by J. Michael Shannon | Preaching Magazine, 2026-Winter, 45
There are so many kinds of phobias, it is hard to keep track of them all. There is one called
Plutophobia. It is not fear of the Disney dog Pluto. It is not a fear of the planet Pluto, although
there is a connection. It is fear of wealth. Why? In ancient mythology Pluto was often depicted as
the god of the underworld and sometimes was also depicted as the god of wealth. Not many have
a fear of wealth. It is quite rare. Many people love wealth, or desire it strongly.
Before dismissing this, we should remind ourselves of the things Jesus said about wealth and the
desire for it. There are dangers in the possession and inordinate desire for wealth. But we need
not be afraid of it since it can do some good. Remember the adage that says wealth is a great
servant, but a dangerous master.
