Indulge or Deny?

Good marketing always tries to convince potential customers that purchasing a product or an experience like a vacation, is something that is a net benefit to them.  Although the product costs the customer something, the 'payoff' is the pleasure that comes to the individual for making the purchase.

Underlying this scenario is a philosophy that is pervasive in our culture today, and that is the strong message for individuals to make choices that will enhance "indulging" themselves.  To indulge oneself is be motivated by a desire to yield freely to the inclination of satisfying yourself.

The reason this marketing works so well is because it plays to our innate desire toward a 'me first' mentality.

And we eat it up.

We have just come through one of the most indulgent seasons in Christmas, where literally tons of goods are bought to satisfy an indulgent longing.

Now, I want to be clear here:  I am not suggesting that we shouldn't have some degree of self-care.  But I am questioning our participation in an ever increasingly self-indulgent society.

How does the teaching of indulgence mesh with Godly principles found in the Bible?

In Mark 8:34-35 we hear some words from Jesus that address this very issue:

"Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said:  'Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.  For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me and for the gospel will save it."

This is really poor marketing!  If you want people to buy into something, to give up their valuable resources in exchange for something they don't yet have, then don't talk about denying yourself, this is the opposite of what works to motivate people.

Jesus is basically saying to people that if they want what he has to give, they need to 'pay' their most valuable resource (their life) in a way that goes against what is their natural desire--self-indulgence! 

The only way this makes sense is if we allow ourselves to break free from the chains of worldly thinking.  If we do this, then we begin to see that even though Jesus is asking us to deny ourselves, what he is promising to us is a life that goes far beyond what the world can offer.

Can the products we buy, that the world tries to market to our indulgent inclinations, ever bring lasting peace to our hearts?  Never.

Jesus is inviting us, and our friends, co-workers and neighbours to explore the possibility of life that really satisfies to the core of our being--all we have to do is deny ourselves and run to him.

All!  That's all we have to do.  This is so hard for humans that God himself had to take on human flesh and die on our behalf in order to break this ridiculously powerful spell that has taken over all people. 

But that's the wisdom of Jesus--He decided it was worth it to deny himself, in order to give us all a chance to deny ourselves and find real life--a life that is radiant and truly free!

Marketers tell you to indulge yourself.  Jesus tells you to deny yourself.

Who are you listening to?

BT