Is it OK to intentionally want to be relatively poor?

[Zhivko]

I post this topic in this forum because I want to hear opinions from both Christians and non-Christians.

I have been relatively poor almost all my life. I am now 32 years old. However, for 2 years in my life (20-22) I managed to earn more money than the average people in my home country (Bulgaria) by playing poker on the internet. I was obsessed with making money, 24/7 I was thinking about how to make money. I did not think of anything else. I became a very greedy and bad person. I was thinking about making money by fraud and theft. Thank God I did not do that because God cured me of this greed.

Now I work as a gardener full-time and as a graphic designer part-time and I like my jobs. I manage to live well in my own eyes. I consider myself a relatively poor person - I live with my mother in a nice and big flat, I don't have a car, but I have a nice bike, computer, tablet for my work, nice sports equipment because I play a lot of sports in my free time. I live in a nice location, I have big grocery stores near me, a forest for walks, places I can play sports, pools, spa centers, everything I want.

Most of all - I want to be healthy - there is no fortune bigger than that. And I think I am in a good health - I just have some very minor issues. I get well with my colleagues and my supervisors in my workplaces. I get well with my relatives and friends. The only thing I lack is more money.

There are a lot of scriptures in the bible that warns us against wanting to become rich (you can search them). It is considered vanity. God warns us that He will never forget nor forsake us (The Christians).

That's why I intentionally want to keep myself relatively poor for the following reasons:

- being rich makes me arrogant and proud. I don't like that.
- having a lot of money means there will be a lot of people wanting to steal them. This thought makes me nervous. I won't be able to sleep well. I don't like to have expensive possessions - I will get very angry if someone steals them.
- having a lot of money does not guarantee you happiness. I could get ill or something bad may happen in my life and no money is gonna change that.
- making a lot of money means I have to work more and have great success. However, there are so many people that will get jealous of it. I find it very hard to resist the envy and jealousy of others.
- I may die tomorrow or after 70 more years, and the thought I would leave a lot of money behind me drives me angry. I don't want anyone else to get the money I have worked so hard for free.
- Also, I just go through this life in the hope of the eternal one. I want once I die to say to myself 'Finally I get rid of the hard life, here comes the eternal life of happiness.' I see no need for any possessions more than I need for my very basic needs.
- by being poor very few people respect me. But now I know - whoever respects me now is because of my personality, not because they can get something out of me because I am rich.

I live in a society where almost everyone wants to be rich. Does someone else share the same thoughts as me? Please share your opinion.

 

[mama2one]

seems you're doing ok if you're interested in remaining single & living with mom your whole life

however, if you'd like to marry & have a family, they most likely would not want to live in your mom's house

 

[Tinker Grey]

If you're happy and can take care of yourself (and your profile shows you are single), then be happy.

 

[eleos1954]

I post this topic in this forum because I want to hear opinions from both Christians and non-Christians.

I have been relatively poor almost all my life. I am now 32 years old. However, for 2 years in my life (20-22) I managed to earn more money than the average people in my home country (Bulgaria) by playing poker on the internet. I was obsessed with making money, 24/7 I was thinking about how to make money. I did not think of anything else. I became a very greedy and bad person. I was thinking about making money by fraud and theft. Thank God I did not do that because God cured me of this greed.

Now I work as a gardener full-time and as a graphic designer part-time and I like my jobs. I manage to live well in my own eyes. I consider myself a relatively poor person - I live with my mother in a nice and big flat, I don't have a car, but I have a nice bike, computer, tablet for my work, nice sports equipment because I play a lot of sports in my free time. I live in a nice location, I have big grocery stores near me, a forest for walks, places I can play sports, pools, spa centers, everything I want.

Most of all - I want to be healthy - there is no fortune bigger than that. And I think I am in a good health - I just have some very minor issues. I get well with my colleagues and my supervisors in my workplaces. I get well with my relatives and friends. The only thing I lack is more money.

There are a lot of scriptures in the bible that warns us against wanting to become rich (you can search them). It is considered vanity. God warns us that He will never forget nor forsake us (The Christians).

That's why I intentionally want to keep myself relatively poor for the following reasons:

- being rich makes me arrogant and proud. I don't like that.
- having a lot of money means there will be a lot of people wanting to steal them. This thought makes me nervous. I won't be able to sleep well. I don't like to have expensive possessions - I will get very angry if someone steals them.
- having a lot of money does not guarantee you happiness. I could get ill or something bad may happen in my life and no money is gonna change that.
- making a lot of money means I have to work more and have great success. However, there are so many people that will get jealous of it. I find it very hard to resist the envy and jealousy of others.
- I may die tomorrow or after 70 more years, and the thought I would leave a lot of money behind me drives me angry. I don't want anyone else to get the money I have worked so hard for free.
- Also, I just go through this life in the hope of the eternal one. I want once I die to say to myself 'Finally I get rid of the hard life, here comes the eternal life of happiness.' I see no need for any possessions more than I need for my very basic needs.
- by being poor very few people respect me. But now I know - whoever respects me now is because of my personality, not because they can get something out of me because I am rich.

I live in a society where almost everyone wants to be rich. Does someone else share the same thoughts as me? Please share your opinion.

It's about being content with what you have. Also, we are to leave an inheritance if possible to the family and/or to the Lords work.

People think money can buy them happiness .... happiness is in the heart and that does not require material things. Many "rich" people are suffering inside.

 

[jacks]

As long as you are supporting yourself in an honest manner that makes you happy, you are doing great. What others think, is of no consequence.

 

[JesusTheMessiah]

Hello and welcome to cf

Now regarding your question, I think it is not bad to want to be poor for the right reasons as well as wanting to be rich. Both desires are ok, if they are motivated rightly and don‘t lead you away from God and a holy life.

However you described your situation and I don‘t consider you poor (neither rich). I expected something like “I live with both parents, my wife and three children in a tiny apartment, no car, an old rusty bike, some older used clothes etc“. My parents are from Romania and I used to travel a lot to Romania. So I know the living standards over there in eastern Europe. Those countries are pretty similar and you should consider yourself very fortunate. Acknowledge everything our Lord has blessed you with and enjoy it.

Be blessed,

Manno

 

[timothyu]

You simply have not fallen for the god of consumerism. It is ok to be comfortable or even have extra that can be shared in times of need. But no one need fall for the idea they are born to shop. That focus on self is what got us kicked out of the Garden in the first place.

 

[Trusting in Him]

There is nothing wrong if God is blessing you financially. St Paul said that he knew how both to be abased and to abound: everywhere and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and suffer need.

Abraham was a very wealthy man. God told him to, "Walk before Me and be ye perfect!. God did not say anything about Him having lots of money. Living your life for Him, is what matters. Sure, Abraham was a wealthy man, but the bible also says the Abraham pleased God. Whether we are rich,or poor does not seem to be anything problematic to me.

Don't let it condemn you, if God is blessing you, be thankful. God has a purpose for your life and this may be part of His purposes in your life. Just don't let it become too important in your life. God may be wanting your life to be a testimony to others. Who gets all the glory when others see that God is able to bless His people?

 

[timothyu]

Abraham was a very wealthy man.

Abraham's wealth was for his people, not for himself. It makes a difference. Remember when America's wealth was for the nation rather than the few? Remember the prosperity it had when the wealth was shared?

 

[grasping the after wind]

You may be prioritizing the wrong thing. Why do you want to be relatively and not actually poor? Why do you concern yourself with what financial grouping you might be included in? I believe that one ought to be happy no matter what financial situation one finds oneself in as long as one is not starving or suffering from exposure to the elements. If one finds they have a problem by having too much, then give it away to others that might be content and untroubled by having more. IMO one can find more meaning in life by giving of oneself to others (not giving one's things or one's stuff but of oneself) than one will ever find in self contemplation or self-actualization or any other activity in which one is concentrating one's interest, time and efforts upon oneself.

 

[Daniel of Sweden]

Hello,
The Holy Spirit can tell you of these things,
man has no real answers, I'm afraid.
Men are fools, as the Bible so explains.

 

[dqhall]

I post this topic in this forum because I want to hear opinions from both Christians and non-Christians.

I have been relatively poor almost all my life. I am now 32 years old. However, for 2 years in my life (20-22) I managed to earn more money than the average people in my home country (Bulgaria) by playing poker on the internet. I was obsessed with making money, 24/7 I was thinking about how to make money. I did not think of anything else. I became a very greedy and bad person. I was thinking about making money by fraud and theft. Thank God I did not do that because God cured me of this greed.

Now I work as a gardener full-time and as a graphic designer part-time and I like my jobs. I manage to live well in my own eyes. I consider myself a relatively poor person - I live with my mother in a nice and big flat, I don't have a car, but I have a nice bike, computer, tablet for my work, nice sports equipment because I play a lot of sports in my free time. I live in a nice location, I have big grocery stores near me, a forest for walks, places I can play sports, pools, spa centers, everything I want.

Most of all - I want to be healthy - there is no fortune bigger than that. And I think I am in a good health - I just have some very minor issues. I get well with my colleagues and my supervisors in my workplaces. I get well with my relatives and friends. The only thing I lack is more money.

There are a lot of scriptures in the bible that warns us against wanting to become rich (you can search them). It is considered vanity. God warns us that He will never forget nor forsake us (The Christians).

That's why I intentionally want to keep myself relatively poor for the following reasons:

- being rich makes me arrogant and proud. I don't like that.
- having a lot of money means there will be a lot of people wanting to steal them. This thought makes me nervous. I won't be able to sleep well. I don't like to have expensive possessions - I will get very angry if someone steals them.
- having a lot of money does not guarantee you happiness. I could get ill or something bad may happen in my life and no money is gonna change that.
- making a lot of money means I have to work more and have great success. However, there are so many people that will get jealous of it. I find it very hard to resist the envy and jealousy of others.
- I may die tomorrow or after 70 more years, and the thought I would leave a lot of money behind me drives me angry. I don't want anyone else to get the money I have worked so hard for free.
- Also, I just go through this life in the hope of the eternal one. I want once I die to say to myself 'Finally I get rid of the hard life, here comes the eternal life of happiness.' I see no need for any possessions more than I need for my very basic needs.
- by being poor very few people respect me. But now I know - whoever respects me now is because of my personality, not because they can get something out of me because I am rich.

I live in a society where almost everyone wants to be rich. Does someone else share the same thoughts as me? Please share your opinion.

There was a time when I was poor, homeless and malnourished. I found temporary jobs picking fruit or doing construction labor. That was over 35 years ago. At some point I heard Christian sermons in homeless shelters and tried to change my life.

I studied the Bible. I fixed things for people until my back injury. Recently I broke my femur at the hip in a bicycle accident. It seems like the Book of Job. God warned me not to complain or be bitter. God reminded me about Paul’s suffering being beaten, arrested, despised. In danger from robbers, in danger at sea, threatened with execution. I am not supposed to give up hope.

Late in life I received some extra money. I studied investments with little success, but then there was some success. My little home is paid for, I have a car, some vacant land, stocks and I can afford healthy food. I do not want to be poor again.

I had not met one of my neighbors in five years. I met her this week. She is a widow and seasonal resident. Another neighbor and I call each other sometimes. She helped me after my accident. I used to have acquaintances at the 55+ community pool. I have been homebound most of four months and am not strong enough to go there. I found a small black spot on my big toe this morning. I thanked God for being able to see it. I made an appointment with a dermatologist who is booked five weeks in advance. I hired temporary home care servants a few hours a week to do chores and drive me places.

My brother and his family rented a vacation house for a week. Last Thursday he drove an hour and took me to a Thanksgiving meal and back. There were about 16 family and friends at the four bedroom house. Some flew or drove long distances. It is a blessing to be invited to a feast.

 

[Sketcher]

My dreams of wealth are limited to a middle class lifestyle for a family without the debt.

 

[essentialsaltes]

It seems like you have found a good balance of quality-of-life and self-esteem versus money. So good for you.

 

[partinobodycular]

I believe that one ought to be happy no matter what financial situation one finds oneself in as long as one is not starving or suffering from exposure to the elements.

I was with you until you added the disclaimers about starving and suffering from exposure? Why should those two things make someone unhappy?

They're not hardships, they're gifts. You should embrace them as if they're some of the most treasured things in life. Because it's the things through which you persevere that make your life memorable and extraordinary.

DesCartes said "I think therefore I am", but there's more to life than simply to be. One should strive to be extraordinary, even if that simply means to have endured.

We all face challenges in life, some we choose, some we accept because they're the kind of challenges that are common to everyone, and then there are the challenges that aren't common to everyone, that seem unjust, and unfair, and cruel. But of the three, it's the last ones that are the most virtuous, because far more than the others, they're the hardest to endure. Because they're the one's that we don't deserve.

So fill your life with the extraordinary, no matter how mundane, or unjust it may seem. Because life and people are noblest when they're tested.

 

[Percivale]

I also am 32 and like being moderately poor. I'm able to support my family comfortably enough with income around the US poverty level, since we own our home with no debt and I can do a lot of things myself that most people might have to pay for, like car repairs, firewood for heat, etc.
I like what the proverb says, "give me neither poverty nor riches."

 

[timothyu]

After much consideration I purposely took the low road many decades back and never regretted it. Besides, God sees to our needs.

 

[partinobodycular]

God sees to our needs.

In my previous post I pointed out that people often bemoan the challenges in their lives. As if they're not happy because they're not pretty enough, or popular enough, or smart enough, or rich enough...but whether it's thanks to God, or fate, or luck, we all have crosses to bear. We're not perfect, and life isn't perfect, and so we have crosses.

But the key is not to bemoan the crosses, no matter how unjust they may seem. And if you can do that, if you can learn to embrace the crosses, then you can begin to learn what it really means to be happy.

Which leads to life lesson number two. Happy first...prosperous second. If you can be happy. If you can embrace the crosses. Then the more you can appreciate the ways in which you're already prosperous. The more you'll realize that you don't need to be pretty, or popular, or rich. And the things that you previously valued in your life will become less important, and you'll begin to fill your life with the things that are important, like being kind, and generous, and selfless, and forgiving. Then you're prosperous, and rich, and pretty where it really matters.

So even the homeless person can be prosperous if he has simply learned to treasure one thing...love thy neighbor.

 

[timewerx]

Although money can't buy happiness, it is way more stressful to deal with problems like sickness, loss, etc with very little money.

I've gone through such problems with barely any money in the bank and it's awful. I still barely have enough savings to date due to hospital debt.

You look at rich people and they age really well and live much longer than poor people because they have a lot less stressful living. They may not be happy because all their friends are fake but their lives are much less stressful.

High levels of stress can wreak havoc to health, both physical and mental health. You get sick and it's even worse if you're poor because in some countries, a trip to the hospital can be very expensive and rob you blind, so to speak.

Living can be torture if you're dealing with lots of stresses like paying student debt, hospital debt, losing a job and you barely saved any money. You'll get sick and you won't live long living like that

 

[The happy Objectivist]

I post this topic in this forum because I want to hear opinions from both Christians and non-Christians.

I have been relatively poor almost all my life. I am now 32 years old. However, for 2 years in my life (20-22) I managed to earn more money than the average people in my home country (Bulgaria) by playing poker on the internet. I was obsessed with making money, 24/7 I was thinking about how to make money. I did not think of anything else. I became a very greedy and bad person. I was thinking about making money by fraud and theft. Thank God I did not do that because God cured me of this greed.

Now I work as a gardener full-time and as a graphic designer part-time and I like my jobs. I manage to live well in my own eyes. I consider myself a relatively poor person - I live with my mother in a nice and big flat, I don't have a car, but I have a nice bike, computer, tablet for my work, nice sports equipment because I play a lot of sports in my free time. I live in a nice location, I have big grocery stores near me, a forest for walks, places I can play sports, pools, spa centers, everything I want.

Most of all - I want to be healthy - there is no fortune bigger than that. And I think I am in a good health - I just have some very minor issues. I get well with my colleagues and my supervisors in my workplaces. I get well with my relatives and friends. The only thing I lack is more money.

There are a lot of scriptures in the bible that warns us against wanting to become rich (you can search them). It is considered vanity. God warns us that He will never forget nor forsake us (The Christians).

That's why I intentionally want to keep myself relatively poor for the following reasons:

- being rich makes me arrogant and proud. I don't like that.
- having a lot of money means there will be a lot of people wanting to steal them. This thought makes me nervous. I won't be able to sleep well. I don't like to have expensive possessions - I will get very angry if someone steals them.
- having a lot of money does not guarantee you happiness. I could get ill or something bad may happen in my life and no money is gonna change that.
- making a lot of money means I have to work more and have great success. However, there are so many people that will get jealous of it. I find it very hard to resist the envy and jealousy of others.
- I may die tomorrow or after 70 more years, and the thought I would leave a lot of money behind me drives me angry. I don't want anyone else to get the money I have worked so hard for free.
- Also, I just go through this life in the hope of the eternal one. I want once I die to say to myself 'Finally I get rid of the hard life, here comes the eternal life of happiness.' I see no need for any possessions more than I need for my very basic needs.
- by being poor very few people respect me. But now I know - whoever respects me now is because of my personality, not because they can get something out of me because I am rich.

I live in a society where almost everyone wants to be rich. Does someone else share the same thoughts as me? Please share your opinion.

I chose a life as an artisan even though I could have done something that earned more money. It's perfectly fine to do this but what is not fine is to expect others to take care of you if you don't have enough money. And to use the government to take the rightful property of others to pay for your food or medical treatment or anything else that you need is highly immoral. I have known plenty of people who could work but decided to live off of welfare instead. I know people who got pregnant so that they could get more government benefits. I have nothing but contempt for these people.

 

[Mr Laurier]

I post this topic in this forum because I want to hear opinions from both Christians and non-Christians.

I have been relatively poor almost all my life. I am now 32 years old. However, for 2 years in my life (20-22) I managed to earn more money than the average people in my home country (Bulgaria) by playing poker on the internet. I was obsessed with making money, 24/7 I was thinking about how to make money. I did not think of anything else. I became a very greedy and bad person. I was thinking about making money by fraud and theft. Thank God I did not do that because God cured me of this greed.

Now I work as a gardener full-time and as a graphic designer part-time and I like my jobs. I manage to live well in my own eyes. I consider myself a relatively poor person - I live with my mother in a nice and big flat, I don't have a car, but I have a nice bike, computer, tablet for my work, nice sports equipment because I play a lot of sports in my free time. I live in a nice location, I have big grocery stores near me, a forest for walks, places I can play sports, pools, spa centers, everything I want.

Most of all - I want to be healthy - there is no fortune bigger than that. And I think I am in a good health - I just have some very minor issues. I get well with my colleagues and my supervisors in my workplaces. I get well with my relatives and friends. The only thing I lack is more money.

There are a lot of scriptures in the bible that warns us against wanting to become rich (you can search them). It is considered vanity. God warns us that He will never forget nor forsake us (The Christians).

That's why I intentionally want to keep myself relatively poor for the following reasons:

- being rich makes me arrogant and proud. I don't like that.
- having a lot of money means there will be a lot of people wanting to steal them. This thought makes me nervous. I won't be able to sleep well. I don't like to have expensive possessions - I will get very angry if someone steals them.
- having a lot of money does not guarantee you happiness. I could get ill or something bad may happen in my life and no money is gonna change that.
- making a lot of money means I have to work more and have great success. However, there are so many people that will get jealous of it. I find it very hard to resist the envy and jealousy of others.
- I may die tomorrow or after 70 more years, and the thought I would leave a lot of money behind me drives me angry. I don't want anyone else to get the money I have worked so hard for free.
- Also, I just go through this life in the hope of the eternal one. I want once I die to say to myself 'Finally I get rid of the hard life, here comes the eternal life of happiness.' I see no need for any possessions more than I need for my very basic needs.
- by being poor very few people respect me. But now I know - whoever respects me now is because of my personality, not because they can get something out of me because I am rich.

I live in a society where almost everyone wants to be rich. Does someone else share the same thoughts as me? Please share your opinion.

Wealth is not virtue.
Poverty is not a moral failing.
You seem to have some deep issues around money.
Its a tool, like a hammer or a saw.
Dont let it define you