Tightwads and Martyrs Part II

After my mom's brilliant comment comparing thrifty housewives to Scottish rebels, I got to thinking more about the comparison... and decided it needed another post.

I saw a quote on one of the frugal blogs I follow that went something like this:

"Never sacrifice what you want most to what you want now."

Regarding tightwad-ery this is pretty simple: if you want to pay off your mortgage early you can't go out to eat every time you don't feel like cooking. As the frugal zealot says, spend your money on investment purchases (things that earn you money or that you can resell at full value) rather than on throw-away purchases.

But it also reminded me of another quote:

"He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose."
-Jim Elliot

The principle in the Christian walk is similar to the tightwad one. Forgo pleasures here and now in order to gain them 100 fold over again in heaven.

Wisdom is the same the world over. Whatever subject I study I see her there. Calling as she's always been calling...

²⁰ Wisdom calls aloud in the street,
she raises her voice in the public squares;

²¹ at the head of the noisy streets she cries out,
in the gateways of the city she makes her speech:

²² "How long will you simple ones love your simple ways?
How long will mockers delight in mockery
and fools hate knowledge?

²³ If you had responded to my rebuke,
I would have poured out my heart to you
and made my thoughts known to you.

³² For the waywardness of the simple will kill them,
and the complacency of fools will destroy them;

³³ but whoever listens to me will live in safety
and be at ease, without fear of harm."

Proverbs 1: 20-23,32-33