Tonight in talking about simplicity we touched on that subject that makes everyone cringe and try to slink away. You know that untouchable topic--money. One person said that it feels crass to talk about it--kind of like talking about the consistency of the contents of a baby's diaper.
I know what they mean. I don’t like it anymore than the next person, maybe even less, especially when someone starts to meddling with my private affairs. My parents would not ever say how much they made. In fact, they said it was none of our business. Maybe that has something to do with my discomfort.
During college, I went home with a friend for a visit. I was instructed that there were three areas of discussion that were verboten: money, sex and religion. These days it’s mostly money that can’t be discussed; religion is second; and sex is not on the list at all these days.
Another person at the table said that when her son was almost getting to his teen years, she sat down with him to show him how much she made, how much other income there was. And then she started marking down all the expenses--mortgage, insurance, food, clothes, savings, etc. At the end, there was “this much” money left. It made a huge impression on him.
What a great and open way to approach the subject. I think I need to get a little less uptight about it, then it would have less power in my life perhaps. After all, Jesus talked far more about money and our relationship with it than almost any other subject.
Matthew 6.24:
No one can serve two masters; for a slave will either hate the one and love the other, or be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth.
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