Opulence and the Value of Money

Opulence - wealth as evidenced by sumptuous (of a size or splendor suggesting great expense; lavish) living

synonyms: luxuriousness, sumptuousness, luxury, capital, riches, magnificence, affluence

related words: wealth, wealthiness - the state of being rich and affluent; having a plentiful supply of material goods and money

antonyms: want, lack, poverty



Hint: the value of money is not and never will be the amount printed on it



For whatever reason, the opulence of America smacked me full in the face over Christmas break. The stark black and white contrast had never been so clear. The contrast between the sumptuous, luxurious, and magnificent America... and well, I guess I can only really compare it to Ghana and Japan if I'm being fair and strictly using only my own experiences. Not even in the transition between Ghana and America was the difference so obvious. Maybe it was because I was expecting the difference. Ghana is a 3rd world country with out of control poverty. I expected Ghana to be different.

Now that I live in a 1st world country - a country competing with the world's top superpowers - I guess I had different expectations than before. Something a little closer to "home."



Let me try to illustrate with one example...

I just looked up a Meijer ad and there is a sale going on right now for two, three pound bags of Gala or Red Delicious apples for $5.

I would guess that one pound of apples is maybe three apples, which means in a three pound bag there are nine apples. Let's make a conservative estimate, for the sake of my argument, and say that in a three pound bag there are only seven apples. So, two bags would make fourteen apples for $5.

On sale right now at the grocery store just down my street in Japan is a bag of six apples for 698 yen, which equals about $8.38.

America: $0.36/apple
Japan: $1.33/apple

Have you ever just walked around the produce section of a grocery store in America? There are apples and oranges and onions the size of a softball and bigger. Oh my gosh, the onions! There are potatoes bigger than your fist - bigger than Michael Jordan's fist! I had a hard time even finding whole carrots through all the bags of pre-washed, pre-cut ones. Have you ever noticed that there are a thousand different types of CHEESE??? All right there, all the time. Did you see the huge and perfect bananas? The huge and perfect peppers? Are you really seeing that plentiful supply of material goods??? The opulence.


The opulence.



There is no lack of fresh produce in America. There is no want for fresh produce. Only opulence.




Sure, you can sit there with all your examples to contradict mine and you can talk about how, "In this area of the country they don't have that," or "These people want for this..." but chances are, if you're sitting at a computer right now reading this... you're not one of them. I'm not one of them. And, of course, this is my blog and I'm only telling the story from my (admittedly) small perspective.

I'm living an affluent - opulent - life.


Because I can feed myself.

Because I have an American passport.

Because I have a job.

Because I can pay my bills.





Do I really understand the value of money? As an American, will I ever really understand the true value of money? I've never known what it's like to go hungry because I didn't have enough money to feed myself. I've never known what it's like to be cold because I couldn't afford a place to live. I've never known what it's like to truly be in need or to be in poverty.


The value of money is going to sleep in my warm bed, under this roof, healthy, with a full stomach.


The value of money is being able to go home to be with family.





Right now, I have the equivalent of almost $100 in my wallet. My perspective shift: that's more money than some people I personally know make in a month. I make (almost) that much money in a day. One day.



...The state of being rich and affluent...

Lord God, "...give me neither poverty nor riches, but give me only my daily bread. Otherwise, I may have too much and disown you and say, 'Who is the Lord?' Or I may become poor and steal, and so dishonor the name of my God."

(Proverbs 30:7-9)
Let me never dishonor your name, God, and let me never be too rich that I think I know better than you and no longer need you.

Proverbs 23:4-5 "Do not wear yourself out to get rich; do not trust your own cleverness. Cast but a glance at riches, and they are gone, for they will surely sprout wings and fly off to the sky like an eagle."

1 Timothy 6:17-19 "Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life."

Lord, may I never take for granted what you have so graciously provided. I put my hope and faith in you, God, and only you because you are the One who so richly provides. Show me where I can be more generous and willing to share what is mine that you have given. Lord, the "life that is truly life" is the one lived with you and the one spent with you in the coming age after this life ends. I pray that I would always be able to keep this perspective on the opulence of my life. Teach me to do with my wealth what you would have me do.






These are ideas that have been running around in my head for a while. They just needed a way out...