It’s all too easy to get “wrapped up” (pun intended) in stuff these days! We are the culture of instant gratification and more! And thanks to Amazon among other businesses pivoting with the state of a worldwide pandemic, purchases have skyrocketed to astounding numbers! As in the words of RJ from that lovable movie Over the Hedge “So… you think they have enough? Well they don’t! For humans enough is never enough!” And from personal experience, happiness doesn’t come from having more. Instead it comes from being content with less. Here’s a poem stuffed with everything but the kitchen sink! Can you rap it as it rhymes? Enjoy!
MATERIALism by Laurie Krawchuk
Materialism is rampant in our American society today. It’s all about ways to make people pay. We’re deceived into believing we need more stuff to belong We buy and we beg and we pass over right and choose wrong As a child it was hard we wanted popularity to last Without that toy or those clothes or that brand we were an outcast As a parent its hard, you want to give your kids more than you had But with the vast amount of choices today its absurdly sad TV commercials and ads everywhere selling our kids on obesity and sex, and lack of character Our food is killing us I read on a book On store shelves, and restaurants, we don’t have time to cook The processing, chemicals, colorings and additives Stripped of its nutrients robbing the lives we live The pharmacies are big business and there are times when they are of use But the drugs of great harm lead only to abuse I just heard on the news of counterfeit prescription pills Its not about saving lives its about making lots of bills Why don’t laws protect us against things that are harmful Because its not about our safety its about an armful That’s not completely true, we have choices with all of this manipulation But I need more self-control with all of this temptation There are fees for starting and fees for ending And fees in between so we do more spending This doesn’t even begin to cover our materialistic circumstance Its more like a preview of only a glance It makes me sick and it makes me sad I’m entangled in its clutches and that makes me mad The brand names are better in all the high end stores Garage sales and goodwill are just for the poor I go to church and I go to school I attend a Bible study and I feel like a fool I don’t have the looks or the clothes that the other gals do My house isn’t as big and my car’s not as new How do I stop this wretched routine? I am part of this world but it’s like an awful dream My friends and I have insecurities we occasionally tell I wish we could accept ourselves as we do each other as well We work for money, we play for money, Even the once free dirt, rocks, air and water cost plenty This makes me tired, it wears me out What does God have to say about… Life isn’t about stuff, although it sometimes can be nice It’s about loving each other and Jesus’ sacrifice The poor have ‘high position’ and the rich fades away, The poor inherit the kingdom of God and are said to be rich in faith. When you die you can’t take it with you and it doesn’t make you better Why can’t we see the heart and strive to better our character I want to be the oddball if it means I choose Gods way I’ve had enough of this I can’t take another day Lord I need your help, I get on my knees and pray He tells me to submit, to love, and obey The weight of the world is off me I breathe a sigh of relief Until the next commercial or the next news brief Lord I say again, teach me to follow You in the midst of all this sin He tells me He will lead me to a place I’ve never been This place is very different, it’s hard to comprehend But it’s so very worth it and it’s riches never end I’ll point you to the Bible it tells a love story About God, and His children, and His Son, deserving of glory. It’s words are pure truth with a powerful punch The only satisfaction, unlike a super-sized lunch I come back to God taking every thought captive Confessing and repenting and asking Him to forgive I remember some verses to keep me on track, I speak them aloud to ward off Satan’s attack. “Do not conform any longer to the ways of the world but be transformed to the renewing of your mind.” Romans 12:2 I write poems and songs that sometimes rhyme Just like David did at the time You cannot please God controlled by sinful nature It’s in the Holy Spirit you will come to be mature Your flesh is persistent you must come get your ‘Daily Bread’ The Spirit is waiting in some pages you might have read. You see; you must die to your own will, the things that you want everyday, And come to a new place; to study, read, and pray. In your own strength life is futile and just a waste of time But in His strength life is glorious, satisfying, and sublime. It’s hard to understand at first when you start to come to Him But as you do once or twice, 10 or 20 times and then… He begins to renew your mind, give you strength and change your heart, Transform the you inside you becoming Him in part. Your eyes see as His see, the beauty and the pain, Your heart feels as His feels, the love and great faith. Your ears hear the stories, not as they are told, But in truth and reality, the stories unfold. You are moved to new action to help a hand in need, You quietly say a prayer, in the Spirit you breathe. With tears in their eyes they say, “How did you know?” With a warm and loving smile you reply, “God told me so.” They are curious and perplexed and their heart feels a yearning, To know more about this god whom you’ve been learning. You invite them to church, the service is at 9 or 10:30 Wear what you want and have a donut with me early. On Sunday we meet at 8:30, and I share my story, Anxiety begins to melt away along with worry. As we find a seat together in the auditorium, The Pastor brings hope forward with God’s Word and some fun. As it ends he asks are there others that want to truly live, Just say a prayer of thanksgiving and confession He forgives I believe I receive He is God’s Son My Lord and Savior the only Holy One. In an instant a weight is lifted from the shoulders of God’s child Tears flow and hope restored with a loving smile. It’s your turn. What is your life like? Can you avoid the temptations? Or are you searching for the God of all Nations? Materialism is a problem, it’s a façade of status and pleasure But come to know the real Truth of God’s Word to be sure. Amen. Laurie
