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Thursday, October 26, 2017

An Affluenza Epidemic


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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