Over the past two weeks, we've talked about nutrition and fitness and what the Bible tells us about taking care of the bodies God has given us. This week, we're going to talk about something that can be a little uncomfortable for some of us. MONEY!
We work for it, spend it, save it, worry about it, and sometimes wonder where in the world it all went! But have you ever stopped to think about what the Bible says about how we handle it? The Bible actually has quite a bit to say about money. And I think one of the most important things we can learn is that being a good steward isn't necessarily about how much we have. It's about what we do with what we've been given. Today I want to share 3 things the Bible says about money.
1. Everything we have ultimately belongs to God.
“The earth is the LORD's, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein.”
Psalm 24:1
The last 10 days have been absolutely brutal for everyone on our staff. We are short-staffed, busier than ever, and trying to navigate new programs and changes that are completely out of our control. And the hardest part is that we don't always have the answers our customers desperately need. And those concerns all come down to money.
We had a little over 600 customers participating in a program where they paid 6% of their income toward their utility bill each month, and the program covered the remaining amount, up to $150. That program ended at the end of September, and now some of those same customers are opening utility bills they simply don't know how they're going to pay. Imagine living on less than $1,200 a month. You're accustomed to paying around $75 toward your utility bill, and suddenly you're looking at a bill for $400. That's not just an inconvenience. That's frightening.
We've been told the new program will be better for our customers, and I certainly hope that's true. I keep asking people not to panic and to give the new program time to work. But I also understand that when you're staring at a bill you can't afford, someone telling you everything is going to be okay doesn't make that fear disappear. And honestly, I'm scared for them, too. I don't fully understand the turnaround times yet, and it's hard to reassure someone when I don't have all the answers myself. I have prayed a LOT over this situation in the past 10 days. I've cried a lot, too. It's hard to watch people struggle, knowing they're depending on you for answers you simply don't have. And I'll admit something else. Right now, I'm having a hard time putting my faith in man. We've been told things are going to be better, but until I can see that happening for the people we're serving, it's difficult to feel confident about it. So I'm trying to do what I know I should have been doing all along. I'm turning it over to God.
“Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.”
Proverbs 3:5
That doesn't mean I stop asking questions, advocating for our customers or working to find solutions. But it does mean recognizing that I cannot control everything, no matter how badly I want to. And maybe that's part of what God is teaching me about stewardship right now. Everything belongs to Him, but that doesn't mean He expects me to personally fix everything that's wrong. He expects me to be faithful with what He has placed in my hands.
I can't pay 600 utility bills. I can't make a new program move faster, and I can't promise an outcome I don't know yet. But I can be patient with someone who's frightened, listen when they're frustrated, keep looking for answers and advocate for the people who need help. I can pray for wisdom, strength and compassion, not just for myself, but for our staff and every family trying to figure out how they're going to get through this. Sometimes being a good steward of what God has given us isn't just about what we do with our money. It's about what we do with our time, our knowledge, our influence and the opportunities we have to make a difference in someone else's life. And sometimes it's about recognizing where our responsibility ends and where we have to trust God with what we cannot control.
I don't know exactly how all of this is going to work out. I wish I did. But I know that God sees every one of those families, and He knows the fears they're facing. I may not have all the answers right now, but I know where to take the questions. And for now, I'm going to keep working, keep advocating, keep praying and keep trusting Him.
2. God expects us to use wisdom and make plans.
“The thoughts of the diligent tend only to plenteousness; but of every one that is hasty only to want.”
Proverbs 21:5
I feel like we have spent most of our lives wondering how we were going to make it from one paycheck to the next. And if you've ever lived that way, you know exactly what I'm talking about. You sit down, figure out what bills need to be paid, how much you need for groceries and gas, and think you've got everything covered. Then something happens that you didn't plan for. The car breaks down. The refrigerator quits. Somebody needs to go to the doctor. And suddenly that budget you thought you had figured out doesn't work anymore.
I know firsthand that feeling of failure. You think you're doing a really good job of managing what you have, and then an unexpected expense comes along that's more than you have left. You start questioning what you could have done differently, what you shouldn't have bought or how you could have planned better. But I've learned something over the years. Just because your budget doesn't work out doesn't mean you've failed. Sometimes there simply isn't enough money to cover everything life throws at you.
One thing I'm trying to do now, and something I wish I had started before I ever cashed my very first paycheck, is follow the 70/20/10 rule. It's actually a pretty simple concept. Take your income after taxes and divide it into three categories. Seventy percent goes toward living expenses, including your home, utilities, groceries, transportation and everyday spending. Twenty percent goes toward building savings, preparing for the future and paying down debt. The remaining ten percent is set aside for giving, whether that's supporting your church, helping someone in need or contributing to a cause that matters to you.
Now, I know what some of you are thinking because I've been there myself. “That's great, but what if it takes 100% of my paycheck just to survive?” I understand that! And I certainly don't think God expects us to magically make numbers work that simply don't add up. But I do think there's something valuable about having a plan, even if we have to start small. Maybe we can't save 20% right now, but we can save five dollars. Maybe we can't completely change our spending habits overnight, but we can start paying attention to where our money is going. And maybe, just maybe, if we start making those decisions intentionally, we can begin changing our financial future.
I wish I had understood that when I was younger. I wish I had developed the habit of setting something aside before I ever got used to spending my entire paycheck. But I can't go back and change those years. I can only make better decisions with what I have today. And I think that's part of what Proverbs is teaching us. God doesn't expect us to predict every expense or control every financial situation. But He does want us to be thoughtful, diligent and responsible with what He's entrusted to us. Financial stewardship isn't about having a perfect budget. It's about having a plan, learning from our mistakes and doing our best with what we've been given.
3. Money is a tool, but it makes a terrible master.
“No man can serve two masters... Ye cannot serve God and mammon.”
Matthew 6:24
One thing I'm learning as I become more intentional about managing our money is that tracking spending is a whole lot like counting calories. When you're trying to improve your nutrition, you start writing down everything you eat. And I mean EVERYTHING! Sometimes it's a little shocking to realize how many calories you're consuming without even thinking about it. Well, I'm finding out money works exactly the same way.
I've started tracking every penny we spend, and I mean EVERY PENNY. And let me tell you, it's an eye-opening experience! You start realizing just how much money goes toward things that really aren't all that important to you. Let me give you an example. I've been trying to cut back on my trips to the coffee shop. And I actually HAVE cut back! But when I looked at my spending for the first 10 days of October, I had already spent $47.22 at coffee shops. FORTY-SEVEN DOLLARS AND TWENTY-TWO CENTS! And that's with me trying to do better! At that rate, I'll spend around $150 on coffee shops by the end of the month. That's $1,800 a year on something I could make at home for a fraction of the cost.
Now, don't misunderstand me. I enjoy a good coffee shop drink, and I don't think there's anything wrong with treating ourselves occasionally. But there's a difference between intentionally deciding to enjoy something and spending money out of habit without even thinking about it. And that's where this verse really starts to make sense to me. Money can become our master in more ways than one. Sometimes we're so worried about not having enough that it consumes our thoughts. Other times, we're so accustomed to spending it that we don't even realize how much control our habits have over us. And sometimes we convince ourselves that a little purchase here and a little purchase there doesn't really matter. Until we add them all up!
The truth is, I work hard for my money, and I want to be more intentional about where it goes. Not because I want to deny myself everything I enjoy, but because there are things that matter a whole lot more to me than another coffee shop drink. I want to be financially secure. I want to prepare for retirement. I want to enjoy adventures with my family. I want to be able to help someone when they need it. And I don't want to look back someday and realize I spent money on things that didn't really matter while putting off the things that did.
Just like with nutrition, I don't think the answer is to eliminate everything we enjoy. It's about learning to make choices instead of letting our habits make them for us. Money is a wonderful tool when we tell it where to go. But it makes a terrible master when we let it decide for us.
THIS WEEK'S CHALLENGE
This week, I want to challenge you to do something that might be a little uncomfortable. For seven days, write down EVERY PENNY you spend. And I mean everything! The groceries, the gas, the coffee, the candy bar at the checkout counter, the little online purchase that seemed too inexpensive to matter. All of it.
Don't worry about changing anything just yet. Don't beat yourself up over what you've spent. Just pay attention. At the end of the week, sit down and look at where your money went. Then ask yourself a couple of questions. Did I spend my money on things that really matter to me? Are there things I could have done without? And most importantly, am I being a good steward of what God has entrusted to me?
Maybe you'll discover that you're doing a pretty good job. Maybe you'll find a few habits you'd like to change. Or maybe, like me, you'll be a little shocked at how quickly those small purchases add up! Whatever you discover, remember that this isn't about how much money you make or how much you have in the bank. It's about learning to be intentional with what you've been given.
And if you're in a season where there simply isn't enough money to go around, please don't let this challenge make you feel like a failure. Sometimes the numbers really don't work, no matter how carefully you plan. That's when we need wisdom, compassion, support and faith more than ever.
God never asked me to have the most money. He asked me to be faithful with what He's given me. And I'm learning that faithfulness begins with paying attention.
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