Recently, I watched a show called Squid Game on Netflix. It was gripping—intense from the first episode to the last. With nine episodes packed with suspense, it’s no wonder the show became a global phenomenon, reportedly generating over $900 million in revenue for Netflix.
The story centers on a group of individuals drowning in debt, enticed into a secret competition offering the chance to win an enormous cash prize. The catch? These were seemingly simple childhood games—but with deadly consequences. Lose a round, and you lose your life. What’s shocking is how people, knowing the risks, still chose to return. They preferred the slim hope of riches over the certainty of their current hardships. Even when given a chance to walk away, most stayed. Why? Because of money—the dream of having it all, no matter the cost.
As I watched, it was disturbing to see how easily greed overpowered human relationships. Friends betrayed friends. Loved ones turned against each other. Survival and wealth became the only goals. The series is fiction, but the message isn’t far from reality.
“ADRA doesn’t exist to create billionaires. We exist to restore value to human life—to show that people matter more than profit.“
The Love of Money vs. the Mission of Compassion
Scripture reminds us in 1 Timothy 6:10 that “the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil.” Money itself isn’t evil—it can enable dreams, provide security, and support good work. But when money becomes an obsession, a god, or the measure of success, we lose sight of what truly matters.
At ADRA, we see the exact opposite of this mindset. Every day, we encounter individuals and families who’ve lost everything—not because they gambled it away, but because poverty, disaster, and injustice stripped them bare. They aren’t chasing luxury—they’re simply seeking dignity, opportunity, and hope.
ADRA doesn’t exist to create billionaires. We exist to restore value to human life—to show that people matter more than profit. Our mission is built on justice, compassion, and love—the kind of values that don’t require a prize fund but a willing heart.
A Better Kind of Game
If there’s a “game” to play in this life, it’s not one of survival-of-the-richest. It’s the calling to serve, to lift others, and to live with purpose beyond self. Unlike Squid Games, the work we do through ADRA doesn’t eliminate—it includes. It doesn’t destroy—it restores.
“True wealth is not measured in what fills our wallets, but in what fills our hearts—and in the lives we touch along the way.”
So may we all choose wisely. Let us not be swept away by the thrill of wealth or the fear of not having enough. Let us remember that the greatest return isn’t in what we keep—but in what we give.
Because true wealth is not measured in what fills our wallets, but in what fills our hearts—and in the lives we touch along the way.
Christo Samuel Sanakian
Regional Communications Officer, ADRA Asia
Christo is a communicator and storyteller serving as the Regional Communications Officer for ADRA Asia. Beyond his role, he explores life’s deeper themes—whether through reflections on wealth, nature, or everyday choices—and connects them to ADRA’s mission of justice, compassion, and love.
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