Enough

John Climacus calls the love of money idolatry and the root of many evils: from it come hatred, theft, envy, discord and cruelty. And he makes an observation that is easy to check on the people around you, and on yourself.

Until he has gathered money, a man is merciful. Once he has it, he clenches his hands.

The love of money, John says, almost always begins under a fine excuse: I am saving so that I can help later. As there are always waves on the sea, so anger and worry never leave a greedy man. Today you recognise it when money is a constant worry even when there is enough. In fighting to the end over a trifle, because a greedy man, John says, will go to law over a needle until he dies. In overtime worked for things there is no time to enjoy with your family. And in the sentence “I’ll help when there’s more”.

The opposite virtue is called non-possessiveness. For a man with a family it is not poverty, but freedom from greed. Work and earning are necessary, for whoever does not work, let him not eat. But money is a servant. In practice that means a few things. Give at once, and a little: set a fixed share of your income and give it first, not at the end of the month. John recalls that the Kingdom could be bought for two mites, like the widow in the Gospel. Agree with your wife on what is enough for living, the children’s schooling and a reserve. Everything beyond that is not a goal, but a gift that can be shared. Work out how many hours a week your family loses to extra earnings, and ask whether the exchange is fair. And be honest about other people’s work: a fair wage, a fair price, a fair bill.

Two traps stand on opposite sides. The first is the excuse of almsgiving, “I’m saving so I can give later”, which is exactly where the love of money begins. The second is unreasoning poverty. John says that whoever gives himself to poverty without reason suffers a double loss. You do not endanger your family in order to be spiritual. Your duty is to provide for it.

The sign that you have climbed: you give regularly and without strain, losing money does not knock you down, and your prayer is not full of accounts. John says whoever has defeated this passion has either gained love or been freed from cares.

The question remains: what becomes of a heart that has cared about things for so long that it has stopped feeling?

N. Ž.