I Hate MONEY

For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. 1 Timothy6:10a

As of late I have been reading Ecclesiastes for my daily devotions and just thinking a lot about what makes our world tick. Who I really am and what the world then believes I should or need to have. The present state of the United States has really made me think about and evaluate these things.

Then I observed that most people are motivated to success because they envy their neighbors. But this, too, is meaningless—like chasing the wind. Ecclesiastes 4:4

Enjoy what you have rather than desiring what you don’t have. Just dreaming about nice things is meaningless—like chasing the wind. Ecclesiastes 6:9

I read these verses and it really made me sad. In a time when the economy is struggling and people are loosing their houses and times are tough we have car companies offering to pay my car payments if I loose my job? Is this supposed to be a security blanket? I guess I don’t fully understand as then in the end I would be out a car as I traded the one I had in or sold it. It is just another way they are trying to tempt me to buy a new car. So there I sit all because I thought I needed or wanted to “Keep up with the Joneses” carless. Sad but true our culture has a phrase for keeping up with others. Here is what wikipedia.org says about this phrase “"Keeping up with the Joneses" is a catchphrase in many parts of the English-speaking world referring to the comparison to one's neighbor as a benchmark for social caste or the accumulation of material goods. To fail to "keep up with the Joneses" is perceived as demonstrating socio-economic or cultural inferiority.” Inferiority? Really I mean will it ever end in our society?

I sat this morning and talked with a good friend and we talked briefly about this. How we would want something to remain cool or try to hold onto that. It is amazing to see the shift in our minds “I am not cool anymore” but that really doesn’t matter does it? In the sense of the kingdom of God cool means something totally different and it is that realization that means the world to me that I can sit with good friends and discuss how image, what we have and how we are perceived by what we have isn’t really what matters but instead serving Him in the ways of our lives is what is truly important to us. Because after all isn't that so much better than a "chasing after the wind"? I mean in the end atleast we know we will meet Him and not be endlessly chasing after something that we will never find or see?

Those who love money will never have enough. How meaningless to think that wealth brings true happiness! The more you have, the more people come to help you spend it. So what good is wealth—except perhaps to watch it slip through your fingers!
Ecclesiastes 5:10-11

This verse kind of makes me laugh as I think about the wedding planning going on in my life right now and talk to vendors and friends about the situation. I look at how many people want a take of the money we will spend on our special day. It is just crazy to think what people will charged for. Things that ring through my head are the charges for banquet rooms (at restaurants or places that serve food) for a reception I mean honestly? I quoted one guy on saying “We don’t charge a room rental fee because we don’t charge you for a seat in our restaurant do we?” How true is this? It really made me appreciate the approach of this place when it came down to it. Another thought is some places charge as much as $2.75 a piece of cake to cut and serve it. I mean really? It almost seems that society has come to the point that we want to take advantage of other peoples happiness if we can because when people are happy they will spend and do whatever they want to have things special or their way.

So I guess I never actually thought I would catch myself saying this, but one day while walking around my house this actually verbally came out of my mouth. “I hate MONEY” Now granted I was home alone and just doing a lot of thinking about life and society. Does that mean I am really living out what the bible says about money? Doubt it as I still think about a new car or a big screen TV or even a new camera lens but I guess I really don’t know. All I do know is I am working on it as it stirs within me……..