Affluenza - when too much is never enough

According to Clive Hamilton, who wrote a book called by the title above, there is a disease that has gripped this and most other western nations that has now been given an official psychological title: the author cites his own dictionary meaning as follows:

Affluenza (n). 1 The bloated sluggish and unfulfilled feeling that results from efforts to keep up the the Joneses. 2. An epidemic of stress, overwork and indebtedness caused by dogged pursuit of the Australian dream. 3. An unsustainable addiction to economic growth

Jesus had something to say about this way before Clive. His words were recorded in a few places in the gospels

25 “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? 26 Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27 Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life ?
28 “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29 Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30 If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? 31 So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. Matthew 6

He also told a story about a bloke who decided to work hard on his retirement plan:

13 Someone in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.” 14 Jesus replied, “Man, who appointed me a judge or an arbiter between you?” 15 Then he said to them, “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.” 16 And he told them this parable: “The ground of a certain rich man produced a good crop. 17 He thought to himself, ‘What shall I do? I have no place to store my crops.’ 18 “Then he said, ‘This is what I’ll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. 19 And I’ll say to myself, “You have plenty of good things laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry.” ’ 20 “But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?’ 21 “This is how it will be with anyone who stores up things for himself but is not rich toward God.”



Let me itemize or summarise what Jesus reveals as the way to avoid getting infected with affluenza.

1. CHOOSE NOT TO WORRY ABOUT POSSESSIONS Make a decision to value other things than possessions; people and their well being, the community, the church, the work fo the kingdom


2. EXERCISE A DELIBERATE TRUST IN GOD TO PROVIDE FOR YOUR NEEDS If you think you have to work hard at getting security from money and investments and all the things that this world cares about make a deliberate choice to start trusting God more.


3. SEEK THE KINGDOM OF GOD When you think about a situation or a day, think about what God wants to accomplish and decide to make yourself available to become involved in that. Look for what will glorify God and do that. Don't look for what suits you or makes you feel comfortable. Don't do what everyone else is doing.

4. GIVE THE MAJOR ATTENTION TO WHAT IS HAPPENING NOW Don't make decisions today about what might or mightn't happen in the future. Give yourself fully to doing what is righteous and what brings the kingdom of God today.

Happy hunting. Be freed from affluanza forever

Brian