The Place of Money.

Man was not made for money rather money was made for man for his benefit. Money is not a necessity to life. Originally man needed no money to live. To live, all man needed was sound relationships. For example, a child with a mother will do well without money. Everything man needs can be supplied or provided on the basis of sound relationships. Man has always survived primarily based on the goodwill of others around him and this goodwill is called “Love”.

Money is a concept. A system conceptualised by the society out of necessity. As soon as money came into the scene, society became stratified. Those who had more money now derived much more power by virtue of their riches. We now called some wealthy and others poor. Some now considered themselves more noble than others. Nobility was no longer by birth, nor by civility but it could now be achieved by acquiring riches. In the quest for ‘money’, relationships became sour and men began to sacrifice more important things for money.

In actual fact, the very essential and more important things in life are priceless and cannot be bought with money. Love, Joy, peace, sound mind, sleep, hope, a home, great relationships, genuine kindness etc cannot be bought with money. In times past,, you never needed to buy water. You only had to knock on the next door and water is given free but nowadays, even portable water now has a price. To get a doctor did not require insurance. Fees for medical care were not fixed and it was based on whatever you had. On personal recognition, you could get medical treatment and pay later. Because integrity was of high value, the individual made sure to pay back in cash or kind.

Unfortunately, we have become a people who believe so much in money that we suppose that everything and everyone has a price. We have chosen to cheapen life by placing a price on everything. The paradox is that, the more we did that the more expensive life became. We now sacrifice sound relationships, our integrity, true love and the trust of our beloved ones on the platform of money. Because of the quest for riches, families are torn apart, lives are wasted, hearts broken, trusts betrayed, religion has lost its place and moral values are frayed. We are strained emotionally but do not know how to turn back. Yet we wonder about how we got here.

Does that make money evil? No, not at all. As a concept to ease commerce and as a means to an end (if that end is for the common good), money is good. If money becomes the end in itself, if the lust for riches take control of us, if we rever people by virtue of what they have and not who they are, then we make money the evil which has turned our world upside down. The life of a man does not consist primarily in what he has in terms of possession but who he is and who he has. When we see a rich man in the society, let us acknowledge him only if he has other qualities of value such as love for others, integrity and sound relationships. Let money not dictate our ultimate values.

It is time we put money where it belongs. Before you strike that deal or before you take that new employment or whatever you set to do in the quest for riches, could you estimate what the cost may be? By cost we mean the valuable things of life which are not quantifiable such as your integrity, moral values, sound relationships and the trusts others have in you which you may be giving up for money. Is the money worth it? Will it really mean much to you if you get the money and lost every other thing of value.

Many a billionaire have committed suicide, many homes have been ruined, kingdoms have been destroyed and life snuffed out of many young talents who gave up the most important things of life for riches.

Decide the place of money and keep it there. Let money not become “the most important thing’ to you. There are things that money cannot buy. Never lose them in the pursuit for riches.