Net worth is the sum total of assets minus debts a person possesses which have monetary value. These consist of his material possessions that include houses and land, investments such as stocks and bonds, inheritance of similar goods and things like automobiles, jewelry and so forth.

Self-worth is the sum total of a person's personality qualities which include these components of self-esteem: self-aceptance, self-confidence, self-expression and self-responsibility. A person may have low or  high self-esteem. Low self-esteem denotes low self-worth.

The value of a person or what he ultimately amounts to is not determined by his net worth. As a matter of fact, net worth may lessen a person's self-worth. Speaking to this point, Jesus said "A man's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions." (Luke 12:15) A person may pay an enormous price for chasing greed, accumulating wealth and hoarding stuff. His lack of integrity and deficiency in spirituality may make him a high stress risk and contribute to his poor health and debilitation. The last half of his life may be characterized by chronic illness and he may die prematurely.

Natural and man-induced acts can divest a person of things "over night," so to speak. For a certainty, in time sooner than he may anticipate or desire. Someone has stated it thusly, "You have never seen a u-haul behind a hearse" and "You can't take it with you." Very often wealthy people  leave their weath for people who they didn't like and who didn't like them, to fight over or squander. Much of the wealth peope have was acquired by immoral and/or illegal behavior, or, if acquire legally based on unjust laws that much too often favor the powerful and rich. (Money they leave after death should be placed in the national treasury and use to help poor people or for other worthy causes.")

Self-worth, like net worth which may be much or small, always exists in some measure. A person can increase his self-worth through self-discovery. The Oracle spoke well who said "Know yourself."

More wealthy people than the general population realizes admit to themselves and sometimes to others that they would gladly exchange their wealth for good health. Many of them spend much of their wealth, particularly during the last years of their lives for medical treatments when they are designated terminal. Henry Ford purportedly said to his chauffeur who lived just above the poverty line by today's standard, "I would gladly give away all my wealth if I could have your health."

As far as what really matters, net worth is not even close to self-worth. It is dangerous to allow your net worth to trump your self-worth.

Copyrigth 2011 by Uriah J. Fields

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