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Do
we really own anything, when a financial storm can wipe us
out? Do we really own our house, furniture, cars, boats
and other items, when as a country, our debt load is at an
all-time high? Stop making your house payments, and see
how long you “own” your house.
During the 1990s, we experienced a bumper crop of wealth
in America. But we did not heed the advice written
thousands of years ago in Genesis. Most of us did not save
for the inevitable economic storms. Instead, we spent more
than we made, and at a record pace. Debt has reached an
all-time high. Consumer spending drove the economy, and
consumer spending wrecked lives.
Notice in the above passage, that Joseph took a portion of
the crops and stored them away for the future. In modern
terms, he put money aside and saved it, to ride out the
next recession. He was prepared.
Let’s
look at common mistakes we make with money:
Lack
of Contentment
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"No
one can serve two masters. For you will hate one
and love the other, or be devoted to one and
despise the other. You cannot serve both God and
money." Matthew 6:24 (NLT)
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In the good economic times, the more we accumulate, the
more we want. We are never content with what we have, even
when we have more than ever.
Jesus knew
that we could not serve both God and money, along with the
items money buys. Jesus is asking us to choose a life of
contentment with what we have by placing God, not temporal
possessions, first. Be content with what you have.
Lack
of Prudence
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“The
wise have wealth and luxury, but fools spend
whatever they get." Proverbs
21:20 (NLT)
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This verse is saying to be smart about money. Don’t be
foolish. Easy credit with high interest rates trap us into
spending whatever we want, with impulse buying.
Lack
of Making Wise Purchases & Spending More Than We Make
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“Just
as the rich rule the poor, so the borrower is
servant to the lender." Proverbs
22:7 (NLT)
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It helps me to stop, think, pray and
wait, particularly when considering a major purchase that
will require borrowing. Stopping before buying keeps me
from being impulsive. Thinking and praying takes the
purchase before God. He wants to be involved in all our
decisions. If I wait long enough, I usually see that I
really can do without that new whatever.
Lack
of Saving Money
Our government reports that the latest personal savings
rate for Americas hovered around 2.1 % during 2003. We
don’t save money, because we are too busy making the all
the mistakes about money listed above. Most financial
planners recommend trying to build up a savings account
equal to three to six months’ living expenses. Joseph
saved enough grain during the bumper crops, to feed the
people during the seven year famine. Savings provide a
safety net when unexpected financial storms hit.
Here
are some practical antidotes to the unwise use of money:
Live on less. Our financial problems are typically not on
the inflow side, but the outflow. Perhaps it is time to
downsize your house. Perhaps it is time to wax the old car
and drive on. Housing and automobiles are the two biggest
budget busters in America.
Keep track of where your money is going. Write down every
purchase for a month. Most people are surprised at the
spending that in not necessary.
Take a close look at your debts. Perhaps a low-interest
equity line is needed, to replace those high-interest
credit cards. One caveat: If your credit cards are
unmanageable and you pay them off with lower interest
debt, shred the cards. Do plastic surgery on your wallet.
Keep one for emergencies only.
Remember what money cannot buy. Money can’t buy
contentment, acceptance, relationship and love. We can’t
buy our relationship with God. He has given that to us; we
just need to get unbound by the pressures of debt and
bound to His power.
Points
to Ponder: Am I using my money in a
way that is pleasing to God?
David
Massey
Questions
or comments? Email david@e-devotionals.org. |
