By Charles Griffin
Family Wealth and Wisdom, Inc.
This article appeared in the July/August edition of Lancaster County Woman
We hear of this daily in politics. It’s as if this is the right thing to do! Why is it that we need to move to the middle and compromise in order to be viewed as willing to get things done in order to move any issue forward? Maybe we shouldn’t be trying to move bad issues forward! Why do we tolerate such flagrant manipulation and/or violation of our own values, of our Constitution, and of the laws of nature?
So, just what is being compromised?
Usually, the right and proper thing to do is what is being compromised, and the result is that we end up with an idea, a principle, or a program that is inherently wrong. Compromising one’s opinion and/or self-serving goals may be a way to imply tolerance and to show a “go along to get along” mentality (until one can seize the opportunity to have it all), but compromising values and what’s right is just plain wrong! That’s right, it’s wrong! We should not have to choose between the lesser of two evils. Right is Right!
There are such things as absolutes. Truth, for example, is an absolute. None of us can determine, in and of ourselves, just what absolute truth is and what a right and proper value system is. We can only affirm it once we know it. Absolute truth was established a long time ago, prior to when anyone existed but the Creator himself. We can come to know truth only by knowing Him.
Sometimes we tolerate an injustice because we think that said injustice won’t affect ourselves very much. Far too often we simply don’t know what the effect will be upon ourselves and upon society around us. We’re too busy to be involved or we’re unfamiliar with what is really happening. While ignorance may seem to be blissful at times, it will never help one to be a proper steward of one’s assets.
Proverbs 27:23 tells us to be mindful of our flocks and to tend to our herds. How can we even come remotely close to knowing the condition of our assets today when we readily allow ourselves to be influenced by marketing and persuasive advertising to make less than prudent decisions? We do have freedom of choice! We can choose to resist the various offers and temptations that bombard us daily tempting us to indulge in immediate gratification. While pleasure is not inherently wrong, its consequences and ramifications need to be taken into consideration when making decisions.
Ignorance, itself, breeds wealth transfers. Fortunately, ways do exist for us to eliminate many of the wealth transfers that cause us to have our productivity diminished. We can be more in control of what we do with our own assets. In order to obtain this position in life, proper structure and a deliberate process is important.
Thus, working within the “rules” as established, and understanding how they apply to one’s own individual situation, can be a monumental task as we collectively work overtime to get ahead or to just maintain the status quo! We rely upon the “rules” established by the state to be fair and just while at the same time we depend upon imperfect and all too often self-serving individuals to administer and dose out “equity”.
Unfortunately, our system of government has become so self-serving so as to make it difficult for the average citizen to practice freedom of belief when it comes to their own personal beliefs. Things become more complicated. We fall prey to “Conventional Wisdom” telling us what to do, where and how to invest, only to end up with the fruits of our labor being transferred unknowingly and unnecessarily.
It’s not impossible to adhere to one’s personal belief system. It’s just very difficult to do so when what we produce through our being productive is stolen or diminished in value by the very people who are sworn to protect our personal rights and freedoms.
Parkinson’s Law, simply summarized, states that 1) “work expands to meet the time envelope allowed”, 2) “a luxury, once enjoyed, becomes a necessity”, and that 3) “expenses rise to equal income”. Parkinson’s Law is alive and well today. 1) It is extremely difficult for committees to produce good results. Things are typically put off until the last minute and we get a rushed-through result. 2) How many of us want to do without, even if we’ve borrowed in order to do with? 3) Our wishes will always exceed our means to pay for them.
Each of us has to decide how we can be productive. While a system, a plan, or a well-devised process can help one to avoid these very common pitfalls, if we choose to remain “average”, then we can expect to end up with an average situation. Being average does not mean retiring leisurely; very few Americans can do this. The ones that strive to rise above average refuse to accept the “Conventional Wisdom” handed down to them.
The Infinite Banking System is designed to give you back control of your productivity. By private contract between free men and women you protect and preserve what you’ve acquired. You have access to it whenever you desire and for whatever reason you desire, without asking for permission or approval of some lending institution or having to pay a penalty to access your money. You are not subject to the whims or manipulations of the market. You can control how your money is put to work and who benefits by it. You can finance your own business or that of someone else’s. You can take a more active role in cultivating a loved one’s career or be more generous in some way.
We can all do this! We simply need to know how. We need to become more responsible for our own outcomes. Don’t take your dreams and desires for granted. Minimize your wealth transfers and become more involved in how your wealth is used. You earned it. You should have a say in how it’s distributed. At Family Wealth & Wisdom, Inc., this is what we help people to do, to become. The cost of finding out how is minuscule. Ignorance could be devastating. Please call us with your goals and aspirations. We can help you get there sooner and more efficiently.