I want to take a couple posts to write about something I’ve
never written about in any length on this blog. Something we all talk about,
think about, and pray for more of. Something we all, “always need a little more
of,” “Can’t get enough of,” and, “wish we could just keep around a little
longer.” You know, that green stuff you keep tucked away in a chunk of leather
you sit on (fellas) or loose in your purse (ladies). Uh huh, money.
Recently I watched a little thing about the “Wealth inequality in America” where some guy ranted about how some people are rich and
have money while some people don’t. Noble, right? Kind of like Robin Hood,
“Let’s take their money and give it to those who don’t have any.” And I’d
agree, if for a few massive issues.
I’d agree that distributing wealth would be great, if people
worked hard and still didn’t have enough. I’d agree if every person on the poor
end of his scale was diligent and honest, but still couldn’t get by, then it
would be fair to have the wealthy give to help out the average Joe who is still
broke after a long hard day of difficult work. At least that’s the real story
of Robin Hood, right - stealing from the dishonest wealthy to help the honestly
diligent poor? (But let’s face it neither the poor nor the rich are all
honest.)
But then there’s this reality of folks that sit around and take in what the government gives them and are still part of the
“poor.” There’s a whole bunch of folks working their tails off for long hours
at 2 or 3 jobs to get their kids some food, then there is the ones sitting on
the couch with their brand new video game, iPhone5 and a bag of Cheetoes and
fat-kid fingers – all of which were paid for from the Social Security
withholdings of the diligent worker…
Yet, that’s not even the problem. The video would have you
believe the problem is that some people have too much money, that they're the
reason you're miserable and in debt and can’t scrape by every month – let me
break it to easy, thy're not your problem, you’re your problem.
You see there’s the “Standard of Living” stuff we’re trying
to live up to. There’s that ideal of what we want our lives to be like set out
by magazines and movie stars and whoevers telling you to buy the flat screen
plasma TV and the super sexy purse made of moon dust and sunbeams (or whatever)
and that’ll make your “Standard of Living” better because, “You deserve
better/more.”
Nah, you don’t deserve or even need more or better – to be
biblical you don’t even deserve life or air or water.
Money has been in my thoughts a ton recently because of
being married and needing to pay our bills and eat. A few nifty little tid-bits
are coming from these thoughts too, something’s I’d like to share here on the
blog. So for the next few posts help me think through – or out loud – the matters
of money.
