The Bondage of the Miser

We all know the Christmas Carol. In it there is a line spoken about Ebenezer Scrooge, "He doesn't do any good with it; he doesn't even make HIMSELF comfortable with it".

Then there is the legendary Hetty Green who's miserly ways led her to a weird and creepy life. She was the richest woman of the Gilded Age, and sometimes the richest person. She left it all behind. In the early 1900s, she left 200 million dollars and it was all piddled away by governments and others. All her wealth was of no use at all to anyone when she died. And she didn't enjoy it either.

I know people like Hetty. Money is all that matters. They don't enjoy anything good in life at all. The forgo simple comforts and caring at the expense of common sense.

I mean, you don't need to heat the WHOLE house do you? You sure don't need a phone. You could carry water. Take cold showers. Forego dentists and doctors. Food from dumpsters will just go to waste anyway.

You think I'm kidding. I know people who have hundreds of thousands of dollars and live like they can't afford their next meal.

How far down does this go?

Hetty Green refused to pay the doctor to treat her son's leg wound, so it later had to be amputated. She was married but when her husband hit hard times in his business she provided no help and let him languish in poverty the rest of his days. Hetty hurt no one but herself and those dear to her.

People who live without the basics that make life what it is and allow people to be part of what our modern culture is by the cheap miserly pseudo frugality become outcasts of their own making.

I'm not in favor of being stupid or profligate. I'm not crazy about debt. I am in favor of being sensible in every way. It's just not common sense to live so utterly far below common needs that you don't live at all.

Scrooge, Like Hetty Green is a deadly pattern; If you see yourself in this, here's some truth:

You are going to die. You will take nothing with you. You get no awards in heaven or on earth for leaving it all behind. The life and love and experiences and comforts you leave behind cost only YOU. People will see you for who and what you were. A cheapskate. I had a now deceased relative (of my wife) who died wealthy. Never married. Always was afraid someone would marry for his money. That is the end of a miser. Alone with your money. It won't keep you warm, dry, happy or fulfilled.

One last thing, the best you could do is give away what you are saving. The kingdom can make better use of it than you will. Instead of being foolish in frugality, send it on ahead to heaven. You can.

I'm not a wealthy man except in soul and spirit. That's not for sale or ransom at any price. Consider who your God is. If "He" has a dollar sign attached it's a false God.

The Bible says in 3rd John 2

Beloved, I pray that in all respects you may prosper and be in good health, just as your soul prospers.

That's pretty hard to do if you are a miserable miser. I hope I spoke to someone this morning. Miserliness is frugality run amok and knowing when you have gone to far takes real self examination. If you know and love someone who fits this miser profile, hand him or her this article and ask them to examine themselves.

It might save their life.