Rich/Poor

August 13, 2009 in Family,Prayer/Faith with 6 Comments

Times are tight.  It’s no secret for anyone.  Money is harder to come by, and when you come by it, you have to work twice as hard to get it.  Everyone knows that nowadays.

When I was in my early 20′s. (Words I never thought I’d say) I was a bar manager.  What that meant was I got paid 800 dollars base every week.  I also got to take 4 bar shifts of my choice. What that means is I was making an additional 500-800 dollars depending on the week.   Do the math.  It was a good amount of money.  I’m not saying I was rich, but what I am saying is I had money.  Now, what I was spending that money on is something different.  I was spending that money to fill a void.  I spent it to feel accepted.  I spent it (at least 100 dollars a day) to get high/drunk.

Now.  I work as an IT professional.  I’m not going to say my salary, because I’ll probably get laughed off of the interwebs, and we don’t want that.  I have money, but it’s tight.  But what else I have is incomparable. I have a wife who loves me, a strong support from friends and a little baby girl on the way.  I have a found love from Jesus Christ, who died for everything I did when I was at the bar.  And last but not least, I have peace.  Peace.

So, as I sit here convicted, constantly stressing about my bank account and how much money goes into it versus how much comes out, I am reminded by my Savior and Lover of my soul, I am rich in so many other things that money doesn’t really matter.

AND: If I sit around all day long and obsess over money, and argue about money, and cry about money, and pray about money, and think about money, and think of ways to get money and, did I say cry about money?  I might just miss a second to tell my wife I love her, to imagine what my daughter is gonna look like in 15 years, what I’m gonna tell her the first time a boy breaks up with her, what I’m gonna tell that boy the first time she introduces me to him, what an amazing love I’ve found in Jesus, to pray for friends safety (and/or recovery) to pray for my wife’s healthy pregnancy and to just give God all the praise and glory I can.

Amen.

  • http://www.caffeinatedfaith.com T

    I heard a preacher say, “Why do we spend so much time worrying about money? Money never once gave you a second thought!!”

    I decided that I was going to stop worrying about my bank account. I don’t check it everyday – I don’t look at it but maybe once a week. I don’t care. God has given us such an amazing task on this earth – worrying about money takes away from that task.

    I’ve never heard of a person on their death bed sayin, “I wish I would have worried about my money more.” or “I should have paid more attention to my bank account.” IN the end – it doesn’t matter. I know that’s easier said than done -especially with kids – but “the main thing is to keep the main thing – the main thing.”

    Keep Christ in the center – push $ to the side. Cry over God’s amazing love, mercy, grace, and forgiveness. Money doesn’t need our tears. Cry over the pain & suffering in this world because people don’t know of an amazing Christ. Money doesn’t care.

    Love ya bro – praying for you.
    T

  • http://potofthots.com/ Samuel Jayanth

    wow.. nice read. I’m reminded of one verse (Matthew 6:24) and am happy that you made the right choice.. cheers! :)

  • http://www.whatsthislifefor.org Toby

    I think I’ve told ya this before, but I haven’t had a check register in about 3 years….Unless I’m making a large purchase, I don’t check online either. I refuse to give money the attention Satan wants it to have. If I have enough, we’re all good….If I don’t, they’ll tell me when I swipe the card….Either way, God has our back.

    Good post man!

  • http://www.shalomexistence.com Andrea

    You are totally right. You should be concentrating on telling me you love me way more! ;) JK.

    You are so so right. Thank you.

  • http://marvinlwilliams.org/ Marvin Williams

    Man, thanks for sharing this moving, transparent, grace-filled post. Very encouraging.

  • http://jbstansel.wordpress.com Jason Stansel

    What an encouraging post! I am actually in a state RIGHT NOW of having to learn what it means to trust the Lord for resources. I am moving to Texas in only two weeks to pursue ministry training and need money for a school deposit, tires, brakes, and blah blah blah. Its easy to be disheartened, but how much reward comes from trusting?

    Thanks for the encouraging words :D