YOU AREN'T WHAT YOU BUY

HAVE YOU ever craved a time-out from shopping? Some people love to shop and can't imagine staying away from the mall on the weekend. But plenty of us would be happy to trade a trip to the store for moments of peace in our living rooms. That's why late last year, this line from a newspaper article caught my attention: "Germany's highest court ruled that stores must stay closed on Advent Sundays so Germans can spend those days, as many traditionally do, going on walks and sitting for coffee and cake" (The Christian Science Monitor, December 21, 2009).

"Wow!" was my initial reaction. This was a verdict designed to make room for quiet time with family and friends—and maybe even for prayer—by slowing down hectic consumerism. I wondered, Was it going to work?

A decree limiting store hours may sound downright preposterous. But aside from whether any court has a right to regulate shopping days, there is a greater issue worth addressing. It's the question of being able to live happily and contentedly, whether or not one is carting home a new wardrobe, snatching up the latest electronic gadget, or downloading more songs from the Internet.

Consumerism often involves an attitude that loves to accumulate more stuff, and it's prevalent in many cultures. It goes beyond the consumption of basic necessities to buying for the sake of acquiring. For instance, when a shopper buys two pairs of shoes where one is sufficient, that may very well be an example of consumerism. When a "fashionista" fills a closet with more clothes than can possibly be worn, that's consumerism, too. Closets full of items that never get used, garages heaping with unopened boxes, storage spaces chocked with overflow that eventually ends up in the garbage or give-away bin—these are certainly signs of consumerism running rampant.

Sociologist Amitai Etzioni adeptly summed up the downside of appetite-driven consumption when he wrote, "A culture in which the urge to consume dominates the psychology of citizens is a culture in which people will do most anything to acquire the means to consume—working slavish hours, behaving rapaciously in their business pursuits, and even bending the rules in order to maximize their earnings. They will buy homes beyond their means and think nothing of running up credit-card debt" (The New Republic, June 17, 2009).

Consumerism would drive a person to seek contentment where no enduring contentment can be found. It would have us look to material things for joy, when joy really comes from Spirit. And it can leave people endlessly wanting, like an alcoholic craving more drink.

Jesus Christ had some words of advice against this mind-set. He counseled, "A man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth" (Luke 12:15 ). In the long run, it's not the new belongings we buy that make us happy, or the act of making a purchase that satisfies. Rather, spirituality, deeply felt and known, gives life meaning and purpose. We are whole, complete beings, beautifully endowed with the riches and wealth of Spirit. These divine treasures are manifested not in material possessions but in spiritual loveliness, grace, and gratitude. We're all capable of reflecting and feeling these qualities, regardless of whether we hit the most recent sale.

When the basics of life are met, it's not another purchase that brings deeply anchored contentment. It's spiritual-mindedness. Cultivating this eliminates the suffering that comes from consumerism let loose. In the Bible, we read, "Godliness with contentment is great gain" (I Tim. 6:6 ). The more we prize spiritual-mindedness above material acquisition, the more we'll enjoy spiritual satisfaction. We can walk through aisles of beautiful clothes and sense no urge to reach out and grab an article we don't need. The spiritually satisfied individual doesn't buy to feel better or seek entertainment through spending—and doesn't feel lack when not toting a shopping bag home. Knowing oneself as a satisfied child of God gives power to exercise control over excess appetite and find genuine joy in accepting the goodness of God already in possession.

"That which we desire and for which we ask, it is not always best for us to receive," wrote Mary Baker Eddy (Science and Health, p. 10 ). We are not what we buy. We are spiritual beings endowed with satisfying immortal substance. The most important possessions in life are spiritual: the equanimity, poise, and peace of mind that come from living an inspired life and being grateful for God's love and care.

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