Cycle of self-indulgence

2 Timothy 3:2-4 (NIV) People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money … lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God. The self-centred can progressively become more self-indulgent, spending more and more on themselves for themselves. If we look at where society is headed today, we see clearer the extent of self-indulgence amongst especially the westernized cultures. The size of the cosmetics market is estimated to be $1.5 billion annually in Australia alone and about US$330 billion in the world. Cosmetics for men is a rapidly increasing market. Some men today spend more on cosmetics than the average woman.

We are a self-indulgent society that is splashing billions of dollars each year in looking good, in cosmetics, in clothes, etc. Now I am not saying that women (and man) should not spend anything on looking good! But the issue is whether we are becoming over-indulgent in our spending.

The self-centred focus on gaining more that they may have more for themselves. The more they have the more they want, because it means more to indulge themselves.

As God’s people, we must be careful not to be trapped in this cycle of self-indulgence. We should carefully examine our spending patterns and ask ourselves if we are slipping into self-indulgence. When we indulge ourselves in such ways, we have much less to invest in what truly counts, God’s Kingdom. Instead of helping the needy, we help ourselves.