*FINANCE AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP* TOPIC: *DON'T BE AN EMERGENCY FUND FOR EVERYBODY...* There comes a time in every man or woman’s life when they must learn one of the hardest but most liberating lessons: you are not the solution to everybody’s problems. You are not Jehovah Jireh. You are not El-Shaddai. And if you keep trying to be everything for everyone, you may wake up one day to realize you have given your future away piece by piece in the name of generosity. Generosity is a beautiful virtue, but it must be guided by wisdom, boundaries, and planning. The same hand that gives without limits will one day tremble with regret if it gave blindly. You cannot keep being everyone’s emergency fund and expect to thrive. You cannot give from an empty cup. You cannot invest in everyone else’s future while neglecting your own. And if you are not careful, you will spend your productive years patching holes in other people’s boats while your own ship quietly sinks. Let me tell you this truth: God expects you to be generous, but He also expects you to be wise. In Luke 14:28, Jesus said, “For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not sit down first and count the cost?” That’s budgeting. That’s planning. That’s stewardship. Yes, you should help your family. Yes, you should assist friends in need. Yes, be kind and compassionate. But don’t help others in a way that endangers your own financial future. You must budget your generosity. Have a clear plan. Decide what portion of your resources can go to charity, family, and others, without compromising your needs, your growth, your savings, or your peace of mind. Don't forget that when you go broke, many of the people you helped will disappear. You will find that you were a convenience, not a covenant. You were a wallet, not a well. And in your own rainy day, the umbrella you once offered so freely will not be returned. Dear friends, learn to say "no" without guilt. You are not heartless when you decline a request that would harm your progress, you are being a good steward of what God has given you. Saying “no” does not mean you don’t care. It means you have learned to care for yourself too. It is not selfish to save. It is not wicked to invest in yourself. It is not evil to plan for your future. The poor you will always have with you, but you won’t always have your youth, your energy, or your prime earning years. Use them wisely. Let me break it down clearly: - Budget everything... - Set boundaries, including with those closest to you. - Build your foundation before you carry others. - Say “no” when the giving becomes toxic. A crab that escapes the basket did not betray the other crabs; it simply understood that it could not pull anyone else out while still being trapped itself. Escape first. Establish first. Build first. Then help wisely and sustainably. If you keep being the family bank, the group ATM, the emergency lifeline without a plan, you will soon be the one needing help, and you will be shocked how many people suddenly forget your name. Don’t burn out in the name of being nice. Don’t go broke trying to look generous. Don’t lose your peace to please people. Be generous, but be wise. Be kind, but be clear. Be helpful, but be intentional. God doesn’t bless recklessness; He blesses faithfulness. And part of faithfulness is knowing that you are also worthy of care, of planning, of progress. Do good, but don’t do it to your own destruction. Your servant, _@ Fr. Albert Nwosu (Nwachinemere)_