Keeping Money In Perspective
The Solar System to Scale
Despite the optimistic tone of this blog and despite my lofty monetary goals, money will never be the main focus of my life. Money is a great tool; it can make many areas of life much easier and even allow you to pursue the things that really do matter in life. But money should never be thought of as an End-in-Itself, to borrow a phrase from Immanuel Kant. I can easily think of a dozen things that are more important to me than money alone, and money only has meaning insofar as it facilitates my pursuit of those things: my relationship with my wife, my relationship with God, my relationships with friends and family, finishing my Ph.D., growing in and learning about my various interests and hobbies, etc.
One thought on keeping money in perspective: for someone like me, who is a Christian trying to find the right balance between God, others, and self, this question is an important one to always keep in mind. Probably every single personal finance blog on the internet will contain some post about "paying yourself first" in order to retire wealthy. While this is a perfectly fine mantra for remembering to invest rather than spending 100% of your income, it doesn't really recognize the hierarchy of priorities that lead to a healthy lifestyle. As a Christian, my first responsibility is my relationship with God. I am certainly far from perfect in this respect, but it is my goal never to let money interfere with my humility and reverence in God's presence. Second in line, and first if you are not religious, should be others; friends, family, compassion for the needy, etc. Only when these concerns are met with do I believe that one is justified in considering himself of any import.
A final thought regarding how to support yourself with integrity and still place priority on others over self: If you take care of yourself adequately through sound personal finance, you will be in a much better position to take care of others. Whether it is supporting your elders when they cannot support themselves, supporting your own immediate family, or making charitable contributions that make a positive and significant impact on the world, if you have your own financial house in order then you will be better able to make a positive contribution to the lives of others. How to walk the line between supporting yourself financially and prioritizing others in day to day life will be up to each person and his/her own conscience. But I believe it to be possible to invest for your own future and to do so with integrity and with a healthy sense of one's priorities in life. Just remember that money is just an object and is never something to be loved or worshiped. Add in a proper sense of selflessness and you will go a long way towards having a healthy lifestyle that respects the proper ordering of your relationships and priorities and keeps money in its proper perspective.
Note: Thanks to a fellow blogger at Free Money Finance for similar reflections on this issue.
