To Put Money to Good Use

"Riches prick us with a thousand troubles in getting them, as many cares in preserving them, and yet more anxiety in spending them, and with grief in losing them."-St. Francis of Assisi

St. Francis has a beautiful riches to rags life story

One of the greatest struggles in my life is dealing with money. It is something that distracts me from my relationship with God and is something that I have used on selfish desires and obsessions. However, it is also somewhat necessary in this society to use for things like food, clothing, etc. and it can also be used to provide those necessities for people in need.

The great problem, as St. Francis of Assisi points out, is that when we become focused on money and gaining it on ourselves, it does us more harm than good. Now, everybody faces real concerns when it comes to figuring out "How am I going to pay the bill?" or "How will I feed my family?". There are several things that I ponder, however, when it comes to the issue of money.

Does money buy happiness?

I would not say that money buys happiness, although in our world we can use money to buy things that gives us joy and pleasure. We can buy food that we enjoy eating. We can buy clothes that make us feel good. We can use money for road trips and vacations that bring us positive experiences and memories.

How can I have that dream vacation in Fiji without some dough in my pocket?

Money can especially be used to bring happiness to the poor and needy in the world. With money, we can provide food and clean water for people in third world countries. We can donate money to clothe, house, and feed the homeless in our areas. We can provide financial support for missionaries and ministry programs that bring God to those who need to hear the Gospel. There are ways in which we can use money to make people happy without money and greed becoming a vice and struggle for us.

What would I buy right now?

I admit that I enjoy thinking about things that would bring me enjoyment if I did not have to worry about cost or the ability to afford luxuries. I would purchase concert tickets or buy CDs or vinyl records to support the musicians I like. I would rent a nice apartment with all of the furnishings I desire. I would go to the movie theater whenever there was a movie that caught my attention. I would buy packs of local craft beer. I would buy a nice suit or a nice bowtie.

Bowties are cool

One of my hopes is that the things that I would spend money on, if I had access to an unlimited amount of income, would be simpler, middle-class type purchases. Not only was that the way I have been raised, but I would also feel guilty if I spent an excessive amount on myself and did not give back to charities and people in need. Another hope would be that I would also use my money to help people by feeding the hungry, donating to missions in third world countries, or sponsoring a charity that does work to help the poor.

Why money is and is not a necessity for my Bucket List

In my last post, I mentioned my Bucket List. On it are objectives that do not require money in order to achieve them. For instance, I would like to able to do parkour, in which the only requirement for me to do so is running around outside or any free space around me. Or I also have the objective to read books like 'The Confessions of St. Augustine' or 'The Imitation of Christ', which does not require money since I can borrow those books from a library.

I like the library...especially because it's free and I'm cheap

However, there are other items that require money for me to achieve these goals. I want to go on pilgrimage on El Camino de Santiago, which requires the purchase of plane tickets, proper trail hiking gear, and pocket money for food and souvenirs along the way. Or I would like to paint a legitimate Bob Ross style painting, which requires me to purchase the necessary paints, paintbrushes, and other equipment in order to truly accomplish the task (trust me, I tried painting like Bob Ross without the proper resources and it did not turn out the same).

Achievement and Giving

I wonder how often people today consider money as something that is to be used to give to other people rather than donating to our personal desires. I know that I struggle with this issue a lot. On the one hand, I put aside money for things that I want, but at the same time I come across other people or organizations that need the money much more than I do.

We can achieve many good things in this world by giving our money to people who need it. For example, many of the buildings on the campus of Missouri State University in Springfield have the name 'Hammons' on them. That is because Mr. John Q Hammons and his estate have donated a large sum of money to the university so that these buildings could be built to house, educate, and entertain the students. Hammons now has a legacy around the campus because of that financial giving.

On Hammons Day, we gather in the JQH Arena and sing the Hammons Anthem. Then we have an ice
cream party in Hammons Residence Hall.

We achieve a lot of things when we give our money to other people who need it. We achieve building a bond or relationship with a person. We achieve the happiness of a ministry or an organization that we donate to.We achieve achieve the satisfaction of helping the poor and the hungry. If we truly donate a large sum of money, we achieve a long legacy with an institution that puts our name on buildings and plaques.

We must always remember that we cannot serve God and money. We are called to serve God with the gifts that he has given us. If that gift is an excess of finances, then we need to share that gift with people who are not as fortunate. This is a lesson I need to remember everyday, and be grateful for everyone who has helped me financially.