What do you understand by wealth? A dictionary will tell us that wealth is a store of money, valuable possessions, property or other riches; anything that has value and utility or is capable of being exchanged. Things of utility and value are not just cash and property but they include spiritual wealth, moral virtues and values; as one might speak of mineral concentration as the wealth of soil, he is truly wealthy who possesses endowments of strong positive values, supportive family and friendship; emotional security, happiness and influence of leadership.
Most people have it all wrong about wealth. Wealth is not the same as income. If you make a good income each year and spend it all, you are not getting wealthier. You are just living high with empty pockets. Wealth is what you accumulate, whether big or small, and not what you spend.
How do you become wealthy? It is seldom luck or inheritance or advanced degrees or even intelligence that enables people amass fortunes. Wealth creation is more often the result of a lifestyle of frugality, delay gratification, hard work, perseverance, proper planning, commitment, integrity, and most of all self discipline.
How come I am not wealthy? I believe many Nagas often ask themselves this question. Often, we are hard working, well educated, talented, or even well paid people, but want of commitment or sense of saving or the tendency to instant gratification, lack of proper training or information is some of the reasons that hamper the accumulation of wealth.
Why are so few affluent in our society today? According to Thomas J. Stanley Ph D, the author of “The Millionaire Next Door”, there has been more personal wealth in America than many other countries. Yet most Americans are not wealthy. Nearly one-half of their wealth is owned by 3.5% of their households. Nagaland too may have the same situation and problem. He further says that most of these millionaires are composed of people who earn moderate or low incomes. 80% of America’s millionaires are first generation rich. They live below their means they allocate their time, energy and money efficiently in ways practicable, attainable and conductive to building wealth. They believe that financial independence is more important than displaying high social status. Normally their parents do not provide economic outpatient care of spoon-feeding. As such they become economically self-sufficient. They are trained or able in targeting market opportunities. They choose the right occupation. Most important of all, they identify their capabilities and limitations while they are still in standard VIII to X in school.
Honest creation of wealth is a standard of measuring human development, a concept for widening the options of persons, giving them greater opportunities for education, healthcare, self employment, leisure time, exposure tips, modern amenities, environment quality, social justice, economic growth and financial freedom with careful planning and execution through dedication, work culture, industrialization and definitely with commitment and integrity.
We the Nagas are struggling at the economic crossover from the old methods of cultivation and trade, to modern technology, modern lifestyle, services and globalization; the sign posts of the cross roads have fallen and are invisible. Our youth of today are confused and helpless. This globalization of free trade without reservation will take us to heights beyond one can conceive provided we have the capabilities and needed qualifications, but casual-character persons will surely be overwhelmed and stamped sooner or later in this fast changing world.
We are living today in tomorrow’s world with yesterday’s ideas and this is the root cause of all our problems, be it of economy, politics and spirituality. It is our attitudes and not our talents or resources that bear on our now and tomorrow’s confident future. Today’s Naga society seems to be under famine of truth, trust, justice, moral values and spirituality. Landrum Bolling says, “There are no hopeless situations but only hopeless men”. Hopeless people are our problems today.
That “a nation’s vision and thinking is in ruins before her economy, cities and towns are in ruins”, is the preliminary fact one must realize before one considers the question of wealth creation. People without vision perish. It is easy to envision or plan a sustainable economy and a new world on paper but the new society having capacity to create sustainable wealth has to be built with new people who can trust and commit to each other. This confidence can be built in a people of strict integrity, honesty and commitment who are not swept off by corruption, dishonesty, immorality, irresponsibility, etc.
Wealth creation is a means of survival of a people and its solidarity without which a home or a nation cannot stand. Shaping and developing the “human element” is most important because change permeates out through the individual, from the individual to the family and then the society, and the Govt is changed. The most important factor to create a people’s wealth is the “human element” which has to be kept moving in the right direction at all costs. Economic power and independence are more important in many ways than our political status. British Prime Minister Churchill, at the peak of his political power and popularity said in a public speech at Zurich, Switzerland in 1946 that having defeated Hitler and Germany, it was dire necessity that Western Europe recovers her economy; else Western Europe might gradually become part of the Soviet Union and attack USA, Canada, etc. “And to reconstruct the economy, France and Germany must be reconciled” he said. Reconciliation with God and our fellow brothers is the need of the hour to create sustainable wealth and economy in Nagaland.
The very “human element” and reconciliation Churchill stressed on, at his time, is necessary today. The machinery first must be prepared so that trust, accountability and peaceful co-existence is established to benefit from the unlimited opportunities and challenges that modernity and globalization offers us and deal effectively with the dangers therewith. A cultured people will turn a crisis into opportunity but an opportunity unwisely and selfishly handled can turn into a crisis.
Creation of wealth is the fruit of its progressive “human element”; with proper and organized planning, the individual must learn to delay gratification and exert maximum efficiency. Let us envision a Nagaland where each Naga possesses a strong sense of responsibility, strength of character, common sense and integrity and is fired by a burning desire to win. We need to be disciplined and take care to choose a profession that suits us, know our strengths and weaknesses and take the pride in the work we choose and be willing to go the extra mile so that we can definitely break the chains of slavery for being parasites to New Delhi.
To such, wealth and success belongs. Yet it is a more important and a harder task to maintain what one has built and to manage it with prudence, generosity and a principle of giving back to one’s society with patriotism. Such a community of conscientious individuals will answer the problem of over concentration of wealth in the hands of a few, which is the very disease afflicting our otherwise sufficient sustainable economy.
A business consultant in the US advises; work as hard as, sleep as less as, be as frugal as those successful people and build up a sustainable economy. But if you only keep complaining about the high costs of living, education, assets, etc. the world is not going to listen. One who chooses to slumber today will inevitably suffer its dangerous consequences.
Korea well demonstrates the fact that anyone can become a success. The poorest nation of the world by 1953, the Koreans have evolved into a unique civilization based on the “Han Philosophy” which gives the man of high position a simple lesson: river (Han) water is clear or murky corresponding to the upper level. Likewise, when the head of state governs with love and integrity, the subjects will respond with obedience and respect. Thus, the head of state, teachers, officers and fathers become role models in their respective areas of morality and ethics. Commitment to the simple adage of “We can do it if we do” has brought South Korea into the 4th largest economy in Asia, 11th largest economy in the world today, and the 7th largest exporter and 7th largest importer in the world in 2014.
We Naga also “can do it if we do”. For this we must apply the principle of the three D’s: (1) To preserve, be it “Difficult”; (2) Be “Dirty” with toil and sweat in the workplace; (3) To be carefully prepared to deal with “Dangerous” tools, machinery and situations. Dear denizens, God wants you to prosper. It is so important to God that you have a proper perspective in your spirit about finances that He referred to money and possessions more than 2,300 times in the bible. Jesus himself talks about the right and wrong use of money and possessions more than 300 times in the New Testament. He talks of wealth more than salvation. Money is important to God. Enter a new dimension of worship through your giving, breaking through the barrier of your financial problem. Your will to give is the key to financial blessing. Be prepared for a coming financial earthquake of blessings, set your financial relationship with God, get the mystery of wealth revealed, experience the power of the principles of giving, read and commit yourselves and test God’s law of the harvest of financial and spiritual wealth; rejoice and celebrate God’s abundance as you give your tithes of money and your tithes of time. But note that repentance and cleaning must come before restoration of all these mentioned above. Sin and God do not go together, otherwise He is there to walk with you through thick and thin. The incredible power of honest tithing from honest income leads to releasing of financial anointing. Do you want it?
If so break the chains binding and obstructing your finances and count God’s abundant blessings, do not misuse your years of jubilee or your financial jubilee, but pray for and receive God’s increased blessings in the end times. Observe biblical financial terms and scriptural references on finances carefully with a whole heart and a willing mind.
In conclusion, lets’ look at Jacob, son of Isaac, who left his father’s home for Laban of Pandanaram. He crossed the river Jordan empty handed, but he made a covenant with God that he would pay God one-tenth of what he received from God if God would protect him and provide him with food and clothing (Gen 28). Jacob was absolutely faithful to his commitment and the tithe became a strong bridge between him and God. You know that during those days there was no credit, market, electricity or transport facilities available. But within 20 years, he became one of the richest men of his time. It all started with honest tithe. In terms of business, this tithe can be called ‘cycling capital’ or ‘running capital’ without which you just cannot run any business. So if you want to do business with God, commit your honest tithe even if you are empty-pocketed as Jacob once was.
The God who brought up Jacob is the same God we serve and worship today. If you can keep your promise, He will never and can never fail on His part. If you want money and possession you must invest them and if you long for a peaceful long life you must invest your tithe of time. As simple as the fact that if you want rice, you cultivate rice, if potatoes then potatoes.
