Rich enough

My boss is always complaining about not having enough money, much to the amusement of us lowly minions who work for him. Any sympathy he might have had was finally lost when his salary and those of his academic peers were published on the internet. (How many zeros is that??)  It’s particularly frustrating to the student at the bottom of our totem pole, who is sustained by whatever happens to be the vending machine. Conversely, the same student’s parents, who he relies on for money, also frequently complain about their meagre finances. It leads us to the generalisation that the more money someone has, the less well-off they consider themselves to be.

I also succumbed to this mindset recently. My own finances have been a little dire, since I dived recklessly into homeownership. But my mother recently came to my rescue (proving you’re never too old or too proud for a hand-out from mom). Did this relieve my financial anxiety? Strangely, no. I breathed a quick sigh of relief and then tightened my grip on my new fortune.

It just goes to show that, at least for most of us, wealth and poverty have very little to do with numbers. They are truly states of mind. I’m not sure why we feel the need to cling to what we have, even though we clearly have all we need. There must be a great deal of insecurity behind it all. Contrast that with the widow in Mark 12 who had very little money, but was able to give a huge percentage of it to the temple. Maybe she didn’t feel rich, but she felt rich enough to give it away.

It also makes me think that having more than enough is a big responsibility. Given that we’re prone to be tight with our money, you would imagine it to be in our best interests (part of God’s plan) for us to remain poor, or at least just making ends meet. That way God can keep reminding us about our dependence on Him. But, He chooses to bless many of us with much more than we need, maybe hoping (trusting?) that we will not hoard it all to ourselves but use it to help others.    

Philomena

allthesephilomena@yahoo.com

Comments

[Didymus]

Philomena,
Thanks for this. I am seriously contemplating taking a job that would cut my salary by half. This is the exact opposite what seems right, normal and responsible. Your post is a great reminder and encouragement to me.

Thanks,
Didymus

[Lucy]

Wonderful, Philomena. Reminds me of the greater Teacher's words: "Whoever loves money never has money enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with its income.... The sleep of a laborer is sweet, whether he eats little or much, but the abundance of a rich man permits him no sleep." Perhaps the secret lies at the end of Ecclesaistes 5 -- "Moreover, when God gives any man wealth and possessions, and enables him to enjoy them, to accept his lot and be happy in his work -- this is a gift from God. He seldom reflects on the days of his life, because God keeps him occupied with gladness of heart."
Beest,
Lucy