Proverbs 14:30-31

30: "A heart at peace gives life to the body, but envy rots the bones."

31: "He who oppresses the poor shows contempt for their Maker, but whoever is kind to the needy honors God."

As I help folks get their finances in order, I cast vision as to "how things could be" IF "they would just do this, this, and that."  Many times this involves selling some stuff – cars, boats, motorcycles, houses!  I want people to have nice stuff, but many times the nice stuff is eating up 50% of their budget OR MORE.  Folks just will not win with expenses like that!

As I cast vision, it is not unusual for me to say, "If you sell the two cars and buy two used cars, you could be debt-free except for the house in 12 months.  If you keep the cars, you may be debt-free in 60 months." Or I might say, "If you sell the boat and motorcycle, you could be debt-free immediately.  If you keep the boat and motorcycle, you may be debt-free in 72 months."

When I mention selling some stuff, I begin encountering resistance!  This is their stuff!  They love their stuff!  They bought this stuff, and they want to keep it!  Even when it is eating them alive financially!  Even when they are not able to give one thin dime and are not assisting others at all!

As I go through meetings like this, I see that God's word is true.  Proverbs 14:30 says that "envy rots the bones".  When people have a bad case of stuff-itis, it is usually a result of envy.  They saw someone else with that item, and they wanted one too.  The difference is that they could not afford it.  The verse also says that "a heart at peace gives life to the body."  When stuff-itis is cured, WOW!  The peace is awesome!  Knowing you could go to the store and buy anything in there, but not doing it because you really don't need anything.  Wow!  I am telling you it is AWESOME!  Jenn and I have been vaccinated against stuff-itis, and it feels good!

Proverbs 14:31 says that "whoever is kind to the needy honors God."  I guess that is why it pains me so deeply in my soul when I see people up to their eyeballs in debt with a bad case of stuff-itis.  They are so loaded up with their own wants that they do not even see the the needy, let alone help them.

The solution?  Get a vaccination against stuff-itis!

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