the American Dream

Over the Labor Day weekend, Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz sent out an e-mail to consumers about his decision to withhold political campaign contributions to members of Congress and the President until "a fair, bipartisan deal is reached that sets our nation on stronger, long-term fiscal footing." (Read more about his plan here).
Here's a portion of the e-mail Schultz sent:

"I love our country. And I am a beneficiary of the promise of America. But today, I am very concerned that at times I do not recognize the America that I love...America is at a fragile and critical moment in its history. We must restore hope in the American Dream. We must celebrate all that America stands for around the world."

What struck me about this e-mail was not Schultz's political views or solutions, but where he puts his hope.

I love this country. I am proud of our history and what we've accomplished as a nation. I am grateful to have been born in America, with religious freedoms and abundant opportunities to succeed and pursue my dreams. I am thankful for the sacrifices others have made to make those things possible.

However I am cautious of having "hope in the American Dream," as Schultz puts it. It's hard for me to describe my thoughts and feelings on this topic, so I will leave it up to pastor and author David Platt.

"The dangerous assumption we unknowingly accept in the American Dream is that our greatest asset is our own ability. The American dream prizes what people can accomplish when they believe in themselves and trust in themselves, and we are drawn towards such thinking. The gospel has different priorities. The gospel beckons us to die to ourselves and to believe in God and to trust his power. In the gospel, God confronts us with our utter inability to accomplish anything of value apart from him. (...) As long as we achieve our desires in our own power, we will always attribute it to our own glory. The goal of the American dream is to make much of ourselves."

One of the biggest arguments I hear regarding this is that you can still be a Christian, seeking to live a life glorifying to God, and pursue the American Dream. Honestly, I am not sure that one can fully pursue both. God wants our full attention, and I've seen in my life that pursuing the American Dream pulls me away from the things God wants to be true in my life.

I could write so much more on this topic, but I'd actually love to hear your thoughts, if there's anyone out there reading this! :) Have you ever thought about this before? Do you think the idea of pursuing the American Dream is a concern for followers of Jesus in our society today? Or am I/others making a big deal about nothing?