The Economics of Worry

I've heard it said that one major approach to marketing involves two simple steps.

1) Give people something to fear.
2) Convince them that your product will make it go away.

There are other approaches, to be sure, but this one is certainly a common one -- and not least because it works.

In the spirit of fear and economics, here's another angle on a closely related topic — a proposition about fear that can be couched in economic terms.

We worry about things we can afford to worry about.

I came to this conclusion after reflecting on some fears that one of my children is facing. A trivial fear. One that should not cause any real distress at all. But the child sometimes has trouble sleeping at night all on account of this little matter. The whole exercise reminded me of how I, too, live.

I have a warm home. I have food. I have health care. In fact, these things are true of everyone in my family. None of us worry about those things.

So we worry about other things.

For me, family finances are OK for the moment... so I worry about unloading a financial tar baby (yeah, the old FTB) that is actually worth very real money.

My sleepless child? Schoolwork robs this little one of sleep. Ironically, the child is excelling in every class.

How silly are we? An excellent student losing sleep over school. A financially secure man worrying about a financial asset that most people would be delighted to receive as a gift. (Finding a buyer is another story, but I digress!)

Worry is not fun! So why is it that we always worry about something — even when there is nothing important to worry about? If the life of my child were hanging in the balance at a nearby hospital, it's a sure bet I wouldn't be worrying about my FTB!! But my kids are fine. So I worry about my next best options.

How stupid is that.

So a new approach is needed. The goal, I propose, is to remember what I can afford to not worry about. That list is a long one. Thanks be to God, who is my great reward! I can afford to not worry about anything. God is on my side. My eternal future is secure. And I am not alone now in anything I face.

How awesome is that?

Well, I've probably used a thousand words where a hundred would have sufficed, but hopefully in all this rambling I have cemented in an idea which will come back and poke me reproachfully at the appropriate time(s)...

Will I worry about what I can afford to worry about?

Or will I remember what I can afford to not worry about.

Precious Lord, let me do the latter. You paid a heavy price that it would be so.

What a waste to not now live in carefree abandonment to the God who bought my worries and has secured my future.