Burning Cash or Growing Cash?

Cash on fire

I was thinking this morning.... about what I have done with cash this year. It is common In Warri to hear someone tell a spendthrift, 'see how you dey burn cash!' That statement came alive a couple of Sundays back in church when a young lady came forward to give a testimony of how she and her colleagues were in the office during the week and they perceived the smell of something burning. On investigating the source of the smell, she found out the sixteen million naira (N16m) cash placed in her custody was on fire. She concluded by thanking God that only two hundred thousand naira got burnt. Don't ask me what ignited the cash because she didn't say, but the testimony got me thinking. How much cash have I burnt recently?

It occurred to me that when you are blessed with cash, you can either grow or burn the cash. When you invest your genuinely earned money sensibly and help the needy, you are growing cash, but when you misuse or mishandle money, you are burning cash. The year is ending and many cannot account for all the money that had come their way this year. While many had burnt their money on frivolities, a few had literally set theirs on fire by storing large amount of cash at home or in the office. But in any way you look at it, 'poor man no dey burn cash.' You must be rich to spend N10m clubbing in one night or keep N16m cash in a building that is not a bank.

Oh we really burn cash in this nation. Imagine Rochas Okorocha spending scarce cash to build statues in a State where salaries are owed civil servants. He is burning cash. Then, Governor Wike spent about N720m on 16 Land Cruisers for the State's representatives at the National Assembly, when salaries are owed pensioners. He is burning cash. The past government withdrew $2 billion to fight Boko Haram and this government has approved the withdrawal of another $1 billion to fight a Boko Haram that has supposedly been defeated. Remember that $1b of today (converted to naira) is equivalent to $2b of 2014. They are burning cash.

Cash is really on my mind this morning. When you grow crops for cash or profit, it is called cash crop and when a business generates so much cash it is called cash cow. What will the cash you grow for profit be called? Cash cash? As I thought about what we do with cash, I found out that in 2013, actor George Clooney invited 14 of his closest friends that had supported him early in his career, to his house for dinner and gave each one a million dollars cash in designer briefcases. He said he was giving back to them for being there for him. Hmm! I know I have been there for many of you, my friends, please do the needful. Lol....

It is that season when we part with lots of money, but I beg you to spend wisely and not burn cash. There are too many people around that you can help with a little cash rather than burn it all on your lust. Prov 22:9 says, 'Whoever has a bountiful eye will be blessed, for he shares his bread with the poor.'

Happy Sunday.

....Just the thoughts of a certain Wey Mey.