Welcome to today’s shrinkflation. Shrinkflation is the reduction of quantity/quality of a commodity without corresponding price reduction. We end up paying more for less. It’s noticeable with anything we buy — no product is immune. Shrinkflation has side effects, both negative and positive that can affect us spiritually.

Negatively, shrinkflation can cause us to be depressed. We remember when gasoline, groceries, health insurance, postage stamps and daycare cost so much less. Not being able to meet monthly expenses can create unresolved anger, resulting in our being more irritable and less patient with people. Having to cut back on certain expenses may prevent us from doing things with dear friends, causing us to withdraw from social circles. Shrinkflation especially affects those who are retired, living on a fixed income. If you are a sports fan family, forget about going to a sporting event — the costs for travel, tickets, parking and eats are just prohibitive. Shrinkflation can cause us to be more vulnerable to the herd mentality of the culture around us. At times, how others around us feel and think can have a negative effect on what we believe and make us prone to give in to peer pressure.

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The saying goes: “It’s easy to love those living in far off places; the hard part is living with my neighbor right next door.” Hopefully, when we see a person hurting, we hurt for that person and help that person help themselves.

Now the positive effects. Shrinkflation can jar us to remember what really matters. Jesus reminds us: “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 than food and the body more than clothes?” (Matt.6:25) Life, you see, revolves around God, not our creature comforts. It’s trusting in Christ more than anyone or anything else that can help us wisely navigate through shrinkflation.

Secondly, hopefully shrinkflation is helping us have more empathy for those less fortunate right around us. The saying goes: “It’s easy to love those living in far off places; the hard part is living with my neighbor right next door.” Hopefully, when we see a person hurting, we hurt for that person and help that person help themselves.

Shrinkflation doesn’t shrink the Gospel of Christ. There is no such thing as good people and bad people, for we all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. God’s grace is there as we turn from sin. God’s love for you and me never diminishes.

Lastly, Christ’s love can show us how to share with others so they want to share with us and a culture of sharing is created amongst God’s people. The blessings of shared love are so much more than the challenges of shrinkflation. As we love and share God’s blessings, we can do more together than what we can individually. This is precisely how the first followers of Jesus lived. Acts 2:42-47 shows how these believers, with the love of Jesus, overcame the shrinkflation of their day.

So, no matter the negative and positive side effects of shrinkflation, let us keep on loving God by loving people.