“Money could buy you a house, but it can’t buy you a home. Money can buy you a bed, but it can’t buy you rest. Money could buy you food, but it can’t buy you an appetite. Money can buy you information, but it can’t buy you wisdom. Money can buy you medicine, but it can’t buy you health. Money could buy you associates, but it can’t buy you friends. Money could buy you servants, but it can’t buy you loyalty. Money could buy you flattery, but it can’t buy you respect. Money can buy you thrills, but it can’t buy you joy.”
Why is there this insatiable appetite for money? The answer is that money represents potential. People think, “The more money I have, the more potential I have.”
What human beings really want is potential. What they want to feel is that “I have infinite potential.” And mistakenly, they think that money represents fulfillment of that potential in life, but that’s not really the case. Our real potential lies in how we spend our days, in our relationships, and in the purpose and meaning of our lives.
Someone once asked a group of people,
“Would you want to switch places with Warren Buffett? He’s worth $150 billion.”
Everyone raised their hand. But then he said, “One minute. You know, Warren Buffett is 95 years old, so if you switch places with him, you’re also gonna be 95.”
Suddenly, everyone’s hand went down.
Money is not an end unto itself. If you were alone on a deserted island with $100 million dollars, what would you do with the money?
Money is a means to something else. If we use our money properly, to give other people a chance, to help people, lift them up, then we’re fulfilling our potential. But if we only accumulate and amass, we’re forgetting our real purpose and potential in this world.
Today’s Parable
There was a wealthy man traveling from town to town to do business. He dealt with a lot of cash in his business, and there were times when he couldn’t carry all the cash with him.
One day, he left a great amount of money hidden in his hotel room.
When he got back that evening, the first thing he did was find the bag of cash and count all the paper money to be sure no one had discovered the hiding place and stolen from him.
All the bills were there.
Next, he began counting the change. He counted each penny, nickel, dime, and quarter.
When he finished the tedious work of counting a bag full of small change, he thought to himself,
“I must be crazy. If they didn’t steal the bills, why would anyone steal the coins?”
It was then that he realized all the money he earned was a gift from God.
He prayed with a different mindset. One not based on suspicion, but rather on gratitude.
Thank You, God. I’m alive. My eyes open. I can see. I can hear. I can eat. I can stand erect. I have my wife. I have my children. I have family and friends. You gave me the ability to earn great sums of money for sustenance and charity. I will no longer worry about losing money or even making money. I trust in You. I refuse to be stressed out or suspicious because of money. Dear God, You gave me the essentials. I will live my potential today, tomorrow, and always.