Bible Text: Matthew 24:45 | Speaker: Dr. Harold J. Sala | Series: Guidelines For Living |

Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom the master has put in charge of the servants in his household to give them their food at the proper time? Matthew 24:45

You go shopping for a blouse or a shirt that you want for casual wear. There are two garments that you consider. One is made of good fabric, nicely cut but plain. The second is almost identical but it has a logo on it with a designer’s name, one you quickly recognize. Everybody wears that brand so you check the price tag. It’s more than double the cost of the first one you picked up. So which one do you buy? How much are you willing to pay for wearing a shirt or a blouse with someone’s name on it? In other words, how much are you willing to pay for social acceptance?

Asking that very question makes you uncomfortable. Right? Yet have I not described the social consciousness that confronts us today? Never before in the history of marketing have we been so challenged to conform to the social images that are thrust in our faces daily.

The problem has been described as affluenza, a play on the word influenza, which can be treated by aspirin and going to bed for a few days. Affluenza has been driven by a growing economy that generates more money for people to spend. Because of television, the Internet, and a growing awareness of how others dress and think we have become engrossed with “things” and “stuff” as never before.

“Our priorities seem out of skew,” said Frazier Moore, writing for the Associated Press. He added, “More of us visit a mall each week than a house of worship. On average, we spend six hours per week shopping, yet only 40 minutes playing with our children.” (Frazier Moore, “Gimme Gimme Gimme,” OC Register, Sept. 15, 1997, Show, 14). He pointed out the obvious. Thinking that we must have more, we spend more, and indebtedness grows. Credit card debts skyrocket. Thinking we will catch up with the bills next month, they catch up with us. Paul’s direction to the Romans, that we should be in debt to no man save the debt to love one another, is forgotten, and we find ourselves shackled with tremendous debt which suffocates our family.

How do we fight back? Try these practical suggestions.

Guideline # 1: Make a budget, and if an item is not budgeted, refuse to buy it. And don’t be like the woman who said she’d live within her budget, even if she had to borrow money to do so.

Guideline #2: Pay cash for your purchases. Do plastic surgery on your credit cards–cut them up.

Guideline #3: Refuse to be a victim of media hype. Realize the values of the world and our culture are at war with family values. Don’t kid yourself. The media is on the other side, driven by the quest to sell you what they have, regardless of what you need. A paraphrase of Romans 12:2, written by Paul, says, “Don’t let the world force you into its mold.” Dare to be different. It’s OK to be you and not a cookie-cutter copy of everybody else.

Guideline #4: Define your needs and cater to your wants sparingly. God promised to meet your needs, not your wants. Buy quality, not brands. And if you pay more for something that has someone’s name on it, better ask yourself, “Why am I doing this?”

Guideline #5: Stay out of the mall unless you need something. Ah, you men like that one and you women say, “You don’t understand. I just go to look–not buy.” Right! Like an alcoholic who goes to a bar simply because he likes the friendly environment and smell. People who make shopping a recreation end up spending money they do not have, buying things they generally do not need, to impress people they don’t like. Yes, there is a cure for affluenza.

Resource reading: Daniel 6