“Ubus-ubos Biyaya, Bukas Nakatunganga”
That’s what my mother always told us when we were still kids. (Translation: “You spend everything today, you will have nothing tomorrow.”)
Dionie did just that. Last April 2008, he won PHP14,125,032 in the Lotto 6/42 draw. Excitedly, he “lived the life of a millionaire, something he had been longing to experience. He lived in a P4-million house in a posh subdivision, drove around in a sports utility vehicle [which he bought the very same day he claimed his prize], and gave goodwill money, ranging P1,000 to P 850,000, to relatives and friends. He also gambled daily, womanized, and went on regular drinking sprees.” (Source: Manila Bulletin) He estimated that he squandered a minimum of P100,000 almost every day. He also lent money even to people he did not really know. “I just gave them and told them not to pay me back.” (Ibid) His bank had to issue him a special card so he can withdraw huge amounts of money quickly from the automated teller machine. His wife and siblings kept on warning him about his wanton spending but it fell on deaf ears. He reasoned that “it was his, he enjoyed it to the hilt, and he did not take it from anybody else.” (Ibid) But, in just three months, he literally spent every peso. He is now neck-deep in a half-a-million debt. He also lost his house and his Toyota Fortuner. Last year, he even had to ask the help of the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (the very same agency that holds the Lotto draws) for his heart surgery.
In his “How to Lead and Still Have a Life,” H. Dale Burke wrote, “As a leader, it is healthy for you to admit, ‘I am a limited resource.’ You have only a certain amount of time, energy, giftedness, resources, and money. You’ve got only so much to give, and when it’s gone, it’s gone… We may have all kinds of opportunities before us, but because of our limitations, we simply can’t go after all them. So how can we best spend the limited time, energy, and resources we have?” Note that he did not merely say we have a limited resource. We are a limited resource. Our life is not ours. God gave it to us. Thus, we are accountable to Him for how we live our lives according to His will.
My take? Let us number our days.
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| Image source: So, What's New? |
Dionie did just that. Last April 2008, he won PHP14,125,032 in the Lotto 6/42 draw. Excitedly, he “lived the life of a millionaire, something he had been longing to experience. He lived in a P4-million house in a posh subdivision, drove around in a sports utility vehicle [which he bought the very same day he claimed his prize], and gave goodwill money, ranging P1,000 to P 850,000, to relatives and friends. He also gambled daily, womanized, and went on regular drinking sprees.” (Source: Manila Bulletin) He estimated that he squandered a minimum of P100,000 almost every day. He also lent money even to people he did not really know. “I just gave them and told them not to pay me back.” (Ibid) His bank had to issue him a special card so he can withdraw huge amounts of money quickly from the automated teller machine. His wife and siblings kept on warning him about his wanton spending but it fell on deaf ears. He reasoned that “it was his, he enjoyed it to the hilt, and he did not take it from anybody else.” (Ibid) But, in just three months, he literally spent every peso. He is now neck-deep in a half-a-million debt. He also lost his house and his Toyota Fortuner. Last year, he even had to ask the help of the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (the very same agency that holds the Lotto draws) for his heart surgery.
We tend to sigh and shake our heads when we read stories like Dionie’s. But when we waste and not invest our lives, we are no better than him. The prophet Moses wrote, “So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom.” (Psalm 90:12, ESV) It is already a given that our days are already numbered. The question is if we are wise enough to number our days.
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| Image source: Navigator |
In his “How to Lead and Still Have a Life,” H. Dale Burke wrote, “As a leader, it is healthy for you to admit, ‘I am a limited resource.’ You have only a certain amount of time, energy, giftedness, resources, and money. You’ve got only so much to give, and when it’s gone, it’s gone… We may have all kinds of opportunities before us, but because of our limitations, we simply can’t go after all them. So how can we best spend the limited time, energy, and resources we have?” Note that he did not merely say we have a limited resource. We are a limited resource. Our life is not ours. God gave it to us. Thus, we are accountable to Him for how we live our lives according to His will.
My take? Let us number our days.
Very enlightening.
ReplyDeleteThank you very much Pastor