December 25-31

If you prefer to listen over reading an article, keep an eye on Autumn Dickson on YouTube or various podcast platforms. I post video and podcast versions of my blog posts on my Youtube channel and on the podcast platforms: Apple, Anchor, Breaker, Google Podcasts, and Spotify.

Looking for a different week in the Come Follow Me program? Check out this link to find posts by week: https://autumndickson.com/category/come-follow-me/ 

This is the last week for 2023, and I find it appropriate that the book of Revelation prophesies of the end of times. In these chapters, we learn all about the devastation that will occur before the Second Coming as well as the protection of the righteous. In the end, the Lord wins the war against evil.

Out of all the sins that could be expounded upon in the last days, the vision of John the Revelator seems to depict materialism an awful lot. You would think materialism wouldn’t find itself up there on the list when compared to the blood of the prophets, fornication, adultery, and other such violence, but it is depicted quite frequently. 

One of these depictions describes a sinful woman. Though she is never completely interpreted, we know that “she” is the source of all sorts of sin found throughout Babylon. She made her way with all sorts of rulers and found herself at the top of the world. She was found in fornication with many of the kings of the world, and she was drunk with the blood of the saints. Somewhere along the lines, she is the source and inspiration of wickedness.

Revelation 17:4 And the woman was arrayed in purpose and scarlet colour, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication.

There are a couple of other verses that likewise describe her worldliness.

Revelation 18:3…waxed rich through the abundance of her delicacies.

Revelation 18:7 How much she hath glorified herself, and lived deliciously…

This sinful woman was rich and materialistic. Though there is plenty to be said regarding violence, fornication, and adultery, I want to focus on materialism today. I feel like it’s very easy to recognize when you have trouble with violence or sexual sin; it might be harder to recognize preoccupation with material things.

Souls of men

There is another verse that describes the merchandise being sold by this wicked “woman.” She deals in all sorts of precious stones and metals. She sells beautiful fabrics and home goods, and then there is a bit of this:

Revelation 18:13 And cinnamon, and odours, and ointments, and frankincense, and wine, and oil, and fine flour, and wheat, and beasts, and sheep, and horses, and chariots, and slaves, and souls of men.

The souls of men. Her merchandise includes the souls of men. In order for her to be trading and dealing the souls of men, she has to be given the souls of men. This is an interesting concept because it also mentions “slaves” specifically. Slavery can come about when one person holds control over another person; this can be done out of violence and force. However, when it comes to the soul, only the person with the soul can hand it over. Nobody can take that soul from them without their permission.

And what is a soul? It is the combination of spirit and body. It’s easy to see how some people sell their bodies for some of her merchandise, for some of her material goods. They spend their days investing all energy into the pursuit of wealth. As for selling the spirit, I think this is where we find the true problem with materialism.

How do you give away your spirit in exchange for something else? There are likely a great many answers to that question. The most basic answer, in my mind, is handing over your willpower. When we hand over our willpower to the Lord, we are hoping to find salvation in the form of peace, happiness, and hope. When we trade our willpower for material goods, we might still be hoping to find salvation in the form of peace, happiness, and hope. And therein lies the problem. This sinful woman and all of her merchandise don’t hold salvation. “Things” can enrich life to an extent; I can find a lot of joy in a pretty house or new dress, but there will only be joy if those things are found on top of a solid foundation built on principles of the gospel of Jesus Christ. 

I can see why materialism is tempting to those who don’t have a full understanding of how to truly find happiness. Getting a package on the doorstep with something new does bring a little rush. I’m sure standing on a yacht and having people notice you can give a little rush. Consciously or not, people may continuously seek these little “rushes” because they don’t understand how to find a foundation of a healthy, content life. They are continuously seeking and working but never finding.

I also see how materialism can slowly overpower us who do understand where to find true happiness. Building and maintaining a solid foundation takes far more work than the little rushes you can find with materialism. It is much easier to pick up your phone and receive your little hit of dopamine than it is to get off the couch, go downstairs, and emotionally engage with your kids. This principle applies to materialism. It is much easier to buy a little something for yourself than it is to get outside, meet up with a friend, or even read your scriptures sometimes. Sometimes, it is much easier to let envy slip in than it is to be genuinely happy for someone who has something you want. Materialism is the easier path; it does not require all that much to try and get a rush and you don’t have to fight off any sneaky, unworthy feelings. 

So what do we do? Those of us who understand how to build a solid, happy foundation, how do we keep ourselves from falling into the trap of materialism?

The doctrine

Understanding doctrine leads to a change in behavior faster than learning about behavior leads to a change in behavior.

So what is the doctrine?

The true fact of the matter is that it’s okay to get a little pleasant feeling with something nice. I tell you the truth when I say that the Lord wants us to have nice things. In fact, in Revelations 19:8, we learn that the righteous were dressed in fine linen! There is a reason that part of our eternal reward includes heavenly mansions.

However, the other true fact of the matter is that these are adornments to a truly happy life. If you’re wearing a cute pair of earrings with a garbage bag for a dress, your outfit is still going to be a problem. I don’t recommend only considering the adornments. God warns us of sin because He knows that wickedness never was happiness. Materialism is classified as sin because it is incapable of bringing happiness on its own for any significant amount of time. If you’re looking for true satisfaction, then only eternal principles can help you receive your fill.

So what do we do about this doctrine?

We watch ourselves. We make sure we are investing energy and hope into solid, lasting, eternal principles. We are spending sufficient amounts of time purposefully seeking the most important things. When we notice that our life seems to be lagging a bit or we feel tempted to jump on Amazon too many times in a week, then we pick ourselves up on the couch and choose an activity that will fill the hole we’re so desperately pouring empty vessels into. Perhaps that means writing down things you’re grateful for, finding a way to serve someone, or opening the scriptures. There are a million good activities that can overpower the rush we’re trying to get so easily. 

We watch ourselves in the sense that we don’t allow envy into our lives. We don’t entertain it. But if you’re going to try and push out envy, you’re going to need something to push with. Replace it with gratitude, meditation on the promises we’ve been made, or my personal favorite option:loving the person who has what you want. Don’t get caught in that spiral. Remember that it’s an easy path. It’s easy to just let yourself feel grumpy, but also remember that it’s not worth it. Easiness towards unhappiness is a poor trade for some effort and happiness.

There is a higher way to live. Turn your sights towards it. And if you find yourself in a place where you are worried about finances, you can still turn your hopes towards the most significant eternal principles. The Lord has promised that if we seek the kingdom of God first, all other things will be added. He has promised to take care of us. He has safety nets in place to care for us. Remember to get your fill at the most important places too. Find gratification in honest work and find peace in His power and desire to help you.

I testify of a Savior who knows the true substance of things. I testify that He sees more clearly than the rest of us, and He has given us the instructions on how to avoid pitfalls that we would be unaware of without Him. I testify of His ability to bring lasting joy, and His ability to provide what we need.