My ex was too poor for me

Dear Pastor,

I am having a problem. I am 25 years old. I am the only girl of my parents' six children. I am also the only child who has gone to college.

My parents are in their 70s and I have seen how they have worked hard to support us. I am loved by my parents and my siblings. My brothers are tradesmen and they are very protective of me. We all grew up in church. Our parents taught us not to love money; they would always say 'money is the root of all evil'.

I have come to realise that money itself is not evil; it's the love of it. But I love money. I had a boyfriend, but I had to break up with him because he was not earning much, and he was always broke. I told him that he should go back to school, but he was not interested in doing that. He was never able to assist me with lunch money or with taxi fare to go to university.

When I was graduating, he took the bus to the graduation ceremony. I thought that he would have hired a vehicle to attend. He did not even make plans to take me out after graduation, so I went out with some friends who were from one of the islands. Late into the night my boyfriend called me and I told him that the relationship was finished. He asked me how come I can be doing that when he was thinking that it was time for us to get married. I told him that he was too poor for me, and he said 'money is the root of all evil'.

Pastor, this man did not even give me a graduation gift and he wanted to go and sleep with me on my graduation night. I have found myself a job and one of my colleagues and I have become lovers. The relationship is only one year old, but I feel comfortable. Since I am working, I have been able to assist one of my brothers in buying a car. He has been driving taxi and he had to be paying the owner of the car big money every week. Now he can work on his own, bring me something and maintain the car.

My former boyfriend is doing everything in his power to get me back, but I do not want him in my life. There is no way that I would take him back.

U.T.

Dear U.T.,

Money is necessary. You cannot live without money. The world will not spin without it. Your mother meant well when she taught your siblings and you that money is the root of all evil.

She probably heard that in church or from people who constantly misquote the Bible by saying money is the root of all evil. The Bible says " the love of money is the root of all evil."

There are many greedy people and they would sell their soul to get money. In other words, they may engage in crooked things to get money. However, good Christian people should not engage in illegal conduct to get money. A person, whether he is a Christian or not, should work hard and invest as much as they can.

In today's world, one could hardly live on one salary. That is why when a person is married, the couple should put money together and save and invest.

A person who may consider himself or herself to be poor can become a millionaire without getting pressured to do anything that is illegal.

You were right to dump your former boyfriend; you don't need that type of man in your life. Work with your present boyfriend. Plan together and both of you should do well.

Pastor