Philippians 4:11-12 (NIV) 11 I am not
saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the
circumstances. 12 I know what it is to be in need, and
I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in
any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty
or in want.
Money connects into our lives in several ways.
The last two weeks I have described two: in our work and in worry. Our work
(and it’s connection to money) either honors or dishonors God in our lives.
Worry (specifically as it relates to money) is a sin (of idolatry) that
displaces our confidence and trust in God, treating Him as weak and unable to
take care of us and to fulfill His promises to us in Christ. Either one of
these can consume us and interfere greatly with our walk with God.
WANTS - This third part of my personal
money manifesto deals with another challenge to right thinking about money in
my life: wants. Since I wrote a check-in about this not too long ago (January
24), I want to reference that here. I wrote about the “want book” (Sears
catalog) I grew up with, learning to desire many things (most of which were not
needs). Here is an excerpt from that Check-In…
“I want things. We are
drawn to desire things. I think it’s pretty normal, and I don’t believe it is
necessarily ‘wrong’ to want something. The problem is whether or not that
wanted thing is in any way in conflict with God’s purpose or plan for me (and
for my money). For example, in my life right now I have a want for a particular
house (with a specific street address) in South Carolina. I do not believe that
it is wrong to want a house. I have never owned one because a parsonage of some
sort has always been supplied to me in the churches where I have served. Over
the years I have been saving and I hope to be able to buy a home someday. But
it is not as simple as just wanting this house. For one thing, it is not for
sale. For another thing, if it did go on the market, it might end up
being with a price beyond what I could pay or should pay (or try to pay). It’s
a modest home by MDI standards. But that’s not the point. While wanting
something is not necessarily wrong, we all know it can become wrong if it is
not tempered by, or surrendered to, the will of God. For example, if something
bad had to happen to the current occupants of the house (who are unknown to
me), I would NOT want the house. Or if purchasing the house was a step of bad
judgment (risky or foolish in some way), I would not want the want to overtake
the wisdom that would serve me better.”
As
I write this eight months later, God has provided Joanne and me with a home to
transition (I don’t use the word “retire”) to when we leave First Baptist.
After much prayer and hard work – with a fair amount of patience as well – we
found a home within three miles of our daughter’s family. We have tried to be
very careful and wise with the resources God has provided to us, and to Him we
give all the glory and honor. It was worth it to wait on Him and not to be
careless in putting our wants above Him. We believe He has met our need as we
move forward into a new phase of our lives. And for this we are very grateful.
Of
course, a want doesn’t have to be as big as a house. It can be as small as a
toy or an article of clothing that we just “have to have”. What I am constantly
learning (and needing to learn more) is that God is the final decision maker
about what I really “have to have”. Being submissive to this truth helps me
avoid sin and deal with temptation in a much more successful way. And God’s
grace and the filling of His Spirit make it possible.
Therefore…
-
I will seek to surrender my wants (each and every one – big or
small) to my Father’s will.
-
I will seek and expect joy in the Lord in whatever His will is for
me.
-
I will seek to be a good steward of the resources God blesses me
with, managing (budgeting and directing) them toward the meeting of needs and
turning off the impulse-to-buy “switch” within me.
-
I will seek to pray about everything – especially in the area of
my spending and seek the advice and counsel of godly men and women as well.
-
I will seek to simplify my life, endeavoring to diminish the
things around me (and the purchase of more) that have little significance or
may reflect a materialistic bent in me.
-
I will seek to think eternally about the things I spend (or want
to spend) my money on.
-
I will seek to avoid becoming a victim of my credit card, and if it
begins to get out of control, I will destroy it before it destroys me (Romans 13:8).
Would you add anything to my list?
May the Lord help us, His disciples, to
shorten our list of wants and lengthen our list of “Thy will be done”s. And as
we constantly turn our wants over to Him, may we become satisfied and happy
with His provision.
NEXT WEEK – Money and Waste
1 Timothy 6:6-10
(NIV) 6 But godliness with contentment is great gain. 7
For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing
out of it. 8 But if we have food and clothing, we will
be content with that. 9 People who want to get rich
fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that
plunge men into ruin and destruction. 10 For the love
of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have
wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.
Hebrews 13:5 (NIV) Keep your lives free
from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said,
"Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you."
Philippians
4:19 (NIV) And
my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ
Jesus.
PRAYER: Father, please give me strength to stand
against all of the temptations around me, particularly the strong tendency
toward materialism which leads me to value things more than I value you. Please
forgive me for my proneness to overvalue the shiny, the expensive, the cutest,
the latest, and the most popular, things. Lead me always to contentment. Thank
you. In the name of Jesus, AMEN.”
Jesus
Christ is Lord!
Scott
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