Monday, March 01, 2004
okane o motte imasen
I think everyone I know says they do not have enough money. Money is funny like that. We constantly feel the burden of debt and bills, but seem to find money to spend on soda, fast food, cable TV, and new DVD movies. It would seem that many of us are unable to live BELOW our means, let alone within.
I am no exception. I seem to have a hard time with money. My debt is low (by adult, worldly standards), and much of that is even deferred (in the US student loan program). For less that $4000 I would be debt free, and therefore worry free. I only bring this figure up so the next point I am going to make will make better sense.
I heard on the radio Sunday morning that NFL RB Jamal Lewis is purchasing a specialize treadmill for $30,000. Hearing that, I was in a bad mood all day. It was all I could think about. For the money he is "throwing away" I could have some definite change in my own life. These sort of stories surface often. If you watched the Academy Awards, you saw shoes worth $2,000,000, hand bags worth $70,000, and dresses worth $800,000.
MK Gandhi had a problem with this sort of luxury. It is unavoidable that money will be apportioned out unequally, but how those who are more blessed use their money is a matter of morality. Gandhi knew that there was enough food and money in the world for everyone to exists happily. But there are two problems:
1] Our attitudes on what a happy existence is. Many of us are used to luxury and leisure far beyond the dreams of others. I myself am guilty of this. Insteand of eating healthy staple foods like rice, beans, and fresh produce, I eat fast food. I am trying to change, but my splurging on unhealthy, expensive, and often ecologically wasteful food is habitual. I may only need $3000 to get out of financial trouble, but I spend almost $20 a week on soda pop and fast food. Over a year that is $1400 on average; I could have retired half of my debt in one year by this amount alone! And this isn't including the DVDs, CDs, the manga, videogames, magazines, Gundam gashapon, and science books I buy on a monthly basis.
2] That when one is blessed with surplus income, they often do not know how to be a good steward of that money. I know that within my own church there are people who could easily retire my immediate debt, if not my student loans, and not have to sacrifice anything. Not that they should, but there is money available. There are men and women who work their health away for barely enough money to pay rent and eat. All of us with extra should be helping these humans.
In the end, my anger and frustration stems from my own poor attitude with money. As I struggle to get out from under the cloud of debt, I must look more closely at how I handle money. I would challenge all of my friends to also examine how they are using the money they have been blessed with. Compare the amount you spend on entertainment and "enjoyment" eating to what you are spending to help others. I think maybe we all can do better.
MK Gandhi was a wise man, and his life was lived as an example to us all. He was a lawyer, yet looks like a man living in poverty. But he was healthy, happy, an dfree of many worries that plague many of us. His ideas on money, materialism, and stewardship were Truth. If we were to put such ideas into practice, we could establish truly loving communities (much like the early Christians enjoyed, written about in the book of Acts).
So next time you become angry that someone else has more money than they need, and you have none, try to think about how lucky you are to have what you do have. And then ask yourself what you have done to help those less fortunate than yourself.
I am no exception. I seem to have a hard time with money. My debt is low (by adult, worldly standards), and much of that is even deferred (in the US student loan program). For less that $4000 I would be debt free, and therefore worry free. I only bring this figure up so the next point I am going to make will make better sense.
I heard on the radio Sunday morning that NFL RB Jamal Lewis is purchasing a specialize treadmill for $30,000. Hearing that, I was in a bad mood all day. It was all I could think about. For the money he is "throwing away" I could have some definite change in my own life. These sort of stories surface often. If you watched the Academy Awards, you saw shoes worth $2,000,000, hand bags worth $70,000, and dresses worth $800,000.
MK Gandhi had a problem with this sort of luxury. It is unavoidable that money will be apportioned out unequally, but how those who are more blessed use their money is a matter of morality. Gandhi knew that there was enough food and money in the world for everyone to exists happily. But there are two problems:
1] Our attitudes on what a happy existence is. Many of us are used to luxury and leisure far beyond the dreams of others. I myself am guilty of this. Insteand of eating healthy staple foods like rice, beans, and fresh produce, I eat fast food. I am trying to change, but my splurging on unhealthy, expensive, and often ecologically wasteful food is habitual. I may only need $3000 to get out of financial trouble, but I spend almost $20 a week on soda pop and fast food. Over a year that is $1400 on average; I could have retired half of my debt in one year by this amount alone! And this isn't including the DVDs, CDs, the manga, videogames, magazines, Gundam gashapon, and science books I buy on a monthly basis.
2] That when one is blessed with surplus income, they often do not know how to be a good steward of that money. I know that within my own church there are people who could easily retire my immediate debt, if not my student loans, and not have to sacrifice anything. Not that they should, but there is money available. There are men and women who work their health away for barely enough money to pay rent and eat. All of us with extra should be helping these humans.
In the end, my anger and frustration stems from my own poor attitude with money. As I struggle to get out from under the cloud of debt, I must look more closely at how I handle money. I would challenge all of my friends to also examine how they are using the money they have been blessed with. Compare the amount you spend on entertainment and "enjoyment" eating to what you are spending to help others. I think maybe we all can do better.
MK Gandhi was a wise man, and his life was lived as an example to us all. He was a lawyer, yet looks like a man living in poverty. But he was healthy, happy, an dfree of many worries that plague many of us. His ideas on money, materialism, and stewardship were Truth. If we were to put such ideas into practice, we could establish truly loving communities (much like the early Christians enjoyed, written about in the book of Acts).
So next time you become angry that someone else has more money than they need, and you have none, try to think about how lucky you are to have what you do have. And then ask yourself what you have done to help those less fortunate than yourself.
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