A thick bankroll is no help when life falls apart, but a
principled life can stand up to the worst. Proverbs 11:4 (The Message)
According to many
advertisements and announcements, it’s time to get an influenza shot. The ads reminded me of an adult Sunday school
class from several years ago that discussed “affluenza,” a term combining
affluence and influenza. The
Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines it as “extreme materialism and
consumerism associated with the pursuit of wealth and success and resulting in
a life of chronic dissatisfaction, debt, overwork, stress, and impaired
relationships.” It’s also been described
as an epidemic of compulsive shopping,
overwork, high debt, and obsession with externals. (Bartleby.com).
It’s easy to come down with affluenza, whether it's a
24-hour virus or a chronic condition. We’re
easily influenced by media advertising telling us we need the most recent
basketball shoe or the smartphone featuring the most advanced technology. But we sometimes forget that we are also called
to help others in need.
An appropriate quote attributed to John Wesley states, “Earn
all you can, give all you can, save all you can.” This requires us to work hard
to earn money, but to spend less, in order to be able to give to others. There is no vaccine for affluenza. God will provide what we need. He asks only that we worship him and share our
blessings with others.
Prayer: Dear God, Forgive us for succumbing to
affluenza. We are blessed by you in so
many ways, but we often focus on our worldly wants, rather than what you ask us
to do. Help us to remember that everything
we have comes from you.
Robin Hadfield
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