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By Kola Popson
“Brother, please stop giving me fish, teach me how to fish,” Chucks, a young man of age twenty seven, said to his immediate elder brother, Emma who would be thirty years next week. Emma, an affluent young man, looked at his brother in bewilderment and said rhetorically, “What are you talking about? Aside the fact that I assist you financially often, your business earns you reasonable income on a daily basis.”
From the chair he was sitting, Chucks rose to his feet and prostrated flatly in front of his brother. He said, “Brother I want to make real money as you do. I want to be as wealthy as you are, please teach me how to make real and huge money, and not peanuts that I earn.”
Feeling so uneasy with his brother’s drama, Emma reached for Chucks’s hands and gently pulled him back to his feet. And he said, “Brother, please be contented with what you make, don’t try making huge money like I do, else we both, brothers of same mother, end up in Hell.”
Chucks, whose facial expression suggested that he could not comprehend what his brother had just said, responded, “I mean you should teach me how to make legitimate huge money like you do, not through evil means that will warrant us making Hell.”
Emma laughed at his brother and said, “Chucks, now listen and do so attentively. The truth of the matter is that in this part of the world, people hardly make what is called REAL MONEY legitimately. Many of us in this country that are extremely wealthy today have sacrificed our making Heaven for this.”
Chucks was getting more confused, but Emma continued, “Many of us attach so much importance to money that our watchword is MAKE MONEY, MAKE HELL. I’m telling you this because I love you as a brother. Stick to my advice, don’t pursue huge money, but be satisfied with the little you make…
As ridiculous as the story above may seem to some, the truth of the matter is that money could best be described as an entry pass to hell. It is quite difficult to make money legitimately and morally, though many would argue convincingly otherwise.
In case you hold a different opinion to this, do not castigate this writer, for opinions often differ. It will rather be more appropriate that you go through this piece and share your own opinion on the subject matter through any available medium. Constructive criticism paves way for an excellent and reasonable resolution.
Beyond reasonable doubt, money plays a vital role in the life of every human being, yet it is one of the greatest enemies of man. With money, life can be quite enjoyable, yet money is an instrument of destruction to man. While I am not disputing the fact that money is a blessing from God, I strongly believe that it is an instrument that can easily lead man astray and to hell.
As important as money is to mankind, it is an enemy in disguise to man. What makes money more dangerous is the fact that it is irresistible to all, but man probably takes no notice of this.
How easy does one think it will be for a wealthy man to make Heaven? While this writer intends not to make this write-up sound religious, a reference to the Scripture may aid answering of this question.
Jesus Christ, otherwise known as Prophet Isa (Peace be upon him) in Islam once said, “And I tell you how difficult it will be for the rich to enter into the Kingdom of God.” This expression by Jesus Christ/ Prophet Isa (Peace be upon him) aligns with the notion that money will lead many to Hell.
While money plays an important role in man’s life, it can be dangerously intoxicating. Money can influence a well-behaved person to misbehave. It can turn a very humble person to arrogant being. Money can negatively make an honest person become deceitful. Truthfully, you can’t know a true character of a person until he or she becomes immensely rich.
Money is a powerful instrument that can successfully turn Pastors and Muslim clerics to devil’s agents. It is money that influences the ritual sacrifice of children by their own biological fathers and mothers. Money instigates best friends against each other. Is it not the whiff of money that brings about kidnapping, robbery, assassination, corruption and violence in the society? Who says money is not an agent of destruction?
Without doubt, money makes life quite easy for man. In fact, it is abnormal for anyone to conclude that money is not important. In the bible, the importance of money to mankind is stated, “Money answereth all things.” In the same vein, a respected Muslim cleric in Nigeria, late Sheik Adam, once pointed out the significance of money when he said that, “A life without money is no life.” The tragedy of the relationship between man and money is that while money is the most dangerous weapon used by the devil, man cannot do without it.
There is a popular notion from Yorubas that, “Enu kiniun ni owo wa.” This simply means that money hangs in lion’s mouth, and for you to get it, you must be fully prepared to confront the lion. Here, lion, which is known to be very dangerous and deadly, is used as synonymous to money. In other words, anybody that loves money so much can be as dangerous and deadly as lion.
Indeed, being rich is good. It is awesome to live in luxury. It is not a bad thing to accumulate wealth. However, what matters is the manner in which one accumulates and utilizes his or her wealth. How did you get rich? How do you intend to get rich? Man must remember that accumulation and utilization of wealth will be accounted for in the Hereafter.
In conclusion, since man cannot do without money, just like no man exists without enemies, man should be very careful of their thoughts, actions and steps when it comes to the issue of money. When somebody identifies his or her enemies, he tends to be very vigilant and careful when dealing with them. Therefore, man should consider money as his inevitable enemy, and be mindful and careful of what he does in respect to it. Man should also learn to be satisfied with the little money he makes legitimately and morally, bearing in mind that devil’s watchword is MAKE MONEY, MAKE HELL.
NB: Please take note that names and illustration used in this piece do not represent the true picture of anybody or any region; it is just an imaginary work of the writer in a bid to drive home his points on the subject matter.
