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“JUST ONE MORE DOLLAR”
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NE OF THE RICHEST MEN in modern history, American multi-billionaire John D. Rockefeller, was once asked, “How much money is enough?” He is famously reported to have replied, “Just one more dollar.” How true! How many of us wouldn’t love to have “one more dollar”? Doesn’t it seem like we never have enough, no matter how much we earn or save? There always seem to be more bills to pay, more things we need to buy and more things that we need to save up for. Even if we have enough for the basic necessities like food, transport and shelter, we still need to set money aside for the future— our children’s education, medical emergencies and retirement. And so we struggle to earn and save more. We put in more hours at work to rack up overtime pay, keep our shops open longer or take on another part-time job. We try to maximise our investments on the stock market,
or cut our spending to balance the budget. Why do we do all this? Because we have many needs to meet. We need to feed ourselves and our families, make sure we have a roof over our heads and take care of those who rely on us. We also need to ensure we have spare cash on hand, in case someone falls ill or we lose our jobs. Basically, we need to survive and we need financial security. We also have our wants—a natural desire to enjoy the money we earn. Whether it’s to be found in a family holiday, the occasional fancy meal or our favourite hobby, we all want to have some satisfaction and fulfilment in life. And we have aspirations. We seek to build a better future for ourselves and our children. We might want a bigger car, a larger home or dream of setting up our own business. We want to give our kids the best education for a good head start in life, so that they too can
have a happy, secure future. Unfortunately, as many of us have experienced, all these needs and wants can place a lot of stress on us. The long hours at work tire us out, the bills are a source of constant worry and the depleting bank account is an ever-present reminder that despite all our effort, it’s never quite enough. Sometimes, this burden can spill over into other parts of our lives, affecting our behaviour, values and relationships. We find ourselves spending less time with our children and more time quarrelling with family members over spending habits. We compete furiously with fellow workers for rewards and job promotions. We seek fulfilment, but we end up with worries. Have you ever wondered why we never have enough? Why is it that no matter what we do, we always need “just one more dollar”? Is more money the solution to our needs?
MONEY L MAKES THE WORLD GO ROUND . . .
et’s be realistic: money does solve a lot of problems, and it can buy happiness—some, at least. Money buys us food, shelter, transport and medicine. It pays for holidays and luxuries, and can give us a sense of security—if we have some savings set aside, they can tide us over during emergencies. It pays for our children’s education, which will hopefully mean a better future for them. But there is a limit to what money can do. There are some needs that money cannot meet, and some wants it cannot fulfil. It cannot truly heal a wounded heart or mend a broken relationship. It cannot buy real companionship or love. It cannot bring a loved one back from death. We can
OR DOES IT?
give our children the best education and toys but still not be close to them. We can acquire all the material luxuries we want, but still feel lonely and purposeless in life. Money can bring short-term thrills and happiness, but not long-term joy and contentment. Rockefeller himself was well aware that money could not really buy happiness. The man who was worth the equivalent of hundreds of billions of dollars today once said, “It is wrong to assume that men of immense wealth are always happy.” A palliative nurse in Australia who spent many years taking care of dying patients once documented the top five regrets that people talked about on their deathbeds. None of them involved earning more money. In fact, one of the top regrets was, “I wish I hadn’t worked so hard!” Most people wished they had led happier lives and spent more time
with their loved ones and friends. How often do you hear about anyone asking to see their bank balance before they die? More likely than not, a dying person will wish to have their loved ones by their bedside—to hug or touch their children or grandchildren one last time—or to make amends with an estranged relative. When we strip away everything in life except life itself, what’s left is not money or possessions, but our relationships and our search for significance. Ultimately, money is no more than a means to an end. It can help us acquire many things, but not everything. It cannot meet all our needs, wants and aspirations. So what can we do? If money isn’t the answer to all of our problems, how can we meet all our needs and wants? And how can we avoid getting caught up in the relentless pursuit of money?
LOOKING BEYOND MONEY
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ome people try to be content with what they have. They believe that if they can learn to lead a simple life, appreciate what they already have and make do with fewer needs and wants, then they can avoid getting caught up in the unending quest for more money. This approach has its merits— but also its limits. Firstly, we could end up neglecting real needs and responsibilities, which could have serious consequences. We cannot, for example, ignore our children’s needs for food, shelter and education. And if we don’t work hard enough, we may not live up to our full potential. Secondly, it is very hard to simply deny our natural human wants and aspirations. Eventually their insistence will become hard to ignore and we may again feel dissatisfied and unfulfilled. True contentment cannot be found in just trying to think positively. Perhaps there is another answer. Instead of depending on money as the solution to all our needs, or denying it completely, how about looking to someone who can give us true security and contentment?
Picture a child who is deeply loved by his parents, who are always looking out for him. This child may not have much; he may not be rich, and may not have everything he wants. But he can still feel happy and fulfilled if he has the full assurance that his parents treasure him and will never abandon him. Now, imagine someone who can give us a love even greater than a parent’s love. Who can love us without exception, is in control of everything, is always with us and has our best interests at heart? Consider the Creator God. This God is an all-powerful, all-knowing, immortal being who knows us and loves us. Because he created us, he knows exactly what we need. Because he loves us, he has our best interests at heart, and will provide us with everything that is good for us. And because he is powerful and eternal, he can give us the assurance that he is in control of our situations, lives and destinies. How do we know this? God has given this promise to those who choose to trust him: “I will never fail you. I will never abandon you” (Hebrews 13:5).
GETTING A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE ON LIFE
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oney is a means to an end. Unfortunately, many of us have become too focused on the means rather than the end. We worry so much about getting more money, that we become unhappy in the process. In chasing that “one more dollar”, we forget what really matters in life. However, if we were to turn to God—like the child who looks to his parents—our perspective on life may start to change. Because he promises us an eternal future with him, we may begin to see beyond the needs and wants of this life, and not worry constantly about trying to meet them. Just like the child whose security and contentment comes simply from being loved by his parents, we too can find our fulfilment in God. Such a perspective sustained Paul, a believer in God, even when he was imprisoned in Rome 2,000 years ago. In a letter to fellow believers, he wrote: “I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little. For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength” (Philippians 4:12-13).
WHAT NEXT?
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hat are we to make of money, then? If we are able to see beyond our needs and wants when we believe and turn to God, what attitude are we to take towards money? Well, turning to God doesn’t mean we stop being realistic. Money has a very real and useful role in modern life, and there is nothing wrong with working hard and saving wisely. Our challenge is to recognise the limitations of what money can do. If we rely on money alone to control our lives and destinies, we are more likely to get caught up in the race to accumulate more and more—and become unhappy as a result. If we anchor our lives in God instead of money, we will get a new perspective on life and on our financial situations. We will know that God is in full control, that He loves and cares for us and that He will provide us with the strength to face life’s challenges. Rockefeller may have been incredibly rich, but he knew where to find true contentment. He said, “There is nothing in this world that can compare with the Christian fellowship; nothing that can satisfy but Christ.” Is this what you have been looking for? If you want to find out more about God and who Jesus Christ is, one way is to make contact with a local church, where someone will be able to help you address any questions you might have. Our Daily Bread Ministries would also like to help. We have lots of other leaflets like this which explain more about who God is and how we can have a relationship with him. Just visit ourdailybread.org/lookingatlife to read them online.
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright 1996, 2004. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved. © 2017 by Our Daily Bread Ministries. All rights reserved. Printed in the United Kingdom
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