by Cynthia Thomas

Created on: January 23, 2009

We must admit that money is a necessity in today's world. Without it, it would be very difficult to survive. Money helps us pay our bills, buy our food, and have the things we need. However, it is important to have a healthy view of money. Why? Because having a love of money can actually be more harmful than beneficial.

We constantly see celebrities on television that flaunt their way of living. On the exterior, they seem happy, and maybe that is the case for some of them. Or maybe that's what they would like us to believe. Yet, in reality, having a LOVE of money can bring out the worst in a person. Did you know that you can actually become a slave to money? How so? Well, when someone devotes so much time to making money, everything else in life becomes secondary. A person can become so absorbed in this pursuit of money that they push others away, lose trust in others, and become greedy. Even if someone already has a lot of money, they will always want more. They have an insatiable appetite that can never be satisfied. On top of all this, they become anxious over their amassed wealth, worrying about how long they'll have their money or who they can trust with it. But you don't have to have a lot of money to LOVE it. Even those of little means can become engrossed in wanting to accumulate wealth.

It's no wonder the Bible so wisely says that those who have a love of money have "stabbed themselves all over with many pains." Again, there's nothing wrong with having money, but it is the importance you place on it that determines whether it rules your life or not. Besides, while money can buy you things and in some cases it can mean having a powerful status, it cannot buy your life. Many who have spent hundreds upon thousands of dollars on treatments to cure their ailments end up disappointed simply because of this fact: money cannot cure diseases and it cannot keep you from dying.

The key is to have a HEALTHY view of money, to see it for what it is...a means to survive. In the long run, keeping a simple eye and being content with the basic necessities will free you from the stress and worry that comes from being in debt. Enjoy the simple pleasures in life and do not allow anyone fool you into thinking that money brings happiness. Give of yourself to others and you will find that it is one of the most rewarding things you can do in life. Now THAT brings true satisfaction.

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