The question my 10-year-old asked me changed how I see money. One night at dinner I told my wife Jenny about a new opportunity a client offered me. As I told her about the details. She said, “You shouldn’t take that offer. That opportunity has nothing to do with your passion. It’s outside your strengths and mission. Why would you take it?”
I immediately said, “Well, the money is good.” Without missing a beat, my 10-year-old daughter piped up and asked, “Why would you ever do something just for the money? You already have some.”
Sometimes little kids drop big grenades. Kids believe in “some money.” Some money is awesome. You can buy some candy and some pants and some stickers and some of just about anything. Some is the best. Kids think you need some money.
Adults think you need “enough money.” If you get enough, then you’ll be happy. If you get enough, then you won’t be stressed out. If you get enough, then you’ll be brave and can do that thing you’ve always wanted to do.
(Paul teaches about money in his letter to Timothy: “But godliness with contentment is great gain…For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.” 1 Timothy 6:6-10)
The problem is there’s no such thing as enough money. It’s a myth like Bigfoot, the Loch Ness monster or kale chips that taste as good as regular chips. I’ve chased enough money before. For years I made my success my identity. I thought if I got enough money I would be enough.
What a mistake that was. I had to lose success to realize all the money, all the accomplishments, all the fame and all the stuff would never be enough. The problem is that money is a something that pretends to be an everything. Money is a something that pretends to be an everything.
I hope you make money. Make a lot of money. Money is fun. We took our kids to Disneyland last week and that cost money. I’m not against money, but I’m done with enough money. There’s no such thing and like a 10 year old told me, some money is a lot more fun anyway.
Apply this Scripture verse from Jon’s article:
“What I’m trying to do here is to get you to relax, to not be so preoccupied with getting, so you can respond to God’s giving. People who don’t know God and the way he works fuss over these things, but you know both God and how he works. Steep your life in God-reality, God-initiative, God-provisions. Don’t worry about missing out. You’ll find all your everyday human concerns will be met.”
Matthew 6:32-33 MSG
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