I Wanna Be Rich - iPoo Revisited

Alright Groupies,

It has been a week, and it is now time to unveil the second song that may or may not be on my iPoo (sic). We started out last week with Kumbaya ... and now we move on to another all-time classic.

Now I am sure there are other reasons to love 1990 ... what with South Africa freeing Nelson Mandela, Iraqi troops invading Kuwait ... beginning Gulf War - Part 1, East & West Germany smushed back together, Milli Vanilli, Simpsons, Seinfeld, Yada Yada, Yada...

But I truly can not think of any way we were more blessed as a people that year, than by the melodic nectar "I Wanna Be Rich" by those "it" guys ... Calloway. I know that you all could see right through the whole Mikhail Gorbachev winning the Nobel Peace Prize ... I mean seriously who didn't have Calloway on the tip of their tongue?

Let me share with you some of the deep lyrics of this song ... you may wish to take a seat ... Chorus: I want money lots and lots of money I want the pie in the sky I want money lots and lots of money So don't be asking me why I wanna be rich oh I wanna be rich I wanna be rich oh I wanna be rich For a little love peace and happiness. I want my cake wanna eat it too I want the stars and the silver moon I spend my money of lottery My favourite number is 1 2 3.

I used to think that money was the root of all evil. Recently I heard someone say that actually money is one of those rare things that is neither good nor bad. It is indifferent. It is not the money that is good/evil, it is way people use/misuse it. Money in and of itself does not choose sides.

From a biblical perspective I could not find any "money is evil" verses just screaming off the page at me. Instead what I found was a lot of buyer beware ...

Mat 6:19-21 Do not save riches for yourselves here on earth, where moths and rust destroy, and robbers break in and steal. Instead, save riches for yourselves in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and robbers cannot break in and steal. For your heart will always be where your riches are.

Heb 13:5 Keep your life free from the love of money, and be content with what you have.

Prov 23:4-5 Do not wear yourself out to get rich; have the wisdom to show restraint. 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.

The list just goes on and on and on... money is not evil ... but the love of money is, striving for money is, losing your family over money is, yada, yada, yada. When I reflect personally on what I have and what God has blessed me with, I never really stop to consider greenbacks a blessing.

I thank God for the family he has blessed me with, the ability to provide, that our daily bread is covered ... Prov 30:8-9 ...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.

Becasue my "One Word" requires cash money, I find myself not worrying about what I can get in material things, but how can I obtain enough to rescue another child off the discard pile? How can I reach out with what I have and make a difference? How can I best use the talents that have been entrusted to me by God? And most importantly, how do I keep my balance, so as Proverbs says I do not become so comfortable in my life that I stop relying on God and His Wisdom and His Power? I also do not want to become so desperate for money that I would ever do anything sneaky or shady to obtain it.

Where are your riches? Is your heart where your riches are (Matt 6)? Money can not bring you love, peace, or happieness ... it is neutral.

Calloway can keep striving for the green, all I want is to better serve the red and yellow, black and white.