What To Do With 10,876 Pesos That's Not Yours (But Not Anyone Else's Also)?

This is a bit late but as I mentioned in my previous blog about the money that I "accidentally" took (http://yllor.blogs.friendster.com/my_blog/2008/02/a_test_of_hones.html), I will now put in accounting what I did with the money in this blog.

I thought I only got an extra ten thousand pesos but after my TM calculated it, he found out that the excess money I withdrew was Php10,875.24 to be exact. After thorough calculating, I was surprised and shocked that he is correct. I honestly thought I only got an extra 10k. Anyways, I was really bent on not spending the money but since I no longer have a job and my family is full of debts, I have no choice but to use it. I now only have Php 10,200.25 with me. Below is the accounting:

575.00 - went to my own personal expenses (printing resumes, going online looking for a job, transportation for applying last Monday, etc.)

100.00 - went to brother Jaro's baon

As of this writing that is how I spent the money and it will be deducted further because I will add a certain amount for Jaro's tuition and I have to pay out 150 pesos a day for our debt from a lending firm up to the end of the month. I would also need money so that I can apply. This accounting will be updated as soon as I have the time to write about it.

Actually I was really ready to spend it, I already have a partial breakdown on how I would spend it but that was before I resigned. For now I have no choice but to spend it because we don't have any money. What made me decide that I am ready to spend it without any guilt? Simple. I just asked two questions to myself? The two are:

1. What's the wisest thing to do?

This question was Bo Sanchez's question to us in his talk on one of the prayer meeting in The Feast. As per Bo Sanchez, this is one question that you would need to ask yourself when you are in dilemma and you don't know what to do in a particular situation. Right now, it's quite obvious that my family needs the money and the money came to me because we need it. And the wisest thing to do of course is to use it.

2. WWJD (What would Jesus do)?

I imagined myself doing something like going to the bank with the money and looking for the manager of the bank and saying, "I am surrendering ten thousand because this is not mine" but somehow it doesn't feel right and it is not the same as giving back ten thousand to a person who really owns the money.

I asked myself, "If this happened to Jesus, would He return the money to the bank?" I honestly think He would not. He would probably distribute it to the poor or something. The question is would I also do that. Well I am not Jesus and as I mentioned in my previous blog, I am not a saint. Although I am trying to be like Him each day. With that last statement, there is a possibility that I would also do the same thing which is to give the 10,000 peso plus to the poor or to the church.

I don't want to invoke Jesus here but I am in dilemma and if on Judgement Day God told me that it is not what Jesus will do, I would just simply say that at that time, I felt that it was what Jesus would do. And if because of that I will not be entering the gates of heaven then so be it (talagang umabot sa ganon eh noh?). I will be accountable for it.

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Right now I'm still looking for work and as soon as I get a job, I would again raise 10,876.25 pesos. I will pay whatever money I spent from the amount and spend the money like this:

10% to my church (The Feast)

10% to a charity

10% to the orphnage that we are helping

10% to pay our family debts (although this is not enough)

10% goes to my savings (I am planning to open a savings account of my own since the one I had before is already closed)

The remaining 50% I still don't have any idea on how to spend it. Maybe you, readers, could give me some input.

In the meantime, I need to look for a job first or I will be spending the whole amount without earning anything.

Comments

[Gina]

I will not have second thoughts anymore. The mere fact that it is not somone else's too, well then, that must be God's gift for me. I would certainly buy something memorable. To remind me someday about that money which is meant for me. :-)