Quotes about Materialism
Material things, of themselves, mean nothing. It's not that they're bad. It's that they're nothing.
- Marianne Williamson
Job learned about the vanity of this world by losing it all; the Teacher {Qoheleth} saw it by having it all. (The Message of the Old Testament, p. 536)
- Mark Dever
The avarice of mankind is insatiable.
- Aristotle
The opportunities of living are diminished in proportion as what are called the "means" are increased.
- Henry David Thoreau
Woe to us if we get our satisfaction from the food in the kitchen and the TV in the den and the sex in the bedroom with an occasional tribute to the cement blocks in the basement!
- John Piper
We have brought nothing into the world, so we cannot take anything out of it either.' There are no U-Hauls behind hearses.
- John Piper
Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, "I will never leave you nor forsake you." So we can confidently say, "The Lord is my helper; I will not fear; what can man do to me?" (Hebrews 13:5—6)
- John Piper
The great danger of riches is that our affections will be carried away from God to His gifts.
- John Piper
The point is that an $80,000 or a $180,000 salary does not have to be accompanied by an $80,000 or a $180,000 lifestyle. God is calling us to be conduits of his grace, not cul-de-sacs. Our great danger today is thinking that the conduit should be lined with gold. It shouldn't. Copper will do. No matter how grateful we are, gold will not make the world think that our God is good; it will make people think that our god is gold. That is no honor to the supremacy of his worth.
- John Piper
A couple 'took early retirement from their jobs in the Northeast five years ago when he was 59 and she was 51. Now they live in Punta Gorda, Florida, where they cruise on their 30-foot trawler, play softball and collect shells. . . .' Picture them before Christ at the great day of judgment: 'Look, Lord. See my shells.' That is a tragedy.
- John Piper
Jesus warns that the word of God, the gospel, which is meant to give us life, can be choked to death by riches.
- John Piper
When I have money, I get rid of it quickly, lest it find a way into my heart.
- John Wesley