Is Wanting Money Wrong? Ep. 153

For years, we’ve been programmed to believe that wanting money isn’t very noble. In fact, having lived most of my life in the Christian sub-culture, I’ve struggled with the idea that money is bad. When I was 18, I was involved in Multi-Level Marketing and I was turned onto books like Think and Grow Rich, As a Man Thinketh, The Magic of Thinking Big and more. I was given these by Christian leaders in our business… and the books have this quasi-Christian undertone, but … As I got older and I became more entrenched in the evangelical Christian culture, I heard a different message. It implied … money should be the last thing on which we focus. Yes, most will say “it’s the love of money…” But as soon as you doing something in an effort to financially improve yourself, you’re made to feel like you’re loving money. But there was a double-standard that popped up. There was this mixed message that was given. It Seems Working for Money Is Frowned Upon but Asking for Money is Ok I can tell you… money isn’t bad when there’s a ministry or organization that needs it. That’s when they go after people with a lot of money; wine and dine them and treat them like gold itself, in order to curry their favor and garner a donation. I’ve worked in Christian radio for years and been bewildered by the difference in the message between normal days and the days when we’re raising money. Most days, it’s a message that says life is about a lot more than money and we won’t find any satisfaction in have more money. Pledge Drive or Share-a-thon days are filled with messages that say “money is the only thing that’s going to keep us afloat” and “we need three more people with a monthly gift of $20 right now.” We vilify people with a lot of money all year long and then for two weeks we work to gain their favor. If You Live in the Western World - You’re Rich. Which makes me wonder, should I be driving around in a $10,000 car (not expensive at all) talking about how working for money is bad or less noble than something else? I always struggled with the idea that we spend $50 on a night at the movies and convince people they shouldn’t focus on making money. It’s all relative. It all depends on what you believe is normal. But, is there a permissible norm? If I grew up in a 20,000 square foot home with a parent driving a Bentley, what would I think is “focusing too much on money?" If you grew up in a public housing project with one car to the family and it was barely running, what would you consider is “focusing too much on money?" Isn’t it all relative? To one person a brand new Toyota is sacrificing and to another person this is a grand luxury. So, What Does it All Come Down To? It comes down to your heart. All these moral rules we’re give are NOT about segregating those who will die and go up versus those who will die and go down. It’s just not… All this morality we find about not loving money, is to keep us from mentally living in hell right now. Loving money will leave you frustrated, in turmoil and and tormented by the chase. Love people, love service, love helping those who have a need. When you do this, the world has a way of rewarding you with all the feelings you hope to get from having money. Significance Personal Value Purpose Here’s an important distinction - Having money is great. Having money is an indicator you helped a lot of people get what they wanted. This isn’t the case for everybody, but for someone who does what we said minutes ago, focuses on service and let’s the rewards come on their own, money is a great thing. Serve More.. Have More. But, this doesn’t answer my original question of whether WANTING money is wrong. I honestly don’t think it’s a question of RIGHT vs WRONG. It’s a matter of whether you’re doing what is healthiest for you. Is wanting a burger wrong? Is wanting a gin and tonic wrong? If you want a gin and tonic because you’re hoping it will address your internal pain, it’s not WRONG in a good person vs bad-person kind of way, but it’s certainly not the best thing for you, given your needs. The same goes for foods and yes, shopping.. houses, cars, vacations. If you are seeking comfort for your soul in what you have, then you are honestly cutting yourself short of the amazing life you can have. Is that being a bad person or a person who is missing something? Ask Yourself Today, What’s Motivating Me? Try to shift to a motivation of service. Serve people. Joyously and generously give of yourself to others as they need. Don’t be foolish, don’t give something of value to you to someone who finds no value in it. This is the scripture that says “Don’t cast your pearls before swine.” This is just wisdom. It’s not some magical “I’ll make the God-daddy in the sky happy.” The God-man in the sky is nothing but happy. you can’t make our creator more or less happy.