One up on lifestyle!
Ecclesiastes 2:3 describes King Solomon's attempt to find satisfaction in a life of pleasure and wisdom, "I searched in my heart how to gratify my flesh with wine, while guiding my heart with wisdom, and how to lay hold on folly, till I might see what was good for the sons of men to do under heaven all the days of their lives."
Proverbs 23:5”Will you set your eyes on that which is not? For riches certainly make themselves wings; They fly away like an eagle toward heaven.”
Rev Billy Graham said: “If a person gets his attitude toward money straight, it will help straighten out almost every other area in his life.”
Look what the above verse says, 'Solomon searched for ways to gratify his flesh, even though he had wisdom, did you see that? That was the cause for his downfall. Today we see people seeking for worldly pleasures than God! The iPhone 17 series was officially released on September 19, in India. iPhone 17 Pro Max price in India starts at ₹1,49,900 for the 256GB variant and goes all the way up to 2TB storage at ₹2,29,900. It is undeniably an expensive smartphone; however, undeterred our Indians have stood in the line all night for several hours to purchase one. People today want to be one-up over the others by flaunting the sleek, orange mobile. Let me tell you something, your value is not attached to a phone that you carry but to the lifestyle of integrity and loyalty that you reveal. Anybody listening??? Your boss or your CEO is not going to make you the head of an important project because of the iPhone 17 that you carry ....never...your output is analysed by your past records of interity, hardwork and your commitment to ethical decision-making, even in challenging situations, they look at how you handle yourself morally in the office and the graceful words that you speak is made note of. Grow up friends!
It was hot sweltering summer and while I was walking in my colony, an elderly gentleman waved out to me and said proudly, ‘we have purchased an air conditioner for zero interest.’ He was an educated man with highly qualified sons and daughters; smart, brilliant people do not pause to think, ‘why would somebody give me something for zero interest?’ Merchants are no fools! Why do we blindly spend may I ask? Be it taking a housing loan, personal loan or whatever, very rarely people sit, calculate and work out the pros and cons in taking the loan. The eyes is on the instant lip-smacking amount and nothing else matters!
EMI (equal monthly installments) is one scheme which lures people into spending recklessly, I call it as the ‘enemy’s monstrous ideas’ to destroy you! Remember this! Greed and lust for luxury has been the cause of the disastrous end of many. Why do you need to buy that microwave oven or that car when you are already neck deep in debts? Do you have to invest so much on a mobile?
Many are addicted to the ways of the world. No fun in jumping inside the church, you need to have the guts to live a simple and humble life. Now that is fortitude! That’s the testimony of a true child of God! You don’t have to flaunt your latest purchases to gain the admiration of others! I traveled in a scooter to office and was content with an old car despite earning well in a multinational bank during my initial days of salvation. All I had to do was fill in some forms to get the latest, swanky car….but I restrained from doing so. Result? When I was suddenly summoned by God to resign and work for Him, I had no hassles because I was debt-free!
More than how much money you make or have, how you make that money and how you spend it is paramount!
