The US tariffs that are about to roll out this week are causing Americans quite a bit of economic fear. While I share the concerns of many people that this strategy of increasing American independence may not be a good one, I believe it provides us an opportunity to reevaluate our attitudes toward material goods – especially what our duty to God and conscience is in regards to them. First, we must remember that our entire existence and everything we possess belongs to God – nothing is ours – not even our life. We are merely stewards of the life, time, abilities, money, and possessions that God has allowed us to manage. And we will give an account for what we have done with these things.
While much could be written on wealth, poverty, and material goods, I want to keep things brief by focusing on a teaching from a Desert Father named St. Dorotheos of Gaza. In his Discourses and Sayings, he writes about duties to conscience in regards to our material goods (pg. 107). Our duties include:
- To use things properly
- To be careful with our stuff so that we don’t break things
- To clean up and put things in their proper place – even if they are of little value
- To not leave stuff outside so that it gets damaged by the elements
- To dress neatly
- To not wear out clothes too quickly
- To not always desire new clothes or new things
- To learn to be content with what we have and with modest, humble things
- To be content with a simple diet (which for Dorotheos meant some bread, vegetables, and a few olives a day)
These teachings oppose our American way of life in which we are constantly buying new things and throwing less-new things away. The quality of our goods has greatly diminished because people buy stuff with the expectation of using it briefly. Our landfills are bursting with discarded goods and packaging from our shopping habits (e.g., in 2018, we produced 292 million tons of solid waste), and the oceans are littered with plastics that breakdown into microplastics, which can end up in our food and salt. Consumerism pervades the life of nearly every American – Christian or not. We are all guilty of this mess.
I want to encourage my readers to take whatever economic situation we are moving into as an opportunity to reshape our thinking about material goods. There is no place for consumerism in the Orthodox Christian life. We should avoid purchasing things we don’t need, and we should also try to make our stuff last as many years as is possible. Practicing contentment with what God has given us in life should be our goal. Learning to be content with all situations is, after all, what St. Paul was writing about when he wrote the famous line,
I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.
(Phil. 4:13)
We should also avoid the outrage social media posts and clickbait articles. These things act as a slow poison to the soul, gradually sapping it of life and spiritual vigor. It’s impossible to grow spiritually when we’re constantly judging, criticizing, and getting angry – even if the targets of our animosity are corrupt politicians, bureaucrats, or corporate executives. Additionally, churches and charities are going to see their revenues tighten, so let’s give as generously as we are able to help our brothers and sisters and to keep the doors of our churches open for worship.
God loves us and is our provider. He will see us through life, taxes, tariffs, and even death itself if we trust in Him. But He also expects us to take care of the things that we own, to be content with a humble lifestyle, and to be generous with what we have. May God strengthen us to reach the upcoming Paschal celebrations and whatever else this year may bring!
Image credit: Getty Images. Spanish illuminated manuscript from the end of the 1200s featuring a lord and farmer negotiating prices and then transacting a sale in the witness of a notary.