We asked: Materialism vs Asceticism; What kind of life were we created for?

NOVEMBER 12, 2023

REFLECTION QUESTIONS week 5 - november 12, 2023

1) If materialism (“loving too much the things of this world”) and asceticism (“loving too little the things of this world”) both represent equal and opposite extremes, which one is most tempting to you? Why?

2) When and how do your needs, appetites, and desires draw you away from God? Or, conversely, closer to God?

3) In his book Celebration of Discipline, author and teacher Richard Foster unfolds some principles that can help us make strategic, Christ-honoring lifestyle choices and financial decisions. A few of those principles are summarized below. Review them and then rate yourself. On a scale of 1-10 (1 being “I rarely do this” and 10 being “I always do this”), how actively are you living out these principles?

____ Reject anything that is producing addiction in you.

____ Buy things for their usefulness rather than their status.

____ Refuse to become a slave to modern gadgetry (resisting the notion that the newest model is a must-have).

____ Develop a habit of giving things away. De-accumulate.

____ Reject all “buy now, pay later” plans.

____ Learn to enjoy things without owning them (i.e., get books from the library instead of purchasing them, enjoy public parks, etc.).

____ Develop a deeper appreciation for creation. Stimulate your senses with nature rather than modern technology.

____ Shun whatever would distract you from your main goal: seeking first God’s kingdom.