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Hollie Atkinson's column appears in the
Marshall
News Messenger every Saturday morning.
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July 19, 2003
The radio preacher intoned, "If you think it is hard for the rich to get into
heaven, think how hard it is for the poor...the best thing you can do for the
poor is not to be one of them." He then went on to tell us that we (his radio
audience) could avoid the ravages of poverty by sending him a "good" offering
where upon God would return the gift ten fold.
That started me thinking. Are there some things which families might do that
would lessen the likelihood that they would fall below the poverty line? I
think there are. There are no guarantees when it comes to the matter of family
finances. Health and economic downturn can move a family into poverty
overnight. But there are some things that families can do that will lessen the
likelihood of their living in poverty.
The first thing that comes to mind is "Don t send money to radio preachers or
charities about whom you know nothing except what they tell you over the air or
in printed publicity." If you want to support a ministry with your gifts, first
ask for a financial statement to see how your money will be spent. Several
years ago the "PTL Club" appealed for funds to help with their ministry to
unwed mothers and it came to light that less than 10 % of the donations
actually helped young women who had an unwanted pregnancy.
A second thing is "Be careful about using credit." Pay attention to the amount
of interest that is being charged. It is probably a good rule-of-thumb to try
to avoid paying interest for soft items - items that soon used up. This calls
for the discipline of delayed gratification. The lack of this discipline has
gotten many young families so deeply in debt that most of their paycheck goes
to pay for things that are already used up or worn out.
Make it your goal to live on less than what you make. Make saving a priority.
Don t let your savings be used for things you want. Dedicate them for family
emergencies.
And finally, I share some wisdom I picked up in an article by Dr. James Q.
Wilson, Ronald Reagan Professor of Public Policy at Pepperdine University in
California - A. Finish high school, B. Marry before having a child, and C. Do
not marry until after the age of 20.
According to Dr. Wilson, only 8 % of the young people who adhere to A, B, and
C, end up living below the poverty line. Seventy-nine percent (79 %), however,
who drop out of high school, have children out of wedlock, and marry before
they are 20 end up struggling in the trap of poverty most of their lives. This
is wisdom that my readers who are grandparent need to share with their
grandchildren.
My point is that people make choices and there are financial consequences, for
good or bad, to many of the choices we make. We can change our choices, but we
cannot change the consequences.
Some choices we make, unfortunately, are made at an age when we are not
equipped to appreciate the consequences that will be played out for years to
come. That is why teenagers come equipped with parents, grandparents, and
extended family. They have been down the road.
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