You Can’t Take It With You

We plan our futures around it, work overtime for it, agonize over it, and dream of having more of it. It is such a part of our lexicon that Thesaurus.com lists no less than 38 common synonyms for it, and the English language adds a plethora of additional slang terms. Some of us are enamoured of it and what it can do for us, while others shy away from speaking about it in public. Yes, few things capture more of our attention than money.

Money is a Tool

Sometimes it’s a struggle to keep the value of money in perspective. We make decisions we regret because we’re chasing after that little extra. It is at these times we must remember that money is a tool, not a goal in itself. Imagine we have a door hinge with a loose screw. If we leave our screwdriver sitting in the toolbox, it will do nothing for us or for others. If we pick it up and tighten the loose screw, we will have helped everyone get safely through the door. However, if we misuse the screwdriver we will likely hurt ourselves and others. Money is like the screwdriver, a tool with the potential for great help or harm. That’s where it’s important to have clear instructions.

Guidelines

Forbes.com reports that The Bible directly mentions money more than 800 times and makes more than 2,000 financial references. It advises wise investing, cautions against debt, and promotes generosity – admittedly good advice whether you are religious or not. Foremost in following these guidelines is to make sure money doesn’t become all-important.

Money is Limited

We often look to money to give us happiness or fulfillment, a task it just isn’t cut out for. Edwin Friesen wrote, “Though it can pay for the best health care available, it cannot guarantee health. Though it can provide for all the comforts of life, it cannot buy happiness. Though it can provide an education, it cannot secure wisdom. Money can make life easier, but it cannot provide peace.” Money cannot bring meaning and worth to our lives.

It is true that money plays a significant role in our daily lives, but there’s no denying that its power is limited. After all, you can’t take it with you. In the end, how we used our money will count for far more than how much of it we possessed.

Inspired by the blog “Money is Limited” by Edwin Friesen