Sackcloth and Ashes

It is often easy to jump to conclusions before searching out a matter. One such case concerns my frugality series. Sometimes people do not understand why people of the past, enduring hardship, did not play it up or parade it, flaunt it, claiming they were not "ashamed."

Sometimes people think that because we do not announce a failure or a hardship, we are somehow ashamed of it, but that is not the case. Playing down a low-income or a loss of income, is not the same as being ashamed. For example, we are not ashamed of our bodies but we cover them and dress modestly to protect them and to give us privacy. It is not every one's business. We may have one messy room in our house that we close off to visitors, in order to hide our privacy and protect them from something that may depress them.

Having not experienced an era of hard times and observed the people and their behavior, for example, during the Depression, it is easy to misunderstood their beliefs. For example, they would dress up. They would not beg. They would not reveal their economic status to just anyone. It is difficult, in a day an age where everything is reveal all and tell-all, loudly broadcast on television talk-shows, to understand that personal privacy that people in hard times protected.

Keeping frugal times to themselves was also for the benefit of other people. They didn't want to concern other people with their problems, and cause distress to others. They also didn't want to appear to be begging. I have known ladies who concerned themselves with other people's problems so much that they literally made themselves ill over them. When someone told them some problem, they tried to solve it, rushing around gathering up things to help, even going to employment agencies to find jobs for people. They worried themselves sick, and so people have learned to say "We are doing fine," when such people ask how they are doing. If you tell them too much, they will stay awake at night, worrying and generally distress themselves until they are upset. That is not the way most people react, but it is generally good not to add burdens to people who tend to take it upon themselves to make things better, while neglecting their own families or their own health.

Whether or not this was once of the reasons to remain dignified during economic depression, one vital principle remains to shed further light on keeping a stiff upper lip. Jesus was critical of the hypocrites of his time, who when they fasted, went about with a sad countenance, disfiguring their faces, in order to give the appearance of fasting. In those days, people walked around in sackcloth and ashes, when they were in mourning, fasting, or in a state of repentance. He told his followers that they were were to fast in secret. They were to wash their faces and dress in such a way that no one would be able to tell they were fasting. They weren't supposed to announce it. Doing without material goods and money is somewhat like fasting. (Matthew 6:16:18)

If we are trying to manage our money and pay off our debts, people can be awfully curious. Eventually it becomes bore to explain (who wants to repeat their sad story over and over?) and so it is really better, and more uplifting, to look on the bright side, and talk on the bright side. This was the main purpose for the frugality posts.

Again, I would point you to the story, "When Queens Ride By," on the side bar of the theme articles. It reminds me of someone I knew, who, when the family was having a difficult time, would put on the best dinner she could. She said she was was not going to impose fear and uncertainty on her family, but confidence, in difficult times.