Deuteronomy 8:10-14

On the world scene is the American system; its democratic republicanism, with a capitalist policy of business. You hold out hope of unlimited reward for hard work. The main fear being demotion, or financial loss. There is a great deal of incentive in this system, because it plays on human nature’s lusts. But it tends to produce wealth, while producing something else that is not very good.

God warns through Moses that uncontrolled materialism will erode away spiritual values by actually elevating the individual’s importance in his own eyes. From this we learn a lesson that is applicable to the family, too. Israel and Judah both fell during periods of great prosperity, but with little loyalty or allegiance to the One providing the prosperity—God. This loyalty erodes, because the system tends to promote a grasping, self-interest while at the same time producing a fearful resentment that one has not more, and the fear that one might not get more.