The first car I bought after our first child was born was a mistake.
Before the baby came, we had a small sports car with a tiny backseat. I loved that car but felt we had to trade it in when the baby arrived to give us more room.
I excitedly overpaid for the new car. I thought I was gaining some freedom with the hasty purchase of a roomy four-door sedan, but I should have waited patiently for the right deal. Every month that I made that too-large car payment was less enjoyable than the previous month.
I learned a tough lesson, and I have changed my behavior since then. Now, I wait and research until I am content that the next car will serve me more than I serve it. Freedom of soul matters.
With every blessing of God comes accountability.
As Christians in a modern capitalistic society, we know we must work hard and smart to create wealth. But God wants us to remember where our provision ultimately comes from: Him.
Christian men have a responsibility to be good stewards (managers) of what God has blessed them with. What we think we own is really on loan from God. He reminded Israel of this very thing when they were at a pivotal time in their early history:
“You may say to yourself, ‘My power and the strength of my hands have produced this wealth for me.’ But remember the Lord your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth, and so confirms his covenant, which he swore to your ancestors, as it is today” (Deuteronomy 8:17–18 NIV).
Here’s an interesting thing that happens to all of us when we begin to develop wealth—of any size. The moment we get more, we tend to want more. Greed subtly increases at the same rate our wealth does. Greed is simply a selfish and excessive desire to want more of something than what is needed. Often, the “more” we want belongs to someone else.
“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.’ So we say with confidence, ‘The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can mere mortals do to me?’” (Hebrews 13:5–6 NIV).
Discontentment, coupled with the love of money, is not a new problem. But God wants men to be able to say, “I have enough,” and even better, say, “In Christ, I have enough.”
Money and what it acquires should not be our main drive in life; a love for Christ and accountability to Him should be. Money should always remain in a subordinate role.
Our money should serve us, not the other way around.
The influence of greed and envy, fueled by social comparison, is all around us. It’s been normalized so much in Western society that we hardly even notice it anymore.
Our money should serve us, not the other way around.
Social media has made our capacity for greed and envy even greater as we constantly compare ourselves with each other in all kinds of ways. Greed can lead us to make regrettable financial decisions that can jeopardize our family’s future as well as our present-day peace of mind.
But God has a remedy for us:
Giving and a life of generosity are the safety guardrails He gives us to keep us on track.
The discipline of giving assigns a higher purpose to your hard-earned money than simply making you the winning rat in the rat race.
Stealing and theft may be the most extreme manifestations of greed and materialism. Taking something from someone else against their will is one of the worst evils resulting from unchecked greed. But look at what the Apostle Paul prescribed to the one who wants to leave this kind of life behind him:
“Anyone who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with their own hands, that they may have something to share with those in need” (Ephesians 4:28 NIV, emphasis added).
The discipline of giving assigns a higher purpose to your hard-earned money than simply making you the winning rat in the rat race.
Everything we have belongs to God. Giving (sharing) is good for the soul. Maybe especially for the soul troubled by greed and envy. The godly discipline of generosity helps us reprioritize the place we’ve assigned to wealth. Regular giving is a regular reminder that God has the ultimate say regarding the acquisition and distribution of our stuff. Giving back to God and being generous to others frees a man’s soul.
If you are in a pivotal time in your life right now, don’t be surprised if God reminds you to be a good steward. Allow God to add blessings to your life in His time. You don’t have to make all the acquisitions in life yourself…let Him provide. And check up on your giving and generosity. God has already blessed you, even more than you probably think, and you can be a blessing to others with His wealth.
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