How Much Do You Want?

There is a sufficiency in the world for man's need but not for man's greed.
~Mahatma Gandhi~

So someone finally won that 1.5 billion dollar power ball lottery.  Thank you, Jesus, the hype is over!  I personally did not contribute even one dollar to the frenzy.  If I had had a weak moment and bought a ticket that won, I'd have given 99% of it away.  I have no desire for that kind of money.


In this day and age, I see more and more people becoming 'money worshippers'.  They can't get enough and are always searching for more, bigger and better.  Why?  How much money do you seriously need?  How many things can you spend it on?  How many houses, cars, yachts and jets would you own?  I suppose one could put solid gold toilets in each of his 25 bathrooms and have door knobs made of the finest diamonds if one were so inclined but, again, why???


The thing I don't get is why can't people just be happy with what they have?  So many don't even have the necessities of life and then there are those who think they don't have enough because someone else has that "more, bigger, better" thing they want.


Being satisfied with what you have does not in anyway mean that you can't want more.  It just means that you know your life doesn't depend on it and if you never get something you want, you'll still be happy.  Can you imagine having so much money that you can get everything you want?  Where's the excitement of anticipation?  of wishing? of hoping? of dreaming?  Where's the joy you get from finally getting that for which you waited so long and worked so hard?  Every adult knows the disappointment that comes when Christmas is over and none of those things are left.


Have you ever wondered what motivates the wealthiest people in the world?  Obviously, everyone is different, but if I had to wager a guess, I'd put my money on greed.  I think money can become as much an addiction as heroin or cocaine if you place too much importance on how much of it you have.  I also believe that there is something emotionally and/or morally wrong with those of us who fall into that category.


The Bible tells us (yes, here I go again!) that we cannot serve two masters.  Money is not my master nor is a desire to have that "more, bigger, better".  Matthew 19:24 tells us that it's easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of God.   Wow.  Give that some thought while I move on.


Many years ago when we were struggling in our early years, my husband and I took a tour of a shopping club for which we had a lotto ticket with which we could win anything from $5 to $500.  Naturally, we won the $5 - for which I was grateful because we were needing bread and milk.  My husband kind of scowled and said "Figgers.  We never win the big prize."  I anwered him :"No, but we always seem to get the 5 or 10 dollars when we're needing something."  He admitted I was right.  Surprisingly or not, we both still seem to have those same attitudes today.  Guess which one of us has the less stress?


Now, having said all that, if someone should happen to toss a winning lottery ticket my way and the pot is a size I'm comfortable winning, I won't be upset.