Besides this you know the time, that the hour has come for you to wake from sleep. For salvation is nearer to us now than when we first believed. The night is far gone; the day is at hand. So then let us cast off the works of darkness and put on the armour of light. Let us walk properly as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and sensuality, not in quarrelling and jealousy. But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.
Romans 13:11-14
It is tough to keep
control of your spending because advertising tries to convince you that you
need things in order to be happy, liked and successful. It does this by exaggerating
their importance. Clothes and cosmetics are sold as if they can transform your
love life! Credit cards are passports to freedom and the good life! Of course,
we realise it is fantasy but, at the same time, we are hooked.
It seems that many
people sleepwalk through life, buying much of what is presented to them and
buying whatever appeals to them with no evaluation. This is not compatible with
the sort of lifestyle that St Paul describes in the passage at the start of
today’s Reflection, one that is proactive in making good choices in the light
of eternity.
Here is some
advice.
- Do not go shopping to unwind or to cheer yourself up. Shopping is not a leisure activity! Go shopping only when you need or want something.
- When you visit a supermarket, take a shopping list. Supermarkets are designed to tempt and next weekend I plan to offer are tips about how to resist those temptations.
- Before you begin to shop, be clear about what you want and how much you can afford. Sleep on unusual purchases that might harm your budget - they might not seem so important the next day.
- Get all the information you need. Sales staff should not lie but they will not tell you everything. Think carefully about what you are told and ask questions to fill in the gaps. Find out everything you need to know to be able to make good choices.
In the next few
weekends, I plan to set out some tips that should help you make good decisions
when shopping at supermarkets, buying insurance, using credit and choosing
credit cards.
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Copyright © All Souls Clubhouse Community Centre & Church and Philip Evans
2013.
Scripture
quotations are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®), copyright
© 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by
permission. All rights reserved.
Handling
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