For there
are two kinds of waste--that of the prodigal who throws his substance
away in riotous living, and that of the sluggard who allows his
substance to rot from non-use. The rigid economizer is in danger of
being classed with the sluggard. Extravagance is usually a reaction from
suppression of expenditure. Economy is likely to be a reaction from
extravagance.
Everything was given us to use. There is no evil from which we suffer
that did not come about through misuse. The worst sin we can commit
against the things of our common life is to misuse them. "Misuse" is the
wider term. We like to say "waste," but waste is only one phase of
misuse. All waste is misuse; all misuse is waste.
It is possible even to overemphasize the saving habit. It is proper and
desirable that everyone have a margin; it is really wasteful not to have
one--if you can have one. But it can be overdone. We teach children to
save their money. As an attempt to counteract thoughtless and selfish
expenditure, that has a value. But it is not positive; it does not lead
the child out into the safe and useful avenues of self-expression or
self-expenditure.
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