Welcome to this conversation

Enough - Episode 2: Enough Money. What is enough money for you? Most people say it is more than they have but a few say it is what they have or less. Interestingly those are often people without a lot of money by society’s standards. Join Greg Meyer and Grace Pomroy - a local money expert - on understanding the question that is more important than how much you have in determining whether you’ve got enough.

Episode 2: Enough Money

It’s an Ownership and a Relationship Question.

As long as you keep making two common mistakes, money will be frustrating rather than fulfilling for you. Those mistakes are about whose money your money is, and how much you need to have enough. 

Let’s acknowledge that in all of our Enough conversations, certainly this one about money, that there are people who simply don’t have enough. This is a justice issue and largely the result of others focusing on their own desire for enough at the expense of others. That needs to change. Yet, even in the midst of that hard reality, enough isn’t the best question. Let’s explore our quest for enough money to see how money, wealth and possessions can be freed up to do what they are meant to do.

Enough is an Ownership question.

It isn’t your money, but you are in charge of it. It is there to enjoy, to care for yourself and others who depend on you, and to share with others.

Enough is a Relationship, not an Amount question.

It isn’t how much money, wealth or possessions you have that will determine your happiness, fulfillment, or meaning but your relationship to them is. Is your money serving you? Or are you serving your money? 

Something to consider: Greg has shared these 7 goals for our money with the Fabric community over the years. They are aspirational, so don’t be surprised if you aren’t even close on some, most, or all. While they may look like ‘rich people’s’ goals, don’t forget that behind them isn’t an amount idea, but a relationship commitment. They may be helpful to you in defining your relationship with money no matter how much or how little you have.

• To be free from the pull of materialism, and to learn to be content with what you have, instead of discontent because of what you don’t have.

• To live debt free (unsecured debt, that is) for the rest of your life so that your income is available to meet your needs.

• To have 3-6 months worth of expenses saved and not live paycheck to paycheck, so that you are prepared for the unexpected and transitions in life.

• To save enough money to provide for your retirement. Not 65 living by the golf course, but there comes a time when you should not have to be working full time to live.

• To be willing and able to return to God’s work in the world the first 10% of your income and learning to live on the rest.

• To be able to give generously, without second thought, to other needs, causes, organizations that you believe in and desire to support.

• To use all of your money in ways that reflect your values, build up the lives of others and are sustainable for the planet.

These aren’t perfect, they are worth considering.

Something to Consider:

“For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.”  Jesus, Luke 12.34

Your money tells the truth about you; it reveals what your values are - and you may not be happy to know what it says. Take a look. It’s okay. We all struggle with this.

Read this parable of the Good Samaritan that Jesus told.

Just then a lawyer stood up to test Jesus. "Teacher," he said, "what must I do to inherit eternal life?" He said to him, "What is written in the law? What do you read there?" He answered, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself." And he said to him, "You have given the right answer; do this, and you will live."

But wanting to justify himself, he asked Jesus, "And who is my neighbor?" Jesus replied, "A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell into the hands of robbers, who stripped him, beat him, and went away, leaving him half dead. Now by chance a priest was going down that road; and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. So likewise a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan while traveling came near him; and when he saw him, he was moved with pity. He went to him and bandaged his wounds, having poured oil and wine on them. Then he put him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him. The next day he took out two denarii, gave them to the innkeeper, and said, 'Take care of him; and when I come back, I will repay you whatever more you spend.' Which of these three, do you think, was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of the robbers?" He said, "The one who showed him mercy." Jesus said to him, "Go and do likewise." A parable of Jesus, Luke 10.25-27 NRSV

There is a lot in this parable, but in relation to our conversation of “Enough Money” note what it tells us about the relationship the Samaritan had with his money. Relisten to Grace’s comments about this story.

Remember why this conversation about Enough is so important: 

“Your inability to understand what enough is for you will push you to DO and BE and HAVE things that don’t matter. And it will do it at the expense of things that do.”

The BIG Question this week: What are you trying to fill your life with? How’s it working? 

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