Kids Who Have Too Much

If we relentlessly pursue “the American Dream” and the desire to pass the material benefits of the good life on to our kids, bad things happen. Experts who work with kids who have been given too much by their parents have developed diagnoses known as “Affluenza” and “Rich Kids Syndrome.” The disease is as common in middle-class and lower-class home as it is in homes with lots of money. The danger lies in the fact that we are fostering and encouraging idolatry. Our lives and actions should communicate to our kids that the best life is found by living in relationship with God, living out His will, and by pursuing His standards of “success.” The “best life” consists of directing all we have, all we do, and all we are toward loving and serving God in every nook, cranny, and minute of our lives. The “best life” includes the ability to tell the difference between “needs” and “wants.” And then, because of our love for Him, we should love those around us as He has loved us.