Is it a sin to want to be wealthy?

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queenofmycastle

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One of my goals for this year is to get my financial house in order. I have never been financially smart, and I decided to make changes for the better. I have started to learn about investing and I hope to eventually be financially free someday. Sometimes I feel guilty for wanting to move up to a higher standard of living, wanting to have a nicer home, wanting better for my children than what I had growing up, etc. For a long time I’ve had a love/hate relationship with money. Although I know we need money to live, It seems to me that many passages in the bible refer to wealth/money as “wrong”. I’m having trouble reconciling my goal of wanting to be wealthy, with wondering if that displeases God. Also, I was a SAHM for 2.5 years but I returned to the workforce part-time recently b/c we were barely making it on my husbands income. Which is one of the reasons I want to make more money, so that I can stay at home with the kids again.

I feel I already have True wealth. My health, my husband, my children, a roof over our heads and food on the table, and of course my Faith in God. Is it wrong to want to have more (reasonable) material wealth?

Can anyone offer me some words of wisdom? Your prayers are very much appreciated.
 
Absolutely not. What you do with the money and your time given to you by God on Earth are important. Being rich and generous and love God more than your wealth, then you’ll be fine. God just want to use your talents and money to help others. 🙂

Let’s suppose you are very rich, and you have chances to help the poor, but you deny to help them. On your judgment day, God will say to you, when I am sick and homeless, you do not take care of me. What should you answer to him?

Another example, when you are trying to get rich and richer, do you have time for God more and more or you just mind about how much you make and spend less and less time with God.

Many rich people are so caught up with their business and they forget about God, and that is why Jesus warns them.

I am sure other members will have their thoughts on this.
 
It’s not a sin to want nice things or even a lot of money. Where the sin comes into play is when you begin to covet. When you put money or material possessions ahead of God is when things tend to go south for rich folks. Material wealth is a blessing from God. Perhaps your new found wisdom for money will give you the means to helps someone else who otherwise would have been in need.

I’ll also be glad to take any excess wealth off your hands for you. 🙂
 
There is an excellent book on this by Fr Thomas Dubey-“Be you poor”. The message of the gospel he says, is very clear that we should live sparingly.You should read it.
 
It at least partly depends on WHY you want wealth. After all, it is LOVE of money that is described as the root of all evil, not money itself. Although it is incredibly hard to be wealthy without being or becoming unduly attached to your money or possessions.

The key is not to skimp on doing good for others with it!
 
no. It is not a sin to want to enjoy life as long as you still are thankful to God and think of him first and enjoyment can cost money so why would it be sinful?
 
no, just remember not to put wealth before God.
and beware of the “Glory to be Wealthy Gospel” lure

good luck

Tak
 
queenofmycastle said:
One of my goals for this year is to get my financial house in order. I have never been financially smart, and I decided to make changes for the better. I have started to learn about investing and I hope to eventually be financially free someday. Sometimes I feel guilty for wanting to move up to a higher standard of living, wanting to have a nicer home, wanting better for my children than what I had growing up, etc. For a long time I’ve had a love/hate relationship with money. Although I know we need money to live, It seems to me that many passages in the bible refer to wealth/money as “wrong”. I’m having trouble reconciling my goal of wanting to be wealthy, with wondering if that displeases God. Also, I was a SAHM for 2.5 years but I returned to the workforce part-time recently b/c we were barely making it on my husbands income. Which is one of the reasons I want to make more money, so that I can stay at home with the kids again.

I feel I already have True wealth. My health, my husband, my children, a roof over our heads and food on the table, and of course my Faith in God. Is it wrong to want to have more (reasonable) material wealth?

Can anyone offer me some words of wisdom? Your prayers are very much appreciated.
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If you want some more money in order to stay home and raise the children, I don’t think that desire would be sinful.

Why do you have a love/hate relationship with money? Money only is what money does. You want a higher standard of living and a bigger house. Why is that? Do you feel it is worth the extra work? You want a better living for your children, what actually is a better living? Do you get upset at other’s who have what you want?

Try to get clear answers for these, and do so with your husband too. Take it to prayer too. I’m sure some answers you’ll like others you dislike, but even if you don’t like them, desires are not sinful, it’s the acceptance and putting them into action. Once you have the answers, it makes how to act much more clear. Every now and then contrary feelings will crop up, and you’ll just have to quiet them down. You’ll have to reassess the situation too from time to time.

Material wealth, is not bad, it is good, God called it that. It is our actions with it that can be sinful. I guess there is the line that money is at the root of evil, but I think that it is off a bit of your thinking of a plant, it is more like the nutrients in the soil that the plant uses. OF COURSE, I put the quote wrong, because it is easy to forget the actual quote, already said here (correctly). The love of money is at the root of all evil. Money cannot love, only us humans. Only one that can choose to love or not can do any evil. When love is disordered it can stay from the good.
 
Thank you for your replies everyone.

Well, I guess the love/hate relationship with money stems from the fact that while I need it and do want more of it, part of me feels guilty because I’d have more than other people. And also I feel like I don’t really deserve to have more money. Oh yeah, and I remember reading the bible when I was young, and reading about the rich man being as likely to get into heaven as a camel going through the needle of an eye. :hmmm:

I can’t say that I really covet what other people have. It doesn’t bother me that they have what I want, I just wish I could have the confidence to go out there and get it myself without being afraid. I’m afraid if I have too much, then I’ll end up greedy or forget who I truly am. I don’t want to lose myself and of course my Faith and my salvation.

And as to why I want wealth? Well, I want to make more money, so that I can quit my part time job and be a full time mother again. Also, if we had more money coming in, it would mean my husband won’t have to work so much if any overtime every week so that he can spend more time with me and the kids instead of being a slave to his job just so we can pay the bills. We have blessed with two children and want to have at least two more :D. We have seriously considered homeschooling and would like to do it, but it would be very hard with our current circumstances.

These are just a few of the many reasons. I guess it just comes down to having more freedom to do what we would like in life, instead of always spending time working just to pay the bills. My passion is my family, and if I can be with them and spend time with them, then money is just a means to that end.

Hope I made some sense 🙂
 
I don’t think it is a sin to want to provide a good living for you and your family. It only becomes a sin when you put things ahead of people and God. I like Dave Ramsey’s common sense approach to money. He calls it God’s and Grandma’s way of handling money.
 
What about luxury items? I know people who buy really expensive cars and upgrade their houses and i honestly think that i would not be able to buy a really expensive luxury item when there are starving children or children who suffer life threatening illness that could be cured with a single donation. Why do nuns live lives of poverty if that is not what God intended for them?

Thanks, ive also thought about this quite a bit and am unsure.
 
Christ owned nothing, he had no home, no possessions. His disciples followed His lead. The saints, even if they were born into wealthy families gave up everything to follow Christ. We may not be called to such radical poverty, but we are not expected to own the best in consumer items, give only our surplus to charity. We are called to live sparingly and we are called to share with the poor. We are not to adorn our selves with the latest fashions, nor buy the costlies jewellery, or the best music systems… read Fr Thomas Dubeys book. It will make you feel very uneasy. It made me look very hard at my life style.
 
The title of his book is “Happy are you poor” not “be you poor” as I said earlier.
 
Saint Paul To Timothy 6:10 For the** desire of money **is the root of all evils; which some coveting have erred from the faith, and have entangled themselves in many sorrows.

Can be bad if it’s all you think about and it causes you to forget about your faith, anyway I don’t qualify, I’m not rich, then again in today’s world, being rich is relative.
 
I was reading a book called the sparrow (it’s fictional lol) but it has a sound Biblical metaphor running through the book.

In order to be able to receive Christ we must go to him with empty hands.

The Saints and nuns etc give up everything they have in order to have empty hands to receive something better.

I could never live in extreme poverty like that but I can’t ignore the message even though I live in a consumer society that tells us wealth is everything, also the imbalance of wealth between the West and the rest of the world concerns me: what is a moral level of wealth in our country is an obscene ammount of wealth in others.
 
Thats the way i look at it. Just when i am thinking of buying a really expensive dress that i dont really need, or shoes that i would love but dont need i stop and think. It makes you feel pretty ****** though when at every social occassion people comment on dress sense and youre wearing a dress you bought 2 years ago. I try to stay away from the mall, as a student its easier because i have little money anyway, but in a way its harder when you go and visit a friend and she is dressed to impress and youve nothing new to wear. Last time i spent lots of money on myself i felt guilty when i couldnt afford to give the homeless man $2, i promised i wouldnt do that again. I believe you are right undeserving. St Clare gave up everything, all the riches in the world, to be closer to Christ.

Queenofmycastle, i understand your love/hate relationship with money, money has the potential to turn a loving family into a spoiled one. I grew up poorer than most, i am so greatful that i did. I see the error in my parents’ ways when they have a heart attack (figure of speech of course) when their possessions get ruined, its the end of the day for my father, and then all i am reminded of is Jesus’ quote: “do not store your treasures where theives may come and rob you, rather store your traesures in heaven where nothing can harm it” (very imprecise quote, very very imprecise, but it is goes something like that)

Whenever i think about the money issue i repeat this: *I know that you see what i do and i dont need. *God it hurts to give you what i must lay down, but when i let go freedom’s found, Lord it hurts to let go of what ive held so dear, but because of your love its clear i can trust you. **
 
Just for the record i wrote cra p, didnt think that was a swear word.
 
undeserving said:
There is an excellent book on this by Fr Thomas Dubey-“Be you poor”. The message of the gospel he says, is very clear that we should live sparingly.You should read it.
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Queen, I suggest that you might want to read the following treastise on markets and morality as it provides advice on how one can pursue success (financial and otherwise) without taking one away from God but actually pulling one closer to God. In the event this link doesn’t work, go to the Acton Institute web site.

secure.acton.org/BookShoppe/main/title.php?id=513
 
Thank you very much for your responses. I have been thinking about this thread for the past few days now.

Well, what do you make of the statement that wealth is relative? For example, my family lives on a very modest income, we own a home, have two cars, internet access, television, and a couple of electronic gadgets such as mp3 player and digital camera. Someone in a third world country would certainly consider my family wealthy. However, someone earning for example, a 6 figure a year income would probably not consider me wealthy, for my home is small and old and is not in a location that is prestigious by any means, my cars are used and beat up, and we do not have any luxury items unless you consider the internet and television a couple of electronic toys luxeries.

So, I am not saying I want to earn a six figure a year income necessarily, what I am saying is how do you classify wealth? Aren’t there different “levels” of wealth? Or, would you say wealth is more of an attitude, or a mindset, than how much money you have?

I appreciate your insights and God Bless you :).
 
queenofmycastle said:
Thank you very much for your responses. I have been thinking about this thread for the past few days now.

Well, what do you make of the statement that wealth is relative? For example, my family lives on a very modest income, we own a home, have two cars, internet access, television, and a couple of electronic gadgets such as mp3 player and digital camera. Someone in a third world country would certainly consider my family wealthy. However, someone earning for example, a 6 figure a year income would probably not consider me wealthy, for my home is small and old and is not in a location that is prestigious by any means, my cars are used and beat up, and we do not have any luxury items unless you consider the internet and television a couple of electronic toys luxeries.

So, I am not saying I want to earn a six figure a year income necessarily, what I am saying is how do you classify wealth? Aren’t there different “levels” of wealth? Or, would you say wealth is more of an attitude, or a mindset, than how much money you have?

I appreciate your insights and God Bless you :).
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Wealth is partly a mindset. You often find that people from rich backgrounds who become poor don’t think of themselves as poor, but as a temporarily embarrassed rich person. Of course this is partly rational. Someone who has been brought up in a sink estate and ends up in the homeless shelter will probably stay on the margins of society for the rest of their lives. Someone from Eton who loses all their money and winds up in a homeless shelter will probably only spend a few weeks there before he persuades some old schoolfriend to try the next dodgy business venture.

You are “comfortable”. You can sustain yourself as a member of society. However you are not wealthy in that there is not a lot of spare money to throw around.

Your priority should be to discharge your obligations to God. However, having done that, you can do what you want with the rest of your time and resources. That includes trying to make a lot of money. The important thing is that it must be a subsidiary goal. You cannot serve two masters. However you can, for example, run a business and be a Catholic in perfectly good standing.
 
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