"Money can't buy you happiness" to which many reply, "I'd sure like to find out for myself!"
First and foremost, before we go any further, MONEY is the same as our last discussion about PEOPLE...in and of itself, money cannot "make" us happy or sad. Once again, our happiness comes from within as a part of our outlook on life and who we are.
We can, once again, look to the many lottery winners that have ended up in worse financial shape than they were BEFORE they won that huge amount of money. It's almost as if they were "cursed" instead of "blessed" when they won. The reality is that they allowed the money to control them instead of them controlling the money.
Have you not seen "famous" (that's a relative term) people who are wealthy, talk about how their wealth has brought about many problems to their life? Have you not ever heard someone in this position talk about being bored because, once they have "attained it all", they felt that there was really nothing left?
Now, before I go on, let me just say that many that feel that way are very self-centered. Sad, but true. To have been blessed with the ability to achieve that kind of wealth and to be bored and feel that there is nothing left for them is, in my opinion, selfish.
What a GREAT opportunity to change the lives of many that cannot do for themselves. In other countries around the world, yes, but also in their own country! What a great opportunity for them to "step outside of themselves" and give fully of themselves for the good of others.
From what I have gathered over the years, that kind of life is no longer boring because it is now about OTHERS.
Hey, even King Solomon, considered to be one of the wealthiest people in history, discussed his thoughts that, in the overall scheme of life, everything is "vanity" or pointless (read Ecclesiastes, chapter 1 in the Old Testament for more on that). Money or wealth is not THE answer.
So, can money or wealth be the key to happiness, even in some small way?
I mentioned the other day about this graphic that I had posted on the fan page on FB. Notice what it says: "The goal is not to get rich. The goal is to LIVE RICH." And, then, below that, I added the question: "What does 'living rich' mean to you?"
First and foremost, before we go any further, MONEY is the same as our last discussion about PEOPLE...in and of itself, money cannot "make" us happy or sad. Once again, our happiness comes from within as a part of our outlook on life and who we are.
We can, once again, look to the many lottery winners that have ended up in worse financial shape than they were BEFORE they won that huge amount of money. It's almost as if they were "cursed" instead of "blessed" when they won. The reality is that they allowed the money to control them instead of them controlling the money.
Have you not seen "famous" (that's a relative term) people who are wealthy, talk about how their wealth has brought about many problems to their life? Have you not ever heard someone in this position talk about being bored because, once they have "attained it all", they felt that there was really nothing left?
Now, before I go on, let me just say that many that feel that way are very self-centered. Sad, but true. To have been blessed with the ability to achieve that kind of wealth and to be bored and feel that there is nothing left for them is, in my opinion, selfish.
What a GREAT opportunity to change the lives of many that cannot do for themselves. In other countries around the world, yes, but also in their own country! What a great opportunity for them to "step outside of themselves" and give fully of themselves for the good of others.
From what I have gathered over the years, that kind of life is no longer boring because it is now about OTHERS.
Hey, even King Solomon, considered to be one of the wealthiest people in history, discussed his thoughts that, in the overall scheme of life, everything is "vanity" or pointless (read Ecclesiastes, chapter 1 in the Old Testament for more on that). Money or wealth is not THE answer.
So, can money or wealth be the key to happiness, even in some small way?
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I mentioned the other day about this graphic that I had posted on the fan page on FB. Notice what it says: "The goal is not to get rich. The goal is to LIVE RICH." And, then, below that, I added the question: "What does 'living rich' mean to you?"
"Riches" and/or "wealth" do not have to have anything to do with money. Some of the wealthiest people on this earth do not have a very large bank account and, at the same time, some of the "poorest" people on this earth have some of the largest bank accounts.
Make sense?
So, looking at this last graphic, it IS possible to LIVE RICH and not have a lot of money just as it is to be "relationship-poor" with all the money in the world.
And, NO, one does not have to exist over the other. It just takes a person that can make sure that THEY have control over the money and not the other way around. When MONEY begins to control people, problems follow soon after.
There is NOTHING wrong with having lots of money. Much good can be done with that money. The problem comes if and when a person allows their money to control them instead of the other way around. And, at the same time, there is NOTHING wrong with not having much money at all. Some of the "wealthiest" people on earth are those who have invested in relationships and reap the harvest of having many "real" friends.
By the way, the Bible does NOT say that MONEY is the root of all evil. The Bible declares that the LOVE of money is the root of all evil. There's a big difference there between the two concepts, friend.
Bottom line: You control your money or your money controls you.
So, in closing, it's not if you have a lot of money or not much at all. YOU are the one responsible for your ability to bless the lives of those around you and, in turn, bring about happiness (joy, contentment, pleasure) in your life.
Think about it and, as you do so, always be sure to...
"Make it an AWESOME day! (Who else is going to do it for you?)"
Mike
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