A Balanced View of Money
THERE is a saying, “Money makes the world go round.” There is some truth to that statement. After all, it takes money to buy food, obtain clothing, and pay for rent or buy a home. “The role of money in society is incredibly important,” writes one financial editor. “If money was removed as a means of exchange, we would be in a state of panic and war within a month.”
Of course, money has its limitations. Norwegian poet Arne Garborg said that with money “you can buy food, but not appetite; medicine, but not health; soft beds, but not sleep; knowledge, but not wisdom; glitter, but not beauty; splendor, but not warmth; fun, but not joy; acquaintances, but not friends; servants, but not faithfulness.”
When a person maintains a balanced view of money—regarding it as a means to an end rather than an end in itself—it is possible to enjoy a greater measure of contentment of all sorts of injurious things, and by reaching out for this love some have . . . stabbed themselves all over with many pains.”
Note that it is the love of money—not money itself—that brings harm. Indeed, an inordinate focus on money can drive a wedge between friends and between family members. Consider some examples.
Daniel: “I always thought of my friend Thomas as a pleasant and honest person. I never had any problem with him until he bought my used car. I wasn’t aware that there was anything wrong with the car. Still, he agreed in writing to buy the car as is. Three months later the car broke down. Thomas felt cheated and angrily insisted that I return his money. I was shocked! When I tried to reason with him, he became belligerent and hostile. When money became an issue, he was no longer the amiable Thomas I knew.”
Esin: “Nesrim is my only sibling. We always got along, so I never thought that our relationship could be damaged over money. But that’s exactly what happened. When my parents died, they left us a small inheritance and stipulated that the money was to be divided equally between us. My sister went against my parents’ wishes and demanded more than her share. Because I chose to honor my parents’ instructions, she exploded with anger and threats. To this day, she remains bitterly resentful of me.”
MONEY AND PREJUDICE
A distorted view of money can cause people to become judgmental. For example, a wealthy person might assume that those who are poor are too lazy to better themselves. Or a person with lesser means might hastily conclude that those who have more are materialistic or greedy. Leanne, a teenager in a relatively wealthy family, was a victim of that type of prejudice. She relates:
“I used to be known as the girl whose father makes loads of money. So I often got comments such as: ‘If you want something, all you have to do is ask Daddy’ or ‘Sorry we aren’t all rich and can afford nice cars like your family.’ I finally asked my friends to stop saying those things, and I explained to them why their words hurt me. I wanted to be known, not as a person who has money, but as someone who does kind things for others.”
