It seems that many Americans think the defining indicator of financial security is your lack of concern for waste. You can see it all over our culture with movie stars spending $30,000 on a designer handbag to carry their dogs in, or in the rock-n-roll lifestyle where music videos clearly portray the idea that,”money is no object,” often times in a competition of who can have the most gold chains or throw the most cash in the air.
I really believe that, “to whom much has been given, much is required.” To live by this statement means that I will not allow myself to “waste” money. I know everyone’s definition of waste is different, but most can agree that they can think of a situation where they have witnessed waste by someone.
You know in John 6:12 (AMP) after Jesus just miraculously turned a few loaves and fish into enough food for 5000 people he said to the disciples,”Gather up now the fragments (the broken pieces that are left over), so that nothing may be lost and wasted.”
Jesus, wasn’t a tightwad. I think he was teaching the disciples a lesson here. They may have been thinking, “oh, we don’t need to pick this up, cause Jesus can just make us as much food as we need, whenever we need it.” Well, Jesus can. But clearly He was trying to show us the value of not wasting, even when it comes VERY EASY, and when there is a whole lot of EXCESS.
These are the two times when you see waste most frequently: Rock stars who go from living paycheck to paycheck to having millions overnight and buffets. Rock stars often seem to think that since it came this easy, it will always be able to come that easy. Well, ask Vanilla Ice if it is still coming as easy as it did.
Who only takes the amount that they can eat in a buffet line? The “understood” rule is that you take as much food as you can possibly fit on your plate. After all, it costs the same amount whether you eat some of it or all of it, might as well make sure that you get all you can. That is the “American way” isn’t it?
Just because we may have a lot and because it came very easy doesn’t mean we should waste. I think it is a form of selfishness. In those situations we are only thinking that WE don’t need it, therefore we can waste it. But, what if someone else would need it? Any thoughts?
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You’re absolutely right. Sadly, we live in a very wasteful and selfish society.
the only way to remedy this is to experience poverty ourselves. even if its not literally but to have a virtue of poverty, it will help us be reminded those who are less fortunate. the virtue of poverty teaches us to be selfless. it seeks to abandon all that is absolutely unneccessary in our daily life so that we may have fewer bonds holding us back from God.
just a thot
I’m one of those people who doesn’t pile up her plate on a buffet line. I know I can always go back for more! My mil pointed this out to me, and said I was smart. She would get so stuffed from the first plate there wouldn’t be room in her stomach to try anything else!
I simply blame the evil media showing the more money you have the happier you will be. The sad part are culture is influensing other countries.
As a person who is very much into not wasting things, this makes perfect sense to me. Jesus wants us to care for our fellow humans, to care for this world he has placed us in, and to not take things for granted. Our throw-away society does not have to be as throw-away as it is.
@ladysown
I am with you, I am becoming more attracted to things that are NOT disposable. I am really enjoying maintaining things and having something that LASTS…
Just caught this post today — thanks for pointing out that Jesus told his disciples to gather up the extra bread. I hate to see anything wasted, and I don’t really have a good reason to explain why, but now I can say I’m following Christ’s example