What am I trying to say?
I am not against pride. There is a difference between being proud over something that is factual and being proud over something that is untrue. For example, if a guy is factually American, he could be proud to be American. His citizenship is factual or real. I call it good and justified pride. I think that every body is entitled to some pride as long as it is factual, real ,justified and lacks boasting.
On the other hand, we have what I call unjustified or unreal pride. The latter refers to that feeling that some of us attempt to display in view to depict a picture that we are not. Unfortunately unjustified or unreal pride shows up as well in our financial decisions.
What am I trying to say?
Some financial decisions are boosted by the unjustified or unrealistic pride convincing ourselves or others of a financial status that we do not have. As a result some people end up spending their salaries on items they can't afford, house bonds that literally blast their salaries, impressive cars that eat their savings away, or on a Hollywood lifestyle that does not even allow them to spare grocery money in their own house...And to cover those expenses triggered by unjustified pride, they relay on loans, debts, credit cards that they have to repay with interests of course...
Not that they really wanted to pay for those things. They just wanted to impress themselves, the neighbor, their spouses, friends...just to depict a picture of themselves that they are not.
Where is the pride in all that?
'When we refuse to admit that we can't afford to spend on some items; that's what I call unjustified pride.'
Don't worry, I have nothing against lavish spending as long as we can really afford it. The day will come where you will afford to pay for those luxury items. But for now, be realistic, and admit that you are not there yet. People refuse to admit their reality because of the shame it might produce. They don't want to be ashamed in front of the pretty store cashier, in front of their friends, girlfriends, family or coworkers...
Let me tell you something:
'It would be better to go through that shame ( which is going to be temporal and even though there is no shame at admitting the truth) than landing in a pile of senseless debts masking your true reality.'
Which one do you wanna choose:
'The temporal shame produced by saying:' I can't afford it right now' or the pile of deadly debts and spending that will eat your peace at night?
But godliness actually is a means of great gain, when accompanied by contentment...( 1 Timothy 6:6-7)
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'Why you should not spend under emotional influence.'