Show notes
In today’s interview, Joe and Morgan talk about money, forgiveness, and other spiritual principles that relate to financial planning. Their stories are very different but the truth they share relates to all of us. We live in the wealthiest society the world has ever known. Even those at the bottom of the economic ladder in America enjoy technology (televisions and iPhones) and transportation (cars or mass transit) that was unthinkable even to the super rich a few generations ago. Why, then, are so many people unhappy with what they have? Why do we have such a powerful desire to have more? In an interview with Luci Shaw for Radix magazine, Dallas Willard, author of The Divine Conspiracy, reflected on the impact of rampant consumption in our culture: “We are designed to be creators, initiators, not just receivers. Yet the whole model, the consumerist model of the human being, is to make us passive, and to make us complainers and whiners, because we're not being given what we need. We cook up a ‘right’ to that and then we say we've been deprived of our rights. We see this in our churches, which pander to consumers. They say, ‘Come and consume the services we offer, and we guarantee you a wonderful time. You'll go out of the church door feeling good.’ ” *[“Spiritual Disciplines in a Postmodern World,” Luci Shaw with Dallas Willard, Radix, Vol. 27, No. 2. Someday Soon We'll Stop to Ponder The same truth is stated by a very different source. In their hit song, “The Grand Illusion,” the rock group Styx observes that our culture has an insatiable appetite for more and more stuff without every stopping to reflect on the purpose of life. They sing, “Someday soon we'll stop to ponder what on Earth's this spell we're under. We made the grade and still we wonder who the hell we are.” (“The Grand Illusion,” The Greatest Hits, Styx, 1995.) Why Financial Freedom is Beyond Our Reach These observations are an indictment of our entire western culture. These characteristics are pervasive, to some degree affecting every one of us. The deceptive messages that we need—and, in fact, deserve—more and more possessions and pleasure are the air we breathe each day. And the impact is devastating to our values, dreams, and purposes. Based on these characteristics, financial freedom is always beyond our reach. Daniel Yankelovich, author of the insightful book New Rules, observes that in only the past 50 years, our culture has shifted from self-sacrifice to self-indulgence. The generation that willingly gave their lives to defeat totalitarianism in Germany and Japan would hardly recognize us today. It’s been a quick slide. What Matters More Than Money You and I live all day, every day in the culture of self-indulgence. If we’re aware of it, we can do something about it. From my own experience, I’ve learned that living a life without a transcendent purpose is a dead end street. Santa Claus (or the next POTUS) isn’t going to bail us out, and there’s much more to life than barely making it each month or living in fear that no amount of money is enough. For most of us, a life of financial freedom will require some adjustments. The question is: Is it worth it? For me, the answer is emphatically “yes!” I’m still tempted by those messages that I deserve the newest this or the best that, but I’m far more aware of those messages today, so I can more clearly see the choices. Over the past decade, I’ve been reorienting my life according to the purposes that challenge me and fill my heart with gratitude. As I’ve looked beyond my own selfish needs and tried to meet some of the needs of those around me, I’ve seen God use me to touch a few lives—and that both humbles me and thrills me. Sure, I could work harder and make more money, but I’ve gradually become deeply convinced that there are things more important than a little more money. A Powerful Gyroscope to Freedom In his book, The Call, author Os Guinness described the powerful, clear sense of purpose in the lives of the Puritans as an internal gyroscope that kept them on track no matter what was going on around them. They seem to have discovered a kind of financial freedom that goes way beyond the next new toy. Someday, each of us will receive a report card of our attitudes and behaviors. You and I have been given great wealth in time, resources, and abilities. Jesus once remarked, “Great gifts mean great responsibilities; greater gifts, greater responsibilities!” (Luke12:48) If we squander those great gifts on meaningless things, we’ll regret it now, and we’ll regret it even more when the report card comes out. Financial freedom is a simple and beautiful idea that has been high-jacked in our culture of consumerism. Join me today in the spiritual battle for financial freedom – the battle begins in our mind where each of us makes the choice. Financial freedom is your choice.
