This story originally appeared at Goodfullness.

Greed is certainly part of the human condition. Whether it shows up in small ways or large, we all know what it’s like to struggle with the sin of gluttony. Ultimately, however, you can’t take money with you when you die, so it’s better to use your finances for good while you’re here on earth. One man, however, didn’t understand this concept. He had an odd request at his funeral but luckily his wife was able to outsmart him in the end!

Whether this story is true or not, it’s gone viral on the internet. It’s no wonder so many people wanted to share this hilarious and pointed story – now more than ever, it seems we need to be reminded that we can’t take our money with us to the grave!

This story is about a modern-day Scrooge. He worked hard all his life and refused to spend his money on anything but what was necessary for himself to survive. He counted every penny with the goal of growing his savings. He even went so far as to express to his wife he wanted to be buried with his money because he loved it more than anything in the world.

Before he passed away, he said to his wife, “Listen up! When I die, I want you to put all of my hard-earned money into the casket with me before I’m buried. Wherever I end up in the afterlife, I want to take my money with me. ”

His wife, being the kindhearted woman she was, wanted to respect her husband’s wishes. However, hearing her husband’s most selfish request must have hurt her. Nevertheless, the man guilted his wife into promising him he would leave this life with his money in hand.

When the woman’s husband eventually died, the decision to honor his request was difficult on multiple levels. Not only was it hard for her to realize her husband was so selfish, but the woman now lived on a fixed income. She could’ve certainly used his money to help herself and those around her. But, the promise she made her husband weighed heavy on her heart. This wise woman came up with a clever plan to make everyone happy!

The day of the funeral came, and the woman was in the front row being consoled by her best friend. At the end of the ceremony, the widow, dressed in black stood and said, “Wait a minute!”

Now came the moment of truth. Would she obey her husband’s wishes? Her best friend watched in disbelief as the widow carried out her promise. The woman knew she couldn’t live with the guilt of breaking the promise to her husband. She clutched a shoebox tightly in her hands and finally placed it in the casket with her husband’s body right before it was taken away.

Her friend had seen enough and needed to know what decision was made. She said to the woman, “I hope didn’t put any money in there with that selfish man!”

The loyal widow smiled and responded, “Yes, I promised him I would. I’m a good Christian and I cannot tell a lie. I promised him that I would put that money in that casket with him.”

Horrified, the friend asked, “You actually put every cent of his money in the casket with him?”

“I sure did,” answered the widow. “I got it all together, put it into my account, and I wrote him a check.”

Share this story if you got a good laugh!
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