The American Dream. That phrase shoots hope into the hearts of thousands. It's something to reach for, to seek after, and to leave hearth and homeland and journey stateside for.
Isn't it?
In reality, the American Dream might be a gallows that we've erected for our own hanging.
Dictionary.com defines it as "a life of personal happiness and material comfort as traditionally sought by individuals in the U.S."
It used to be a dream of a better world, one much like Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr talked about in the 60s. Now it seems to be a dream of fame, sports cars, credit cards, and self help books.
I often find myself pondering the meaning of life. What are we, as humans, meant to do here? Is there a purpose to finding material comfort?
Personally, I feel stuck in a pattern of making and spending money, going to school so I can make and spend larger amounts of money, and searching for new trends in everything from movies and music to fashion and exercise. When I look at it from the outside, it all seems so pointless, yet I still long after the things I think will satisfy me.
We're so quick to judge our peers on their appearance, their taste in entertainment, where they live, their job, their family, their dog.... the list goes on. We admire people who appear to have "made it" and look down on the person who works at the local fast food joint to make ends meet.
So what is life supposed to look like?
I have a dream... it is this romanticized picture of what I want my life to be. I have so many different things I want to experience, so many people I want to meet, and so many places I want to live. I've never really liked the idea of stability or the whole "family, dog, taking the kids to soccer practice" thing. I long to love people as they are and let them love me as I am, even if we don't agree with each other on everything, or anything. I want a life where the word stereotype doesn't exist, where I can get to know people based on who they are and not on my first impression of them.
But what good is that picture I just described if it hasn't stopped me from chasing fame, power, or money? It hasn't stopped me from judging people on their appearance, their status, their friends. I'm still just as comfortable as I've always been. I was blessed to be born into a stable family. The only things I have to worry about are whether or not I'll have the money to buy the most fashionable clothes or the newest toys or a better car. Never mind that I have perfectly good clothes, I eat well, I'm going to a wonderful school, and I have a working car.
Whew, you made it through my ramblings so far. You've basically just been given a slightly more organized version of my thoughts lately.... hang with me, we're almost done.
So what does it all mean? How do we make our lives worth something more than our bank account?
As I've been praying about these things lately, I've realized what God wants us to do here on earth.
Jesus said that the greatest commandment is to "Love the Lord with all your heart, soul, mind and strength and to love your neighbor as yourself."
Could it be that simple? Maybe. When I truly begin to value people over property, life looks radically different. There aren't stereotypes or facades or jealousy, there's only Love. Sure, people make mistakes and I'm sure I'll still find myself judging people in the future. But tripping in the right direction is better than walking easily in the wrong one.
The purpose question is settled, but there's still the question of what to do about the materialism in our culture and where these things find their place.
I once heard the phrase, "faith dies in comfort."
Now, I don't necessarily believe this means I need to sell everything I own and live in poverty. And it doesn't mean that money or cars or entertainment are evil, as many Christians have come to believe. Instead it means that they should not be what we seek after.
When we forget the reason we are here on this earth, which is to love both God and people, we start to believe material wealth and self gratification are the highest goals.
However, Revelation 3:17 says,
"You say, ‘I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.’ But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked."
Basically, I've come to realize that the same blanket that comforts us often tightens around our neck like a noose. We feel like we've arrived and we soon suffocate in our lack of purpose. We forget that God never intended for us to arrive somewhere and remain stagnant, repeating the same cycle until we die of either old age or complacency.
So, in the end, if the American Dream is one of material comfort and it's true that faith dies in comfort, I never want to find solid ground.
