Money Can Buy Freedom, Not Happiness

It's safe to say that German billionaire multi-business owner Adolf Merckle, French billionaire financier Rene-Thierry Magon de la Villehuchet and multi-millionaire pop singer Michael Jackson died unhappy. Merckle, facing the prospect of his business empire collapsing, threw his body into the path of an approaching train. Villehuchet slashed his wrists with a boxcutter after losing $1.4 billion in Bernard Madoff's multi-billion-dollar Ponzi scheme. Michael had prescriptions for pain killers, sedatives and anti-depressants, and died of a prescription drug overdose.

Reportedly Michael was privately a sad, lonely person--long before the odd behavior, skin bleaching, child molestation charges and plastic surgeries. He was happy only on stage before hordes of fans. Two syndicated columnists have separately recalled him saying as a 23-year-old man in 1979, with his newly released Off The Wall in rotation, that he was so lonely and so strongly craved friendship that he would roam at night seeking someone--anyone--to talk to.

So, the moral that applies here is apparently the old saying that money cannot buy happiness or [true] friends. If you're unhappy with $50,000 in the bank you'll ultimately be no happier with $50 million in the bank. Money cannot eliminate emotional frailties or character flaws or change your personality. Money cannot perform miracles.

Money is neither God nor The Redeemer. Money cannot make you a better person. It can make you only wealthier. When you have much disposable income money can only pay for necessities and other expenses, pay for conveniences, buy investments, sit in accounts drawing interest and enable you to collect status symbols.

With fabulous material wealth you can pay off bills (if you have any), pay for everything in cash, travel, stay in the best hotels, dine in the finest restaurants, donate to charities, fund scholarships and live in luxury. However, I understand that if you lack a charitable spirit material wealth provides you only fleeting happiness: You're happy until the novelty--the high--of your wealth wears off, then what do you do besides seek another hit?

In Russell Simmons' book, Do You!: 12 Laws to Access the Power in YOU To Achieve Happiness and Success, the hip-hop entrepreneur says, "I know plenty of millionaires and I tell you that most of them aren't happy. Forget millionaires. If I know fifteen billionaires, then I know thirteen unhappy people. These people's lives might be filled with mansions and yachts and private jets, but their medicine cabinets are also filled with anti-depressants."

Preachers of all faiths have said for ages that sustained happiness--joy--comes only from spiritual wealth, from knowing and serving The Almighty. Now, hold the applause, will you? I don't scorn material wealth, those who desire it or the wealthy anymore than I scorn people who have little or no material wealth but abundant joy. Being broke or poor has no worldly benefits, and I have been broke and have known and been among poor people.

If allowed material poverty can drain the spirit. Since virtually everything costs money people broke in both money and spirit may have much despair along with the expected hardship, inconvenience and possible isolation. They may feel trapped, and be trapped by negative thinking. Negative thinking begets negative behavior, habits and thinking.

Material wealth can free you from daily struggling, everyday hassles, virtual slavery and, in some cases, having to dress to impress--which may be why some wealthy people dress like vagrants. Worldwide, material wealth commands respect. When you're fabulously wealthy, it seems, the world is your playground. Why would and should I refuse that?

With material wealth I could buy a much nicer home, a new vehicle and a new computer, be debt-free and have more money for investing, retirement, philanthropy and self-employment. So, if money rained from the sky I'd be among the many people bumping bodies, trying to catch all they can. When my hands became full I would try to catch the money with my mouth and feet and whatever container is available. However, material wealth is not my sole reason for being. I don't worship it, and people mentioned earlier in this article are a few examples of why you shouldn't.

Mammon is an unfaithful god. Many sacrifice principles at the altar of mammon. They beg, borrow, steal, cheat, sell drugs, sell their bodies and souls, fight over mammon or pray for it in their lives. When this god abandons them they overlook blessings and they despair. They try to coax it back in their lives, pray for its return, fight over it, beg, borrow, steal, cheat, sell drugs, sell their bodies and souls, or attempt suicide--a selfish act that brings grief to others.

The spiritually wealthy don't mourn material poverty or loss and can overcome any situation. They stay positive, strong in their faith and stronger than their financial situations. They know that your situation is not who you are, only where you are. The spiritually wealthy see obstacles for what they are: God telling you to get out of His way. I'm thankful I wasn't born into wealth and for the obstacles I've faced. I'm all the stronger spiritually.

If I had been born into wealth, breezed through life and had my every desire fulfilled I doubt I would be spiritual. I'd probably be cold, jaded, arrogant, elitist, shallow, spoiled and materialistic and have little if any room or time for spirituality. Like many people reared in poverty I might have a narrow view of the world. In short, I might be the kind of person I try to avoid. Instead I'm closer to God than I might have been if I'd had a much sweeter life.

Whether you're rich, poor or middle class when your spiritual wealth exceeds your material wealth, you are wealthy. If you have true faith and not just a doctrine, you are wealthy. If you seek and find peace internally instead of seeking it externally, you are wealthy. If you're constantly working to maintain or boost your spiritual wealth, you are wealthy. The wealth described here is infinitely greater than all the currency of the world's past, present and future combined.