Friday, October 29, 2010

MONEY - ASSET OR CURSE


Good Evening to All!

I was reading some comments from some blogger friends when I ran across Sister Sheena's Blog and found the following, which she gave me permission to use. Thank you Sister Sheena. I thought is so appropriate for today.

Yes, I know that everything is expensive. That is the first thing out of most people's mouths when they go to buy something. The only thing is it seems that money has become more than a necessity to us. Yes, we need it to buy food, clothing and such, but it also seems like the more we make, the more we want, the more we make and on and on. We are NEVER satisfied. God said to be anxious for nothing.

You know, I was going to put a picture up top of "the glory of God" which is a picture of the heavens, but changed my mind. I keep having these random thoughts come into my mind. The post below is going to be talking about money, what it can buy and what it can't. Rather than the affore mentioned picture, I have decided to go with the Cross, because that is something else money cannot buy, OUR SALVATION.

Asset or Curse

Money can buy you bed but not sleep
Money can buy books but not brains
Money can buy food but not appetite
Money can buy finery but not beauty
Money can buy a house but not a home
Money can buy medicine but not health
Money can buy luxuries but not culture
Money can buy amusement but not happiness
Money can buy legal rights but not moral rights
Money can buy principal but not principles and honor.

If you will notice, what this says "money can buy" are man made, what it says it can't are "God Given". Why do we humans place so much emphasis on Money? It seems like our whole lives evolve around it. We seem to place it above everything else. Unfortunately, we also teach the same thing to our children by example. In stead of giving them money every time they ask for it give them an allowance and when that runs out that's it. It will teach them to hang on to it a little longer for something they want more. Instead of working extra hours and then when problems arise with your teen, instead of saying "I've given you everything". Try not working so many hours and spending more time with your kids and listening to them before they are teens. I know you're probably thinking "I've got some nerve trying to tell you how to raise your children. I'm not trying to do that.

I'm trying to tell you that "the love of money is the root of all evil". If the devil can't twist things around to make you justify reasons for not being home, not teaching your children the love of God instead of the love of money, then he has accomplished his goal and the trouble begins.

While money is necessary to live, the love of money can be curbed. The old adage "the more you make the more you'll spend is so true. So is the more you get the more you want.


I know this is going to sound morbid, and I don't know where this came from, but if you knew you were going to die tonight, what would you wish your children could learn from you? What would be your legacy? Work til you drop so your kids could have all the neat new gadgets, or love for one another by spending time with each other? Love for God, or Saturday partying and Sunday sleep-in? Risque movies, or wholesome movies and good books? Think about these things and then sit down in the quiet sometime and write a list of your priorities now, and then what you would like them to be.

Reading this made me think of this verse-- Matthew 6:25: Therefore, I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment? .

This is talking about how God takes care of us. The verse following it wants us to look at the birds and how God got takes care of them. He says we are better than they, so don't we think God would take better care of us?

While I may be taking this in a different direction, I want to point out that according to His Word, God shall supply all our needs. Not our "wants" unless our wants are in the will of God, but our needs.

Money has become so important to us now days, it is literally becoming a "god" to a lot of us meaning we work (when we don't really have to) just to make a little extra money so we can have more "THINGS". This is not a good thing. If you don't believe me, ask a child whose mommy or daddy is very seldom around because they are "too busy" earning money to give their child "everything. I bet if you ask the child which he would prefer, he would tell you he would rather mommy or daddy spend more time with him. That is what is important, not "things". The sad thing is that children learn what they see, so when they grow up and have kids of their own, their kids will miss out on their parent's time also. It's sad enough when just one generation goes through it, but hopefully learns to forgive, but to carry it through generations is catastrophic. We have generations upon generations of neglected children. Yes, I said neglected. Yeah, I know " I worked so they could have everything". Everything that really wasn't important.

Money needs to be put back in its place. Low on the totem pole. Priorities are; GOD FIRST, FAMILY SECOND, AND THEN EVERYTHING ELSE meaning money, jobs, or anything else.) It should be God first because if we put Him first in our lives everything else will fall into place. By putting Him first, I am talking, living for Him, loving Him, abiding by His Word. Then everything else will work out.

Before I close, just a quick after thought. I was looking for a picture of the Bible, and the above picture caught my eye. God said "He would supply all our need". We are his "bride" and He is the groom. Don't most husband's want to support their families? Our relationship to God is like a marriage. He wants to support us and give us what we need, and we should let Him. This means making time for our families instead of working the extra hours. A "strong" family is a family who is close. who talk to one another, and spend time learning from each other. We have things to learn from our children just like they have things to learn from us, but neither can be accomplished if we spend all our time trying to make money to buy them things which they will get bored with in a month or two or grow out of in a couple of months. They will never grow out of your love.

Money cannot buy you the things that truly matter.

Good Night and May God Bless!

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2 comments:

Sister Sheena said...

Wow... I'm really proud of it...
Thank you very much!!!
all you said is really true,
I hope very one can understand it deeply...
all the best and by the way you right very interesting... i read it...
all the best and God bless!!!

Sr. Sheena

Lori said...

Very interesting post, PJ. Lots of good stuff here. I agree that money is necessary to live, but money certainly can't buy happiness.