Are you a consumer or a creator?

“The Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and keep it.” - Genesis 2:15

In the beginning, God gave humankind a powerful vocation: to create and cultivate, in our personal lives and for the benefit of creation.

But in a world marred by sin, we are faced with the temptation to trade care and cultivation for consumerism. 

I’m not just talking about buying material objects, but the mindset that views the world—and others—as something for us to use rather than something for us to nourish and build up.

• We seek to acquire instead of give.
• We exploit creation and human potential for profit rather than the flourishing of communities.
• We turn sexuality into a transaction instead of an intimate connection.
• We turn relationships into strategic alliances for personal benefit rather than opportunities for unity and love.

In our modern economic world, trade and transactions are inevitable. But in these interactions, we have a choice:

• To see others as a means to an end, or remember that everyone we interact with is made in the image of God
• To look out for only ourselves, or meet the needs of the world in creative and prophetic ways 
• To seek our own advancement or achievements (even at the expense of others), or align our actions with love, which works for the good of all

Each time we choose differently, we resist the system of the world and return to our calling as stewards of God’s creation.

Where has consumerism crept into your mindset, perhaps in unexpected ways?

How can you act for the good of others and God’s creation in your work, your hobbies, and your relationships?