From the wisdom literature:

Better is a little with the fear of the Lord
than great treasure and trouble with it.
Better is a dinner of vegetables where love is
than a fatted ox and hatred with it.

(From the Daily Office Lectionary – Proverbs 15:16-17 – May 29, 2012)

Everywhere I look these days, no matter the time of year, the world world screams at me to “keep up”, to buy this or that, to go on vacation here or there, to take this cruise or that tour, to drive this luxury car or that SUV. I am told that if I don’t spend hundreds or even thousands of dollars on gifts, if I don’t “go to Jared” or if every kiss doesn’t “begin with Kay” I must not love my spouse. Everywhere one looks, advertisements promote excess. ~ Proverbs tells me there is a better way though. “Better is little with the fear of the Lord . . . Better is a dinner of vegetables where love is.” All the treasures of the world can never take the place of being in right relation to God. We all know people who are careening through life looking for great treasure, trying to fulfill the advertisers vision of the perfect consumer life, trying to keep up with culture, trying to respond to the media. How many of those people are truly happy? ~ We all may know (or know of) others who simply cannot do that, who are deprived by environment or circumstance of the simplest necessities, for whom the luxurious excesses promoted by our advertising are unimaginable. When the Lord simply says, “Better is little than all of that . . . .” it is a statement not merely of moderation, but of justice. Clearly, it is healthier to eat more vegetables than meat, but the import of these proverbs goes beyond personal well being. When we eschew excess, we leave more available to others, we become able to provide for the needs of those deprived of necessaries, and that allows us to move closer to God. If we do not do so, what does that say about us? ~ Remember the words of St. John: “Those who say, ‘I love God,’ and hate their brothers or sisters, are liars; for those who do not love a brother or sister whom they have seen, cannot love God whom they have not seen.” (1 John 4:20) Remember also the words of St. James: “If a brother or sister is naked and lacks daily food, and one of you says to them, ‘Go in peace; keep warm and eat your fill,’ and yet you do not supply their bodily needs, what is the good of that?” (James 2:15-16) “Better is a dinner with vegetables . . . . “