Monday, June 2, 2025

From Provision to Possession


How We Forgot the Value of Enough

Philipose Vaidyar

Decades ago, life moved to a different rhythm. We worked not to impress, but to sustain. The purpose of our income was clear: to take care of our families, including our growing children, and our aging parents who needed our support. Income was not just money; it was a tool of responsibility.

Back then, children’s needs shaped our priorities. As they grew, our care deepened—involving school fees, exam supplies, transportation, hostel arrangements, books, and clothing. Every decision was rooted in usefulness and necessity. Choices were measured carefully against the family’s overall needs, and we used what we had wisely.

Purchases were purposeful. A refrigerator was replaced only when the old one stopped working. Phones weren’t changed every year; they were used until they wore out. Appliances were evaluated for how they served the home, not how they made us look.

There were no EMIs, no credit cards, and no digital wallets, which discouraged impulse buys. We planned, saved, and spent thoughtfully. We stretched every rupee, not to accumulate luxury, but to ensure stability. What little was left was saved for an emergency, a future need, or a child’s next educational step. The focus was on provision, and somehow, there was a deep contentment in that.

But now…

We live in a culture overtaken by Emotional shopping. Needs have been overtaken by wants—cleverly marketed as “must-haves.” We no longer buy because something is broken; we buy because something newer exists, and the pursuit is endless.

EMIs, credit cards, digital wallets—they’ve made spending feel painless and planning feel outdated. We ask not, “Do I truly need this?” but “Can I afford the monthly payment?” Every swipe promises joy, but the joy is fleeting.

We’ve shifted from a mindset of giving and growing to one of earning and upgrading. We work to spend, and spend to feel alive. But strangely, the more we accumulate, the less satisfied we feel. Contentment has been replaced by restlessness, and meaning has been diluted into consumption.

In this transition—from provision to possession—we’ve forgotten the value of enough.

But maybe it’s not too late. Maybe we can step off the treadmill. May be we can return to asking the deeper questions:
What do I truly need? What is worth saving for? Who am I living for?

Because the most important things in life were never things. They were people, purpose, and peace.  True wealth was never in what we bought—it was in what we gave.

A Challenge and Reflection

As you pause at this point in the journey, ask yourself:

  • What drives my spending—necessity or emotional gratification?
  • Have I exchanged contentment for convenience?
  • Am I providing for my family, or performing for the world?

Here’s the challenge:
This week, choose one area of your life where consumption has become automatic—maybe it's tech, clothing, food delivery, or online shopping. Instead of spending, stop. Reflect. Save that amount or redirect it into something lasting: a gift to someone in need, time with family, or a handwritten letter to someone you love. Reclaim intentionality—one decision at a time.

The invitation is simple, yet powerful: Break the cycle. Rediscover the joy of enough.

"Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, 'Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.'"
(Bible - Hebrews 13:5 (NIV)

May we return to a life of purpose, rooted not in possession, but in peace. Not in accumulation, but in abiding.


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