Jesus reminded us that we are in the world but not to be of the world. While in the world we are to recognize and celebrate the beauty and goodness of God's creation. We are not called to possess or be possessed or abuse that which is good and beautiful, only to admire and be grateful to God. Henri Nouwen said: "The great struggle facing you is not to leave the world, to reject your ambitions and aspirations, or to despise money, prestige, or success, but to claim your spiritual truth and to live in the world as someone who doesn’t belong to it. . . . All the good things our world has to offer are yours to enjoy. But you can enjoy them truly only when you can acknowledge them as affirmations of the truth that you are the Beloved of God."

Only when we keep our eyes fixed on Jesus, as Paul tells us, then whether we  have or do not have material possessions is not the issue. Rather the issue is whether we are possessed by Jesus, who is our beginning and end. The world is only a place of passage. It is not our destination. As such, as we move on in our earthly journey, we need to avoid becoming enamored and distracted by its offerings lest we detour and become lost. No, journey with our eyes ever on the prize, life with Jesus eternally.

The world is only evil when you become its slave. The world has a lot to offer—just as Egypt did for the children of Jacob—as long as you don’t feel bound to obey it. The great struggle facing you is not to leave the world, to reject your ambitions and aspirations, or to despise money, prestige, or success, but to claim your spiritual truth and to live in the world as someone who doesn’t belong to it. . . . All the good things our world has to offer are yours to enjoy. But you can enjoy them truly only when you can acknowledge them as affirmations of the truth that you are the Beloved of God. The truth will set you free to receive the beauty of nature and culture in gratitude, as a sign of your Belovedness. That truth will allow you to receive the gifts you receive from your society and celebrate life. But that truth will also allow you to let go of what distracts you, confuses you, and puts in jeopardy the life of the Spirit within you.