Money is a Stewardship

I am not obsessed about money. This might sound a little strange coming from a guy who calls himself Cheapwad and blogs about personal finance. My wife might even disagree with me because I do expend some amount of effort worrying about our family finances. But the fact of the matter is that I care about money for one main reason: I believe money is a stewardship.

An obsession is all-consuming. It's a hunger that cannot be satisfied. My grey matter doesn't view money in that light. Rather, I think of money in terms of making the best use of what I've been given. Any money I receive becomes a responsibility. My greatest desire is to be wise in the spending and saving and investing and sharing of that responsibility. It doesn't matter if the amount is large or small, I feel the same sense of duty.

By viewing money in this way, I combat the temptation to ever think that money or financial security equates to happiness. One doesn't have to look very far to see celebrities, athletes, or even close friends and relatives that have plenty of cash, nice homes and cars, fine jewelry, etc. but are not happy. Those people face challenges just like everyone else. If I can avoid that temptation, then my primary pursuit in life will always be happiness. I won't be distracted and begin to pursue the almighty dollar and sacrifice everything else that is so much more important...especially family.

Would it be nice to have a lot of money? Sure. Would it be great to be financially independent? Of course. But, having a million dollars in the bank will not solve all my problems. It won't make me a better husband or father, a better son or brother. It won't make me kinder, gentler, or more thoughtful. Money (or the lack thereof) does not define who I am. My thoughts and actions are guided by my character, which is a much better indicator of success in this life. And it is my character that will help me be a wise steward.