What's Up With That?:
Show me the money!
3
Questions to ask yourself:
Why do people attach a "good" or "evil" label on money?
What do you spend your money on?
When was the last time you spent your money, talent or time on someone
in need?
Is money a necessity? Or the root
of all evil?
Hey, we live in America - the numero uno of all capitalist countries. "Supply and demand rule the day." Money isn't evil, is it? It is the way the world works. Those who have it, spend it. Besides, how can a green little piece of paper or a little plastic card be evil?
In all seriousness, it can't. In fact money can be used to buy many great necessities for our society. Money is spent on food, clothing, healthcare, policing, and education. Money can be spent on the poor and those in need. Money can be spent. The real questions are who spends it and how?
Money may be an inanimate object, void of good or evil, but we spenders are not. From the moment we wake up until we drift off to sleep again, we make choices that affect our lives and affect the lives of others. Money is just another one of those choices that we have to deal with on a daily basis. Have you evaluated your spending habits lately?
You have probably heard that saying, "You are what you eat." The quick moral to that one is: if you put good, healthy things into your body, your body can become good and healthy.
So let's apply that same philosophy to money. Do you have extra cash? How do you get it? How do you spend it? Where do you spend it?
Your spending habits reflect your interests, needs, and wants. To a further degree, they reflect your values. Raise your hand if you have spent $90 or more on a pair of shoes. If so, why did you make that choice? Was it your last $90? An extra $90? Or a gift of $90? Could you have spent $25 on a pair of shoes and saved the other $65?
How else is your money spent?
- Video Games?
- CD's or DVD's?
- Fast Food?
- Clothing?
- Charities?
- Movies?
- Jewelry?
- Make-up?
- Savings?
Take a moment to think about what you truly value, and decide if that is also what you spend your money on. For example: If you truly value going to college, have you put money aside for it?
What do you value?
Put Your Money Where Your Values Are
Being Catholic very often is countercultural. We hold many values and beliefs that contradict what society tells us. Society tends to tell us, especially teens, to do what ever pleases us. If it feels good - do it. If you want it - buy it. As we begin this New Year, perhaps we should examine our values to determine what is truly important to us.
Donating our time, talent, and money to others is one place to start. Do you give to the Church, to the poor and to charities? If you don't have the money, do you have the time? When was the last time you helped out someone in need? There are many great opportunities out there to give of your time and money.
It is a great challenge to think about our money and what we do with it. It is even a bigger challenge to shift from a "buy, buy, buy" mentality into a saving, giving or donating one.
Remember what Jesus said about rich men and how hard it was for them to get into heaven? He didn't say that because money is evil. He said that because he realized that people become greedy. Once they have money, they want more ... and more. It is in greed that we overlook our neighbors who have real needs. And in overlooking our neighbors we overlook Christ.
"Amen, I say to you, what you did not do for one of these least ones, you did not do for me." (Matthew 25:45 NAB)
By Rod Hetherton
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