When I was a full-time teacher, I lived in a neighborhood where BMWs lined the driveways and designer packages showed up like clockwork. My income as a teacher? Solidly five figures. My neighbors? Mostly six. Some seven.

To them, I was the one who “taught their kids.” And while they respected me, I could feel the unspoken question hanging in the air: Why would someone with your education choose that salary?

The truth? I didn’t have a lot, but I was happy. Genuinely happy.

There’s a line from The Notorious B.I.G. that always hits me: “It’s like the more money we come across, the more problems we see.” You can hear it for yourself here: More Money, More Problems – The Notorious B.I.G.

That song played in my car more than once after a long day of teaching. Not because I was chasing wealth, but because I saw people around me chasing it hard, and looking more miserable by the minute.

Scripture says something similar, though in a quieter voice.

“Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.”
— Matthew 19:24 (NIV)

That verse has always fascinated me. It doesn’t say that wealth is evil. But it does warn us about what can happen when money becomes our master.

In my neighborhood, families juggled high-powered jobs, expensive cars, and luxury vacations. But I saw the cracks. Kids stressed to the point of shutdown. Parents missing out on moments because they were too busy securing “the next big thing.” More money. More problems.

Meanwhile, I ate crockpot meals, walked my dog barefoot, and graded papers late into the night. My car had over 100,000 miles on it, and my wardrobe was more Target than designer.

And yet… I was content. I had a purpose. I was showing up for my students and making a difference.

That kind of peace? You can’t buy it. It’s the kind that comes from knowing who you are and Whose you are.

I think Jesus knew that when He spoke those words in Matthew. He knew how easily our hearts can become tangled up in stuff: status, image, accumulation. We think more will satisfy us, but often, more just distracts us from what really matters.

I’m not against having nice things. But I’ve learned that if our hands are always full—chasing, collecting, holding on—we may find there’s no room left for the blessings that truly count.

So today, I’m choosing joy over hustle. Peace over pressure. Purpose over possessions.

And every now and then, I still play Biggie loud and clear. Because he got one thing right:

More money? Definitely more problems.

But with less, sometimes we see more clearly.

Amen to that.