I often hear people proclaim that "money is the root of all evil" and there is quite the sentiment in the American culture now to despise those who have acquired wealth. It is odd to me, people will flock to listen to a comedian or actor that makes millions upon millions each year to insult a man that has built a company that employs thousands of people and then pays himself a few million each year. It is non-sensical to say the least.
It also imposes a degree of discomfort for me as I am unashamedly seeking to become a millionaire in the next 2 decades. My intent is to become free. Free to do with my life as I see fit. Currently, I am enslaved by my mortgage and car payments. Further more, my employer dictates between 40 and 50 hours of my week - but beyond the hours, my option in where I live, when I travel or how I spend the remaining hours of my days, and so on are controlled.
I am clearly not unique in this, but that does not mean I am satisfied with it. My whole life I have watched my parents and those I have associated with trade their time for money - and never have enough to retire. My generation has no chance of a retirement in the traditional sense. Pensions are a thing of the past thanks to uncontrolled inflation and regulatory costs such as healthcare. IRAs are a joke unless you make over 6 figures for 4 or 5 decades and open several IRAs.
The question must be asked then - if money is the root of all evil, why does everyone trade their most valuable resource (time) for it?
My wife and I hit several significant markers last year - we celebrated 10 years of marriage and realized that our son had already lived half of the years he will be living with us. This year, he has fewer years at home than he has lived. It has jolted me to the core to realize that my children are marching at the steady rate of time out of my home.
I now consider things such as, how can I maximize my earnings from work - so that my wife and I can retire - but without sacrificing time with my children? As I notice my son maturing, however, I also consider things such as - what should I encourage him to do so that he will do better than me?
Something I am currently seeking to impress upon my son to become, and what my daughter ought to seek in a husband, is a man unafraid of success. To have a clear conscious in accomplishments. I have seen truly impoverished places in this world that are wrenching on the soul - but that does not mean I must live in squander.
To be even more clear, I can have no influence or impact to alleviate those that suffer if I myself am suffering. As Christ taught - cleanse the inner vessel first.
This is where stewardship comes into play. Money for the sake of money is illogical just as the storage of shovels is. Why? Simple, they are both tools - nothing more, nothing less. But, money for the purpose of establishing security for family and then the ability to influence this world as a force for good - that is stewardship.
My first duty to my family and society is the same - ensure we are self sufficient. If we are, then we aid society in that we reduce the demand of support. If that is all that can be achieved, then stewardship is realized in its infancy.
Just as a family grows, so must our stewardship. As the earning power is increased, the dependencies are eradicated until the point more can be supported. This is where Stewardship is realized - in the expansion of influence.
It is this I wish to teach my children - work intelligently. At the beginning of every career, there is an imbalanced trade for money & time. This is fine if it is for a purpose. A person cannot start an expert or a leader, these things must be developed with experience. An employer provides these as part of the compensation, making the lower hourly wage worth it if it builds to something greater.
A man can still be a steward at the beginning of his career while he is doing the lowly work - he must simply have an understanding how he will increase his independence and one day be able to be truly free from the mindless money for time rat race.
It will take patience and determination. It is not easy and there are no shortcuts - but life must be lived with a purpose. Without purpose, life is not worth the price of death we all pay.
It also imposes a degree of discomfort for me as I am unashamedly seeking to become a millionaire in the next 2 decades. My intent is to become free. Free to do with my life as I see fit. Currently, I am enslaved by my mortgage and car payments. Further more, my employer dictates between 40 and 50 hours of my week - but beyond the hours, my option in where I live, when I travel or how I spend the remaining hours of my days, and so on are controlled.
I am clearly not unique in this, but that does not mean I am satisfied with it. My whole life I have watched my parents and those I have associated with trade their time for money - and never have enough to retire. My generation has no chance of a retirement in the traditional sense. Pensions are a thing of the past thanks to uncontrolled inflation and regulatory costs such as healthcare. IRAs are a joke unless you make over 6 figures for 4 or 5 decades and open several IRAs.
The question must be asked then - if money is the root of all evil, why does everyone trade their most valuable resource (time) for it?
My wife and I hit several significant markers last year - we celebrated 10 years of marriage and realized that our son had already lived half of the years he will be living with us. This year, he has fewer years at home than he has lived. It has jolted me to the core to realize that my children are marching at the steady rate of time out of my home.
I now consider things such as, how can I maximize my earnings from work - so that my wife and I can retire - but without sacrificing time with my children? As I notice my son maturing, however, I also consider things such as - what should I encourage him to do so that he will do better than me?
Something I am currently seeking to impress upon my son to become, and what my daughter ought to seek in a husband, is a man unafraid of success. To have a clear conscious in accomplishments. I have seen truly impoverished places in this world that are wrenching on the soul - but that does not mean I must live in squander.
To be even more clear, I can have no influence or impact to alleviate those that suffer if I myself am suffering. As Christ taught - cleanse the inner vessel first.
This is where stewardship comes into play. Money for the sake of money is illogical just as the storage of shovels is. Why? Simple, they are both tools - nothing more, nothing less. But, money for the purpose of establishing security for family and then the ability to influence this world as a force for good - that is stewardship.
My first duty to my family and society is the same - ensure we are self sufficient. If we are, then we aid society in that we reduce the demand of support. If that is all that can be achieved, then stewardship is realized in its infancy.
Just as a family grows, so must our stewardship. As the earning power is increased, the dependencies are eradicated until the point more can be supported. This is where Stewardship is realized - in the expansion of influence.
It is this I wish to teach my children - work intelligently. At the beginning of every career, there is an imbalanced trade for money & time. This is fine if it is for a purpose. A person cannot start an expert or a leader, these things must be developed with experience. An employer provides these as part of the compensation, making the lower hourly wage worth it if it builds to something greater.
A man can still be a steward at the beginning of his career while he is doing the lowly work - he must simply have an understanding how he will increase his independence and one day be able to be truly free from the mindless money for time rat race.
It will take patience and determination. It is not easy and there are no shortcuts - but life must be lived with a purpose. Without purpose, life is not worth the price of death we all pay.
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