When money interferes in a relationship, it changes the dynamic. Social norms and market rules come into conflict. For example, imagine a couple on a date, and when the man takes the woman home, he says, “I spent $100 on you today.” Suddenly, a romantic relationship shifts into a market transaction. Messages like “Next time, it’s your turn to pay” and “I did this for you today” appear. The benefits of social norms differ from those of market rules. Both are necessary, but the relationship is affected by when, how, and to whom they are applied. A person who fails to strike a balance between these two aspects risks damaging relationships and harming communities. - Joseph’s “just my thoughts”
She laughed when God said she would conceive a son to the old Sarah. However, Sarah was pregnant and gave birth to her son Isaac, whose name means “smile.” The prophet Nathan rebuked King David in the words of God. David wept. The same God's words, some laughed, others cried. If Sarah's laughter was absurd, David's cry was repentance. The Bible rarely records people's unresponsiveness to God. You are at least worth the life if you can laugh or cry at something. Smile a lot and cry a lot. Life is short. - Joseph’s “just my thoughts”