What Should We Buy?

Last night I saw on TV that the NBA is borrowing millions of dollars to bail out 15 NBA teams that are suffering budget shortfalls. While I hold to John Wesley's admonition to "earn all you can" I believe that Christians, including me, have failed to consider Wesley's complete maxim on wealth. He also said to "save all you can and give all you can."

Consider with me extraordinary salaries of professional athletes, actors and entertainers. While I love to hear the voice of a professionally trained musician performing songs which I can relate, as opposed to karaoke, are we spending way more on their albums than they are actually worth? Though I prefer movies to children's theater, must we buy the DVD? Though I love the book, do I need to own it? Could I not enjoy a high school football game as much as a BCS college football game.

During this economic crisis the University of Alabama has pledged millions to add 9000 seats to Bryant-Denny Stadium, the NBA is borrowing money, someone at an unamed university is requesting $60,000 to go find Noah's Ark, companies continued to pay millions for 30 seconds of air time during the Super Bowl, and the children who starred in Slumdog Millionare have been returned to the slums.

Have you considered that the bulk of our economy is based upon extravagance?

Have we learned our lesson in the United States? We cannot expect the economy to be fixed overnight, yes. However, can we and should we expect our country to remain stable if we return to the same "keeping up with the Jones's" and "hear we are, now, entertain us" attitudes of the last 30 years?

As I reconsider my own habits, I wonder if the following has any bearing on how I, as a Christian, should manage the wealth God has given to me.


"All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of his possessions was his own, but they shared everything they had. With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and much grace was upon them all. There were no needy persons among them. For from time to time those who owned lands or houses sold them, brought the money from the sales and put it at the apostles' feet, and it was distributed to anyone as he had need." (Acts 4:32-35, NIV)