English Proverbs-MONEY IS A GOOD SERVANT, BUT A BAD MASTER

Proverb Expansion

MONEY IS A GOOD SERVANT, BUT A BAD MASTER

No doubt, money is an essential, almost indispensable article in the present day world. It is the ‘money’ through which we can purchase all the necessary comforts and amenities of life. If you have money, you can obtain what seems impossible to others. It is the money which gives a man, confidence, credit worthiness, credentials, capacity, capabilities and courage. In present day materialistic world, money has become very powerful. The present day corruption, cut throat competition, callous degradation of moral and ethical values, are all for the sake of grabbing and accumulating more and more money. The prestige, respect, social status, commanded by a person is calculated as per his monetary status.

Time has gone, when we valued a person in terms of his moral and ethical values. People were earlier known for keeping their words, for donating everything to a donee. Now, people are known in terms of their ranking in the list of rich of the world. Money has become the centre of all activities. Money and muscle power have become essential ingredients of a successful political leader.

Money is regarded as omnipotent by a few people, particularly by the poor. As whatever one does not possess, one aspires it badly, and it becomes mono aim of achievement. The rich, that own lots of money, still crave for earning more and more, by hook or by crook, with fair or foul means, without caring even for their own health or own family. They are the servants of money, earning money not for the sake of themselves but for the sake of money and a time comes they find themselves unable to use the money for their happiness. They are unable to eat, unable to taste the most delicious dish, unable to move, walk or enjoy because they suffer from many diseases which are the result of their undue craving for wealth at the cost of   health. Can one purchase everything with the power of money? No, one cannot. You cannot purchase inner satisfaction with money, you cannot purchase the lost youthfulness with money, and you cannot purchase time when you die whatever you might be ready to pay.

Those who earn money simply to have more money, more balance in their accounts are no better than the proverbial miser king ‘Midas’. Excessive love for money makes a man slave of money. Money is important for our life, but it is not the most important thing for a human being. Those who use money for fulfilling their necessities, acquiring reasonable comforts and for the welfare of a common good are the masters of money. But, those who earn money just for the sake of increasing its volume are slaves of the money. They are the most unfortunate creatures of God who know well that whatever money they are earning, they can’t take an iota of that with them when they die. What a paradox! Money has become their master and they are just slaves, having no peace of mind, no moral and ethical values, and no inner satisfaction.

So, it is rightly said that money is a good servant but a bad master. Let us earn money for our comfort, not for the sake of hording more and more of it.