Cap your lifestyle

The
vast majority of lottery winners ruin their lives and file for bankruptcy,
learning too late the principles of 1Timothy 6:17-19 (a passage that changed my
life once).

A lot
of our problems in life arise because we’ve not resolved the issue, “how much
is enough?” Every promotion becomes an
excuse to expand our lifestyle. God
wants to uncomplicate our lives, but our consumer society won’t let us.

And
they’re all good things – we’re not even talking about the latest wide screen
plasma TV’s; we’re talking about Christian school for our kids, a vacation with
our spouse, decent health care.

But
honestly, how much is enough? St. Francis of Asisi answered the question by taking off
his clothes and abandoning everything.
I’m hoping I don’t need to go there.
But we need to pre-determine a salary level and a standard of living
that frees us from complicated living.
Is $35,000 enough? $95,000?

All
the wealthy people I know find that one of the consequences of wealth is that
more of their life is consumed with taxes, portfolios, insurance premiums, and
maintenance on the stuff they buy. It’s
a headache – instead of more freedom, they get bogged down.

If
you’re upwardly mobile or just playing the lotto, do yourself a favor and cap
your lifestyle in advance. Dare to be
counter-culture on this and you and your family will be happier.