The Biblical emphasis is on lives which are Christ-centred and focused on him. Secondly, we can react in the opposite way and reject the growing materialism around us and develop a kind of puritanical attitude. Again, this departs from a biblical view that encourages us to receive with gratitude what God has given to us. Acknowledging God as the giver keeps things in perspective and protects us from arrogance and self-reliance. A product of our market economy and its economic growth is a spirit of envy that pervades our society.
Covetousness runs through our lives, breeding dissatisfaction.
We are encouraged through Scripture to live contented lives and we are reminded constantly that this is possible only when our lives are centred in Christ. A fourth aspect is our attitude to what we have and what we have achieved. Those who have followed me to this point will recognise that there is nothing original in this reflection. These were Paul s instructions to Timothy, and through him to the church at Ephesus, almost two thousand years ago. We commend the efforts to promote the development and growth of our economy.