Canadian Personal Finance Blog

Luke 6:1-11

Then said Jesus unto them, I will ask you one thing; Is it lawful on the sabbath days to do good, or to do evil? to save life, or to destroy it?

Is is right to work on Sunday (or Saturday if you are Hebrew or Muslim)? I’ve asked this a bunch of times with mixed responses. I remember the days when all stores were closed on Sundays except a few pharmacists and the Perette’s (now I am showing how old I am). In that day, Sunday was a day to do not much, by act of law (you couldn’t do much else).

In the past 15 years, the advent of Sunday shopping has caused every day to be a shopping day, and Sunday’s “day of rest” tag seems to have gone by the wayside, but is it wrong to shop on Sunday? I don’t think it’s a wrong thing in the spiritual side of things, as long as you have time to meditate or observe your sabbath in some way, so that you feel renewed. 

Do I work on Sundays? Yes, I have and do usually doing things around the house, some shopping and maybe even career work as well, but I try not to do it too often, I like the idea of one day where you try to relax and contemplate about life. 

Do you work on Sundays (or on your sabbath)?

Luke 9:25

For what is a man advantaged, if he gain the whole world, and lose himself, or be cast away?

My view of this biblical passage is simple, and asks an easy question, that is very hard to answer: Why build wealth, if at the end of it you are unhappy? Better still does money buy happiness?

Many times I find myself worrying about money and trying to find ways to make more money and such, but why am I doing it? My reasons are clear to me, I am trying to make “enough” money to live and then not have to try to create more wealth, if I don’t need it.

When I was younger, I didn’t really have that perspective, I just wanted more, but I also spent much more, losing focus on the fact that if you make as much as you spend, you are not building wealth, you are simply acting as a “money pass through”.  I know now that my life outside of my “career” is rich and wonderful, and all I want now is to figure out a lifestyle that I wish to live, figure out how much money I will need to live it, and then have enough money to be able to live it, it is that hard and that simple.

Money buys you the ability to do what you want, but you must be the master of your wealth, and not get caught up in the trappings of having a lot of things. Making money will allow you to do what YOU want, and by building a strong financial plan, and remembering why you want this money you achieve freedom. 

You are buying your financial freedom, and with that freedom, the power to do what you want.

Proverbs 21:5  The plans of the diligent certainly lead to profit,
    but anyone who is reckless only becomes poor.

That works for me as a Sunday thought, and I like it. Financial Planning is something that needs diligence and your undivided attention, and if you are reckless in your planning you will most likely be poorer for your lack of diligence.

I have been guilty of acting quickly or without enough information and every time it has cost me money. If you are doing something that you are not sure you should be doing, when it comes to your finances at least, most of the time, you shouldn’t be doing it.

Do the diligence, make the plan and stick to it.