According to the dictionary the definition of the word “inflation” means to increase in volume or value. The irony is when certain things inflate they actually decrease in value. As a teacher one cannot help but be aware of grade inflation, GPA’s continue to rise without a corresponding correlation of increased knowledge or understanding. Twenty-five years ago a 3.0 GPA could easily be today’s 4.0.
Then there is the size of people. Airlines have adjusted seat size to accommodate our larger bottoms. And of course I have to mention the inflation of language. Celebrities used to be stars. Now they have to be super stars, even if they only had a bit part in some B grade movie. The adjectives huge, astonishing, great, immense, fabulous and tremendous are so over-used they don’t mean much – a prime example of inflation causing deflation. And I must confess I am overly tired of “Breaking News” followed by a news item reported two days earlier. Cannot stations buy a thesaurus?
This brings me to one precious thing that cannot be inflated. I speak of course of God’s love for us. Paul tries to describe it but fails to find grand enough words. “And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.” Ephesians 3
His love for us surpasses our understanding, because in our eyes we cannot understand God’s obsession with us. But, I accept. This love is impossible to inflate. It is already mega-huge.
Written by Roger Bothwell on August 13, 2017
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