Choose a good reputation over great riches; being held in high esteem is better than silver or gold. – Proverbs 22:1 (NLT)
What do you value most about life?
It's easy in our day to day living – working, paying bills, mowing lawns, shopping, school fees, paying off college fees, driving through the poor side of town, driving through the affluent side of town, comparing outfits houses and holidays… Normal stuff – to allow your focus to prioritise accumulating wealth and material possessions. We’ve all been there: wished for better circumstances, a nicer house, a full bank account when bills arrive (they always seem to arrive when the accounts are on empty… hmm… ) better holidays, a more comfortable job… yep. It's pretty natural to have those thoughts. Wanting to get ahead in life is not at all the problem.
When the desire to accumulate wealth starts to impact your moral decisions in a negative sense, you know you’ve gone too far. Choosing money over morality is never the right choice. And it means that you’ve entered into a space where money is your master – controlling what you say and you do in order to build ‘great riches.'
The deceptive thing about money is that it looks like you can buy everything you’ve ever wanted with it. But as the bank account grows, the ‘want’ and ‘need’ list also grows… Buying more and more will never fill your life with the things that matter.
Jim Carrey has said “I wish everyone would get rich and famous and do everything they ever dreamed of so they can see that it's not the answer.”
There is a space in our inner selves that money cannot fill – it doesn’t fit within. Things that money can’t buy – love, hope, joy, true friendship, authenticity, contentment, peace reside there. They are the heartbeat, the rhythm, the foundation of everything that we are.
Don’t chase after riches… don’t allow amassing wealth and climbing the ladder of perceived success to be your focus. But build into your inner self – what makes you you… When you are the best version of yourself, money can be an amazing tool to bless your family and others. But if money is building your character, you will always end up in debt. Chase after the things that count beyond the bounds of this world. Bless you guys.