“And he said to them, ‘Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.‘” (Luke 12:15)
Recently, I received a gift card with packaging that said “instant happiness inside.” Apparently, with the purchasing power of this gift card I could purchase instant joy and pleasure (though I might have to wait a day or two before it arrives at my door).
Such is the happiness the world would have us buy. It should be quick, easy, instant. This kind of happiness is linked to money, possessions, buying and consuming things.
But is happiness really something you can package up? Is happiness really something you can buy? Is the thrill you get when you click “Buy Now” really happiness? We know the answer.
Happiness is not something you can buy with a gift card. If it was, you’d expect Americans to be a lot happier than we are. Sure, we get a feeling of excitement when the new shiny thing we ordered arrives. There is a kind of “happiness” we get from the constant consumption of things and accumulating more stuff.
But Jesus reminds us: life is not about getting more stuff (Luke 12:15). According to Jesus, living to pile up earthly treasures is actually covetousness. And satisfying covetous desires is not really happiness. It may come with a feeling that masquerades as happiness. But this “happiness” is often lost as instantly as it was attained.
Jesus illustrates his statement in Luke 12:15 with a parable about a rich man who runs out of room to store a bountiful harvest. He comes up with a plan to tear down his barns and build larger ones. Then he thinks he will be able to say to himself: “Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry,” (Luke 12:19).
But he doesn’t realize that he will lose his soul that very night. All his supposed happiness will be gone in an instant. Life is about more than plentiful harvests and big barns. What matters is that we are rich toward God (Luke 12:21).
The author of Hebrews also hits on this theme: “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,‘” (Hebrews 13:5). As followers of Jesus, we can be content with what we have because we have the unfailing presence of God with us.
There is a happiness that comes from contentment in God that obliterates any fading pleasure that comes from piling up more things. Our God and his presence is our source of enduring happiness that cannot be stolen or lost or ruined. It is far better than any “instant happiness” our world tries to sell us.
