When Frugality Becomes Idolatry
The following words are copied from a Facebook comment which I wrote in the Reno County Anabaptists Group. It was written in response to a question on when frugality becomes idolatry. On a side note, I really appreciate the privilege of paragraphing in this format. If paragraphing is possible in a Facebook comment, I haven't figured it out.
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I find it especially troubling when a preoccupation with frugality is coupled with a deficient view of stewardship regarding other important matters--care of the earth, for example, or conspicuous consumption. In the latter category, high-dollar weaponry, preoccupation with trendy but extravagant or unhealthful foods (This includes thoughtless "eating out" habits.), showy vehicles, and imposing, overdone building construction seem to me to be particularly inconsistent with being wise stewards.
On the other hand, I see frugality as being a necessity we need not apologize for, given the fact that some of our other wise choices seem to make it a financial necessity. We value having large families and stay-at-home mothers. These are unaffordable on a modest income, unless we work at finding ways to live on less. When the idolatry discussion comes up, I think it's good to mention how this factor may influence our spending habits--not only now, but throughout history.
One measure of whether frugality has become an idol for us may be to examine our willingness to stay silent after we have "scored" an amazing deal. We might call it "The Brag Test." True, such matters can be shared in a spirit of rejoicing in God's provision, but other motivations are possible too.
I've been married for more than 30 years to a man for whom money is no idol, and I admire my husband for this, and have learned from him. Nevertheless, positively and intentionally practicing good stewardship in all of life goes beyond simply avoiding idolatry on this matter, and, for nearly all of us, that will be a lifelong task.
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I was genuinely puzzled the first time I heard from a non-Mennonite friend that he thinks our people have a slightly unsavory relationship with money. "They're pretty slick with the money," he said.
"What do you mean?" I asked. I was relieved that he did not mean "slick" in the sense of being dishonest. He meant that they know how to make money and hang on to it--perhaps to the point of being stingy. He may have framed his explanation carefully since he wanted to remain friends.
I responded by telling him that in our household, we're not at all "slick with the money," given the fact that we're not particularly good at collecting it or keeping it. He knew us well enough to know some of our other values: our faith, our willingness to work hard and do without, our care of the earth. He even knew some of what we understand to be important regarding healthful food, and our disenchantment with chemical-based healthcare and agriculture. He had been inside our modest home and had seen our modest vehicles.
I don't know for sure what sense he has of our relationship with money, frugality, and stewardship, but I do know that we are still friends, and, because of that, we have further opportunity to relate to him redemptively--something that might be a casualty of frugality gone wrong.
*******
I find it especially troubling when a preoccupation with frugality is coupled with a deficient view of stewardship regarding other important matters--care of the earth, for example, or conspicuous consumption. In the latter category, high-dollar weaponry, preoccupation with trendy but extravagant or unhealthful foods (This includes thoughtless "eating out" habits.), showy vehicles, and imposing, overdone building construction seem to me to be particularly inconsistent with being wise stewards.
On the other hand, I see frugality as being a necessity we need not apologize for, given the fact that some of our other wise choices seem to make it a financial necessity. We value having large families and stay-at-home mothers. These are unaffordable on a modest income, unless we work at finding ways to live on less. When the idolatry discussion comes up, I think it's good to mention how this factor may influence our spending habits--not only now, but throughout history.
One measure of whether frugality has become an idol for us may be to examine our willingness to stay silent after we have "scored" an amazing deal. We might call it "The Brag Test." True, such matters can be shared in a spirit of rejoicing in God's provision, but other motivations are possible too.
I've been married for more than 30 years to a man for whom money is no idol, and I admire my husband for this, and have learned from him. Nevertheless, positively and intentionally practicing good stewardship in all of life goes beyond simply avoiding idolatry on this matter, and, for nearly all of us, that will be a lifelong task.
*****
I was genuinely puzzled the first time I heard from a non-Mennonite friend that he thinks our people have a slightly unsavory relationship with money. "They're pretty slick with the money," he said.
"What do you mean?" I asked. I was relieved that he did not mean "slick" in the sense of being dishonest. He meant that they know how to make money and hang on to it--perhaps to the point of being stingy. He may have framed his explanation carefully since he wanted to remain friends.
I responded by telling him that in our household, we're not at all "slick with the money," given the fact that we're not particularly good at collecting it or keeping it. He knew us well enough to know some of our other values: our faith, our willingness to work hard and do without, our care of the earth. He even knew some of what we understand to be important regarding healthful food, and our disenchantment with chemical-based healthcare and agriculture. He had been inside our modest home and had seen our modest vehicles.
I don't know for sure what sense he has of our relationship with money, frugality, and stewardship, but I do know that we are still friends, and, because of that, we have further opportunity to relate to him redemptively--something that might be a casualty of frugality gone wrong.
posted by Mrs. I (Miriam Iwashige) at
7:29 AM
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