Who are these people anyway?

Take a look down your street. What do you see? Do you see expensive cars, recreational vehicles, swimming pools, lavishly furnished homes, neighbors wearing designer clothing, etc? Or are you the one living in the lap of luxury? We have all heard of the Joneses, but who are these people anyway? Think about this question and be honest with yourself. Are you the Joneses or are you trying to be like them? Both positions could be equally damaging to your financial future depending on the way you look at it.The Joneses in America today are the people who appear to have everything. They have the look, the house, and all the STUFF that goes with it. But is it worth the price they paid? 70% of Americans live paycheck to paycheck. This means that if they missed one paycheck they would be in a world of hurt. The Joneses haven’t saved any money for a rainy day. In addition to limited savings the average American has $38,000 in consumer debt! That includes credit cards, vehicle loans, and bank loans. They are so strapped with debt and payments that they can’t get ahead financially in order to save any money. Is that who you envy? Is that who you want to be like? I’m sure your answer is NO.

On the flip side are the people who desire to have what they see the Joneses have. It’s not enough to just keep up with the Joneses. Nowadays everyone wants to be the Joneses. Of course it looks tempting, fun, and stress-free but the reality is that normal in America is full of hassles that none of us want to deal with. Why waste your life desiring what your neighbor has? Measuring yourself against what someone else has is a sorry gage of your own potential. God has so much in store for us that we cannot even imagine it all.