Money, How to harness its potential

Of what use is money in the hand of a fool, 
 since he has no desire to get wisdom?
Proverbs 17:16

Money is understood to be a very powerful force in our modern world.  With it you can divert rivers, build cities, fly to the moon, and even save millions of lives.  But don't be mistaken, money itself is but an inanimate object, a piece of paper (or more commonly a binary bit).  It is the intention behind its use that determines the extent of its impact.

This proverb highlights the point that money is essentially useless in the hands of a fool.  I would take this a step further and say that its use can actually be destructive. When reading these proverbs I find it easy to think that I'm not the fool, of course I'm the good guy in the story.  But we all have the capacity to be both foolish and wise every day.

The clue in this proverb is the lacking desire for wisdom.  When it comes to money, financial intelligence and wisdom in its application is vital.  By understanding how to have money work for you instead of you working for money, you position yourself to be exponentially more effective.  This may translate to philanthropy for all you budding Warren Buffetts out there or more simply freeing yourself from your fortnightly pay-check so that you can make decisions based upon helping others instead of being a slave to the line 'I can't afford it'.

First seek wisdom and knowledge, only then can you be effective in your use of money whether it be in small or large quantities.