Brett Petrillo
It is not surprising that many celebrities are rich. It is also not much of a secret that they tend to be very materialistic. They always want the best of the best, the newest and shiniest, even if an average one would be just as good. Even though this is a known fact, there are not many stories I have heard of that tops this one.
As I was listening to a sports talk show on 104.3 The Fan, the guy began talking about the outlandish story of Paris Hilton and her new doghouse. Now, this wasn’t just any doghouse, this was a dog mansion. This new dog mansion cost her $350,000. It is equipped with all of the upgrades you would find in a normal house, such as a chandelier, posh dog beds, a balcony, wardrobes, couches, a fancy staircase, heating, and even air conditioning (although I don’t think I could ever see any dog “enjoying” a chandelier, a wardrobe, or many of these other features).
After hearing this story, there is little doubt, if there ever was any before, that Paris Hilton is a very materialistic person.
Now, while we probably will not be tempted to spend $350,000 on a doghouse, there are many aspects of this world that we must be careful about. TV broadcasting has become incredibly skilled at making new cars, TV’s, games, houses, and just about any other item that looks appealing. It is no wonder that materialism is such an issue with today’s culture. It is not hard to find ourselves desiring the newest phone, the fastest car, the most popular games, the biggest house, etc.
As Christians, we have been called to a high standard of living. No I am not talking about a high standard of physical living, but spiritual living. Matthew 6:24 states, “…You cannot serve God and wealth.” Let’s also not forget what was said in 1 Timothy 6:10, “For the love of money is a root of all sorts of evil, and some by longing for it have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with much grief.”
It is clear that God does not want us to get caught up in physical possessions and money, but to trust in him for the items we need (Matthew 6:25-34 explains this very well). We are to be good stewards of the money God has blessed each one of us with. We are to use it wisely, not compulsively.
God truly blesses each and every one of us. In fact, He has given us something much more valuable than anything we could ever obtain here on earth, our soul. However, we must be careful with materialism in our own lives, especially with all of the pressure from our culture to “keep up with the Joneses.”
Let us never forget this passage, “For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?” (Matthew 16:26). As we go throughout this life, let’s focus on the aspects that are truly important, and do our best to stray away from the love of money and materialism.
–Brett Petrillo