Prosperity is Not Always Good

There is an interesting article in USA Today on the changing habits of shoppers amidst the economic downturn. Read it here. Whereas before people could spend without thinking, most of us now are looking for good deals, holding onto products longer (e.g. cars) and, simply, not buying as much. What was most fascinating to me, however, was a quote from J.C. Penny CEO Mike Ullman:

In 2009, the consumer will act rationally. They will shop for what they need and less for what they want. And they don't need much.

Read that last sentence again: "And they don't need much." This is a truism that escapes us when we prosper. So few of us are able to control ourselves when we are rich, when we don't have to think about our bottom line. We will spend money on things that, in truth, we don't need. Now I understand that we aren't called to live only on the things we need. Art, rest, entertainment and relaxation are not bad things and we should use some of our money on them. However, it seems obvious that many of us have lost control (especially when it comes to spending on credit). And so is it possible that one of the reasons God has orchestrated this bad economy is to change us? I think so. The scriptures teach that we are to be thankful for suffering. It makes us better people. This downturn is forcing us to live on less and be thankful for more. Prosperity is not always good. But recession is not always bad.