You won’t find the word “inflation” in the Bible. However, that doesn’t mean it’s not addressed or experienced. Inflation has been around since the dawn of civilization, and Scripture deals with it.
Economic inflation is a persistent increase in the level of consumer prices or a persistent decline in the purchasing power of money. Basically, my stuff costs more, and I get less bang for my buck.
Inflation punches the middle class in the gut and ruthlessly obliterates the families already living in poverty. Inflation is the biggest, ugliest playground bully that we all run home and cry to momma about. He doesn’t play fair, he throws sand into the wind and on the off-chance that he is absent for the day, you can’t even celebrate because deep down you know he’ll return tomorrow. Oh, the dread of inflation.
Standing here in the summer of 2022, my family is definitely feeling the heat - and I’m not referring to the temperature of Hell outside. We have less margin and are having to be more strategic in our spending. I’ll share 5 ways we are trying to beat inflation later; but first, let’s take a collective deep breath and remember...
Inflation is part of the natural rhythms of life
While it’s true that we are face-to-face with global inflation and there appears to be no end in sight, the good news is that inflation is not new to the human experience. We’ve been here before… or at least someone has been here before. Generations before us have weathered the storms of unpredictable, sometimes unmanageable, inflation.
Almost 2900 years ago the Israelites faced apocalyptic inflation. The enemy had laid siege to the capital city resulting in famine, a lack of goods and out-of-control inflation. Second Kings 6:25 underscores the severity of the situation:
“As a result, there was a great famine in the city. The siege lasted so long that a donkey’s head sold for eighty pieces of silver, and a cup of dove’s dung sold for five pieces of silver.”
Inflation was so extreme that food and fuel had become luxuries - people were eating donkey’s heads and burning dove’s droppings, if they could afford them. Cannibalism was on the horizon and not off the table of options. Thankfully, I’m only considering if Netflix is still adding value to my family, not which of my five children will be on the menu next week.
Clearly, inflation has been around a long time. The examples in Scripture also show just how complex it is - it’s often exacerbated by war, supply chain disruptions, lockdowns (sieges), and limited energy supply. As trade and commerce are restricted and weighed down with multi-variable complexities, inflation soars.
Pause.
I’m not an economist like Dr. Vance Ginn. and I’m pretty certain that I only made a B in my economics class due to the generosity of my teacher. I can make no projections on the future of our economy with any real economic credibility; but I can attack inflation from the angle of Bible prophecy.
The FINAL inflation cycle of human history
There is a generation that will not experience the rise and fall of inflation like all the previous generations. This final generation will walk through a unique inflation that continues to rise and only finds its relief in the return of Christ. When the Kingdom of Heaven overthrows the governments of this world, then the final inflation will be defeated.
We know that the end of days will have inflation like the world has never seen. When the Third Horseman of the Apocalypse rides, hyperinflation is inevitable according to Revelation 6:5-6:
“And I looked, and behold, a black horse! And its rider had a pair of scales in his hand. And I heard what seemed to be a voice in the midst of the four living creatures, saying, “A quart of wheat for a denarius, and three quarts of barley for a denarius, and do not harm the oil and wine!””
When Jesus opens the third seal (in a series of 7 seals), a rider on a black horse goes out into all the earth. Some postulate that the first four seals were opened centuries ago and have been in play for ages. It is true that war, death, famine and inflation have taken the spoils of civilizations before. However, they were dress rehearsals for the main event, the final event, the event that will give witness to all four horses, riding simultaneously, globally.
When we see the age of grace coming to a close, we will see these horses make their final ride.
From the text in Revelation, we have some idea of what to expect:
“Scales in his hand”
Destruction will come through extreme, and possibly unjust, measurement - hyperinflation!“A quart of wheat for a denarius, and three quarts of barley for a denarius”
A single loaf of wheat bread (or 3 loaves of barley) will cost an entire day’s wage. Do the math. Imagine a world where you spend each Wednesday earning a loaf of Wonder Bread. I don’t want to even think about how much King’s Hawaiian rolls will cost.If basic commodities, such as wheat and barley, will become luxuries, we can make some assumptions about rarer commodities. The fancy cookies that require imported cocoa and are drizzled with rainforest dew will likely not make the shopping list, if they are even available on the shelves at all.
It’s interesting that grains are specifically listed here as a highly-impacted commodity in the end of days. The world’s wheat supply continues to be pummeled by war and weather events. Just recently, opposing leaders, Putin and Zelensky, took a break from war moves to discuss wheat supply and distribution. If this is indeed the final end-of-days inflation, wheat will be a bellwether.
Famine will be a result of hyperinflation, especially for third world nations and those in poverty. The number of natural events, and many that are not so “natural,” that are devastating grain, meat, and food production and distribution are astounding. Moreover, the word “famine” has been littering more headlines than usual.
“do not harm the oil and the wine!”
Most scholars believe this indicates that the inflation will not be felt by the rich. Inflation, especially hyperinflation, will divide us all into a two class system - “the haves” and “the have nots.”
Could we now be living in the shadow of the fast-approaching final black horse? Whether the final black horse or not, today’s inflation sure feels ominously dark.
Thankfully, there’s hope.
5 WAYS OUR FAMILY INTENDS TO BEAT INFLATION
Inflation is not only survivable, it is an opportunity to prosper if approached with solid biblical wisdom and measured steps. Your financial portfolio may take a hit, but your heart doesn’t have to. Here are the ways we are currently standing up to the bully:
We don’t drop a dime.
Know where your money is actually going. Every dollar. Go through your bank statement and make sure you aren’t paying for a subscription or service you no longer need. Chances are you are throwing away money somewhere. If you drop enough dimes, they become dollars. Don’t drop a dime.
Our family loves to track our spending with Every Dollar. Yes, my son-in-law works for Ramsey Solutions, but I’m not getting paid to recommend it. It’s truly a great tool that helps keep the whole family on budget.We’ve decided what hills we are willing to die on.
Take inventory of what you can and can’t live without. Do you really need Netflix? Is Starbucks really necessary, or will Folgers do? For most of us, inflation is going to require a shift in priorities. It will be helpful to sit down and write out, in order of priority, a) what you need to survive, b) what you need to feel human, and c) what you hope to enjoy for as long as funds allow. One side benefit of 2022’s inflation? Our generation may finally learn the difference between a want and need.We’ve become planning ninjas.
Planning prospers productivity. Sit down at the beginning of the week (and the beginning of the day!) and plan how to maximize your time, travel, consumption, and value.With all that we have to do this week, how can we organize it so that we spend less on fuel and time? (Spending less on fuel is an obvious win. Freeing up more of my time possesses even greater value!)
Is there something I can do with my spare time that saves money, makes money or adds value to my family and community?
Is there a better time of day to cook, clean, do chores that saves money on utilities, gives me a higher return on energy and health, or increases my creativity and focus?
Since the markets are volatile and going down, everything is on sale! Do I have any money to invest?
Is food going bad before it’s used? Will smaller, more frequent trips to the market solve this?
Can I buy nonperishables in bulk to save money?
Sit down and think through all your systems. Your system is perfectly designed for the results you are currently getting. You are in a very different world now, and old keys won’t open new doors.
We’ve upped our fitness game.
Make consistent investments into all of your fitness accounts:Physical Fitness. Get off the couch and move. (It’s ironic that I just typed that line while reclining on my couch. Don’t worry, I promise to walk in a moment.) We all know the benefits of exercise, so I won’t bore you with those details. But really, it’s time.
Emotional Fitness. Nothing sures up emotional health like gratitude. Keep a gratitude journal and write down three things each day that you are grateful for.
Spiritual Fitness. Spend time in the Word, in prayer, in worship and in community. Bullies may not run from you, but they do run from Jesus.
Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:6-7)
Relational Fitness. Stress always results in disconnection. Now is not the time to isolate or play hard to get. Lean hard into relationships. Communicate clear and often. Be gracious with words and generous with gestures. While we’re at it, we should probably stop with the victim mentality and pity parties. As the saying goes, “The phone works both ways, honey.” Pick it up and call them even if they haven’t called you. Those who value keeping connection don’t have time to keep score.
Financial Fitness. Hopefully, I’ve spurred some new thoughts for you on ways you can steward your finances well during this season. I would love to hear your ideas, tips and tricks on staying financially fit. Please leave a comment so we can all benefit together! The greatest financial fitness principle I know deserves its own heading, because it has been the single most effective strategy for our family. That leads us to our final inflation hack…
We believe that generosity leads to prosperity.
Keeping my heart generous and living with an open hand toward God and others is our secret weapon. I can’t afford to let financial uncertainty dictate my level of generosity. When I’m generous, my soul prospers! When I give into fear and a scarcity mindset, hopelessness rules my heart.
When Abraham tithed to Melchizedek in Genesis 14, it was after Melchizedek had blessed him, not before. Abraham didn’t tithe because he was hoping to manipulate the hand of the priest and get blessed. Abraham tithed because it was the natural response from a heart that was walking in blessing. Yes, we are blessed to be a blessing.
We do not give because we hope that Jesus will meet our needs. God isn’t a vending machine that responds to our gift. We cheerfully give because God has been faithful and will always be faithful. It’s through the generous nature of Christ that we are empowered to walk out radical generosity.
To be fair, I’ve never walked through this degree of global financial chaos before. The jury is still out on how I will fare leading my family through it all. I’m learning as I go. What about you? What tips, tricks and ideas can you share with us? Please leave a comment below; it may just be the idea that helps someone else stay standing.
Whether this is the final inflation or just another of many, you can stand against the big bully with confidence. All you need is a clearly-defined plan, a little bit of wisdom, a whole lot of consistency and a playground friend named “Jesus.”
You nailed it PT! The only thing I can add is if you are going to cut back on driving to visit family or friends, don't let it become a deficit in that relationship. Pick up the phone more often and talk to them so you don't isolate yourself. Example.....I've talked to my Mother on the phone everyday this week because I'm working this weekend and she is newly retired so, she has more free time! :)
Great read! Love how you reference biblical prophecy to help gauge the times we’re in.
Fin tip: It was alluded to in the planning ninjas section. But combining a flexible side hustle with a passion or recreational activity. Need some time alone, do DoorDash/UberEats. Need a creative outlet, post your creations on social media, gain following and monetize, etc, you get the idea.
Anyway, looking forward to your next post.