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Day 02: The Work-Money Connection

"In all labor there is profit, but idle chatter leads only to poverty." (Proverbs 14:23, NKJV)

I've learned a lot from my parents over the years, but one lesson in particular sticks out from the rest: the value of hard work. In fact, if you've ever wondered about the Ramsey's "family business," let me help you out. It isn't just speaking or writing; our family business is work!

Even when I was a kid, Mom and Dad wouldn't have it any other way.

But that's okay because I've realized so many great benefits from work. For example, work creates discipline, and discipline helps you become a healthier person. Work also gives you the chance to feel that good kind of tired, the kind of tired that only comes when you've actually done something meaningful.

My parents also taught me about the "work-money connection." It's the principle that says money comes from hard work, not our parents' back pocket. By the age of five, I was working around the house for a weekly commission. (That's right...we earned commissions, not allowances). In my teen years, I had a babysitting business, worked at the mall for a while, and even teamed up with my sister on a snack service at Dad's office.

All the while, the formula was pretty simple: "Work, get paid; don't work, don't get paid."

The Bible is pretty clear that the work-money connection is real. Proverbs 14 says that labor leads to profit. In other words, we experience real benefits from putting in an honest day's work.

Unfortunately, there's a whole generation of kids growing up to think that money is free. They've fallen into the trap of entitlement, assuming that Mom and Dad are human ATMs. But if you can help your kids understand that money really comes from work, they'll be ready to hit the real world running as young adults.

So encourage your kids to discover the dignity and profit that comes from working. Give them the chance to learn responsibility by earning commissions or tackling that part-time job.

Help them make the work-money connection.