Who says the 7 Deadly Sins are all bad? The trick is to learn something useful from these evils. After all, taking a negative and turning it into positive is creativity. Tim, of FaithAndFinance.Org, has given an interesting take on how the 7 Cardinal Sins can actually teach us about money –
1. Lust
Lust is perhaps the one sin that piques mankind’s imagination the most. But apart from its obvious meaning, lustencompasses a tremendous craving for worldly pleasures. Lust can make people desire for filthy rich lifestyle and blatantly expensive materialistic things. If you want to be a victim of lust, then desire of being wealthy the right way. Plus, when it comes to money, desiring for more is good as long as it is put to good use and is earned by proper means.
2. Gluttony
This is among those cardinal sins which are not very desirable. No one wants to be a glutton but everyone wants to hoard money, which pretty much means the same. It is not easy to shake off gluttony but there are ways to turn it around. If you want to enjoy the power of money each day and live like a king, you will first have to work for it. Besides, if you earn money well you can burn it just as easily but in moderation. After all, who does not love a big Sunday brunch?
3. Greed
This sin is as old as time itself. This has such an infamous reputation that it is synonymous with money and also the root of all evil. We all want to be wealthy like Scrooge but not being called ‘greedy.’ If you want to be greedy, then do it the right way. The right kind of greedy loves his/her money and so, spends it wisely. In other words, frugal people fit right in this category. As the frugal love their money, they will never make an ill purchase. So, be greedy the frugal way!
4. Sloth
This sin is the kid brother of the rest of the sins. We all love lounging around and whiling away our time. But when someone else plays around with your money and spends their leisure time with it, it hurts. Money should never be kept idly, even if you have tons of it. Invest it and make it grow the right way. So, even if you have reached financial freedom, don’t burn your money on useless things or worse – keep it stagnant. So, when it comes to money – exercise it well.
5. Wrath
Wondering how this sin fits in, then read on. Wrath takes milder forms in real life. It can morph into – irritation, frustration, annoyance, impatience and even revenge. This is something that needs to be dealt with tactfully else it will spell disaster. If your present professional life is making you mad, then channel this anger into improving yourself in order to get a better job. Acquire skills to improve your personality, money handling and the like to help you become better. Plain anger with no fruitful results is a stupid reason for raising your blood pressure.
6. Envy
This sin is the baby sister of the remaining ones. We all have gone through this sin at some point of time or the other. But do not underestimate this sin as it is quite powerful. Still, learning from this sin too is possible. If you are envious of some person’s rich lifestyle, don’t wring your hands in vain. If you are ‘J’ of someone or something, pick the right means in order to achieve it. A little fire in the belly will be good for you to strive for the best and aim for the sky.
7. Pride
Last but not the least, here is the king of all the sins and perhaps the only undefeatable one. Pride might ‘hath a fall’ and so it is important to differentiate it from egotism. If you are too proud of your money, then beware. Pride should make you a better person, like pride for our country. Take pride and make it work for you. If you take pride in your money, then take good care of it. You don’t have to stingy but be proud that you have made and maintained a good empire.
Related articles
- The 7 Deadly Sins of Leadership (bjconquest.com)
