do with material possessions. So, how do we walk that out in real life?

How do we go about changing our “worldview” from one equates material possession with spirituality, to one that looks at spirituality independent of material possessions?

Or does it really matter?