Personal Responsibility

I tend to listen to a lot of talk radio while I drive. I can't say that I relate to everything I hear on this medium of entertainment, but it definitely adds some interesting thoughts to a mundane drive through west Texas. Given that I spend up to 1200 miles a week staring at the open land, I need something other than local radio stations to keep me occupied. While listening to the Dave Ramsey Show (a personal finance program), I came to a series of understandings that all relate back to personal responsibility. In his instance, he was describing the amount of money paid to interest in car loans. He used the example of a $500 per month car payment, paid into investments over a lifetime, rather that car payments, equals more than 2 million dollars. Out of the 2 million dollars you could buy brand new cars in cash every 4-5 years and still have over a million dollars. His humorously sarcastic statement was "even if I'm half wrong, you're still a millionaire, so shut up."

In my fire department, we are in a significant growth period with the community around us. With the two first out fire engines nearing 30 years old, we realize their time for retirement will soon be here. But a new fire engine costs more than $300,000. Do we go into debt for a new truck? I think not... if the situation above is true for $30,000 vehicles, wouldn't it be more true for a $300,000 vehicle? In addition to new fire trucks, the department is also trying to build a new fire station, at the cost of $500,000. With only enough income to cover operation costs, it would be a perilous mission to attempt to take a loan out for this facility. Instead, we'll have to pay it out, in cash, with our blood, sweat, and tears. It may take us a little longer to get into the facility, but our community can be better served when we have a facility that has no debt over its head.

It is amazing to me that almost all of life is simply a matter of delaying gratification. Some people can't wait to run down and buy the latest and greatest vehicle, but at what cost? They see a $30,000 price tag, but don't see the opportunity cost of investing that money and buying a slightly worn car for a few years until they can afford said new car in cash only. There is even a way that buying used cards instead of new ends up in the investments paying 100% of all vehicles for the rest of your life.

The same happened in the recent housing boom. I am oversimplifying just a little bit, but there were stories of people in low paying labor jobs taking out loans for over half a million dollars on a new home. When those adjustable rates readjusted, people found out they could not afford it. Yet, while some people people were spending more than half their take-home pay on a mortgage, others realize that settling into a smaller, more affordable home will afford them more later in life.

Then, most importantly, I think about my faith. I believe Christ spoke so much about delaying gratification so that the end result would be so much sweeter. A large example is simply our lives... If we live our lives in search of the Kingdom now, our reward in Heaven is far greater than living to our own desires now. Doesn't this ring true for so much else we do in life? Many researchers have found that those having the most sexual fulfillment in life are married couples, not single individuals out seeking sexual encounters. Furthermore, there is research to suggest those who did not cohabitate prior to marrying are less likely to be divorced. What does all this mean? Simply delaying acting out desires with a partner will result in long term fulfillment.

The list could go on and on, but the ultimate result is that a life lived with discipline and delaying short term gratification in search of long term success will result in a life more like Christ.