"Money always wants to be more than money"

"Empty Promises" - Chapter Six

"It's interesting that Jesus talked more about money than he did about heaven, hell and prayer combined.  Was it because he was fixated on it?  No, but he knew we would be." - pg.92

Money makes the world go 'round....right?  Well, it sure seems that way sometimes. But we all know it really doesn't, don't we? --  I was tempted to skim through this chapter because I figure most of us get this one.  I mean, we ALL know that money doesn't buy happiness.... but as I started reading the chapter, I realized there's a big difference between just knowing something to be true and really believing it to be true.

I grew up in a middle class family.  My Dad was a college professor at a small university in southern Arkansas.  My mom never worked outside the home, so we lived on Dad's income, which was modest.  Both my parents grew up during the depression, and it obviously shaped their views on money.  To say that they were "frugal" would be a serious understatement.   They didn't spend a DIME that wasn't absolutely necessary.

Dinnertime was always a surprise at our house, since Mom's grocery budget for our family of 3 was $25 a week.  TWENTY-FIVE DOLLARS... a WEEK!!  Can you IMAGINE??   (We are lucky if we spend less than $25 a DAY these days... but I digress.)   Anyway.... in order to manage to buy a week's worth of groceries for $25, she shopped alot in the bargin bins that were located at the very back of our local Piggly Wiggly.  In those bins were the dented cans... and cans without labels.  So our kitchen cabinets were filled with tons of those plain silver cans they only charged a nickel for.   I remember SO many nights, as Mom was cooking whatever meat we were going to be eating that night, she'd tell me to pick out a vegetable from the cabinet.  Well, I would stand there in front of the "cabinet of plain silver cans" desperately hoping I would pick out a vegetable that I liked.  "Please, please let it be corn, or green beans", I would pray to myself.   I would always be SO bummed if I opened the can to find carrots, asparagus or BEETS.  Gross.  But there was no negotiating...  you ate whatever you opened.  I remember those evenings, sitting at our little yellow kitchen table, trying to gulp down some beets and dreaming of the day when I had enough money that I could actually buy cans with the labels ON them so you'd know what you were opening ahead of time.

Well, those days are here.  But as I walk around the grocery store, picking out cans of corn or green beans (and sometimes asparagus... but still NEVER carrots or beets) do I find myself truly grateful for that prayer that's been answered.  No... I actually find myself complaining about having the same old boring things to cook or eat.   Having more money to buy cans with labels has not made my life happier or more peaceful.

"There is zero correlation between money and true peace. Zero." - pg 92

Even though I know that statement to be true, because I've experienced it on many levels in my life, I still find myself thinking, "but it sure would be fun to see what being rich is like!"..... and I still find myself day-dreaming at times about what it would be like to not have any financial stress.  However, the question of "how much money does it take to not have financial stress" is the tricky part.

"How much money do you think you need to be totally financially secure?  I think the answer to that question is the same for all of us.  More than you currently have." - pg 96

That's the thing.  EVERYONE I know wishes they had just "a little" more money.  And I know rich people, middle class people, and poor people.  They all think they would be completely satisfied with just a little more.   But money will never be more than just... money.  What money CAN'T do is give you lasting security, peace, or happiness...

What do you think?   Do you struggle with making money an "idol" at times???   One of the things that Pete suggests in the book to avoid the "money idol" syndrome is to focus more on giving.  I know, I know... I'm having the same thought you are right now... "If I had just a little more money, I'd be GLAD to give more of it away."   The truth is, "If you can't be generous with what you have now, you will probably never be generous with more." -pg 102

It's not about the amount of money we have or don't have.  It's about our hearts.  It's about how money is used to change us, for the better or worse.

How about you guys??  Do you feel you have a good grasp of your money? .. or does it have a good grasp on you?

*Italics are direct quotes from Pete Wilson's book "Empty Promises"