YAP ka ba o hindi?

Got this from Arlene aka drumz...


Ang YAP ay acronym for Young Affluent Pretenders o in short, YAPs. Sila yung mga feeling rich, mga wannabes and social climbers na professionals at executives. Karaniwang nasa edad 25 hanggang 40, ang mga YAPs ay paboritong target market, because they'll lap up everything, buy anything, do what it takes as long as everybody else does. Kaya kung may 3330 yung ka-opisina niya, para maging "in" din siya, bibili din siya, kahit hindi niya talaga kailangan. Kung may Palm Pilot, bibili din siya. Kung nagba-bar hopping, magba-bar hopping din siya, basta lang maging "in" or "sosy" siya. They're image-driven, caring deeply about belonging, being called something, which they strive madly for. That's why, kahit hindi niya afford o hindi niya gusto ang pagkain sa isang cafe, pupunta at tatambay pa rin siya dito, just to be seen and just to be "in".

Atleast, masasabi niya, "Well, y'know I had café latte, cappucino and sandwiches there, and I saw this celebrity, and that sports star, and that singer and that famous person." Imbes na bumili ng P5.00 kape sa isang karinderya, they are willing to fork out P100.00 for the same coffee, just for the ambience, and just for the sake of saying, "In ako."

Nakakatawa ba ang lifestyle nila? Ngayon ang tanong, ikaw ba ay isang YAP? The point is, you don't have to be "in"; you just have to be true to yourself, to others and to the Lord. You can dress up in your best designer outfits, splash on the latest cologne or perfume, buy the latest gadgets and go to the trendiest discos, nightspots, exclusive restaurants, cafes, vacation spots, etc. So, do you think after you've gone through all those things you'll be happy? Are you? See!? The point is you don't have to be a YAP. We live in a materialistic age. Gadgets and luxuries with their glitter and glamour entice even Christians to spend too much energy and money to obtain them. That's why it's important to keep spiritual values foremost in our minds. Have you been putting all of your energies into getting ahead in this world while neglecting heavenly values? Jesus said, "Do not labor for the food that perishes, but for the food which endures everlasting life (John 6:27)."

So when looking for a good time, forget about everything commercials tell you. It's okay na mag-bus, mag-jeep o mag-pedicab ka, bumili ng second-hand clothes, kumain sa karinderya o turo-turo at tumambay sa mga restaurant na walang dress code. Forget about the pa-class thing, nobody needs it. Just do whatever it is you feel like doing, wear anything you feel like wearing, evolve into whoever it is you're being. And remember, you don't have to be called anything but your name, to belong to any clique but your own circle of close and trusted friends, or to be anybody but yourself. And before I leave, let me share with you this simple thought:

"What we are is God's gift to us. What we become, is our gift to God."