Finances

The ants are not a strong people, but they prepare their food in the summer;
~ Proverbs 30:24-25


Do you all remember the fable of the grasshopper and the ant? Disney made a cartoon version in which the carefree grasshopper sang, “Oh, the world owes me a living!” The grasshopper played his fiddle and lazed about all summer while the ants worked and stored up food for the winter. When winter came the ants were warm in their anthill with plenty of food for the whole community, but the grasshopper was hungry and cold.

This is the cautionary tale that we Baby Boomers and beyond (1945 and forward) need to hear. Our theme song for this current generation was voiced by the rock group Queen: “I want it all and I want it now!” Planning and saving runs counter to amassing goodies, toys and nice things. “I want my big screen HDTV,” has been my mantra for years now as I watch a 27” traditional set. But there are other demands on our finances that put that coveting desire lower in the queue. College payments, auto insurance, mortgage, medical bills, school clothes and supplies, home and auto maintenance and repairs; there is always something that gets in the way of me getting what I want. I don’t like having to wait.

In a marriage chances are you mate’s wants will differ from yours. For instance Michele can live without the HDTV big screen and enjoy what we already have. She’d rather travel and visit places she has never seen or experienced. That takes big money! We differ on how to spend. It can cause friction. Family finances are the number one troublemaker for marriages. We can bicker, worry and blame each other into crisis.

Jesus taught that his disciples cannot serve both God and the goodies (money). You can’t have two masters. You will end up serving only one and hating the other. “Where your treasure is your heart will be also (Mat 6:21).” He said this in the context of preaching about laying up treasures in heaven. Chapter 6 of Matthew deals with practicing piety in order to impress and other worries. Our eyes and minds are often on earthy things and not on heaven. Jesus calls us to look beyond the glitter of all the goodies money can buy and invest ourselves in working toward a secure future in eternity. This world is passing away. All the nice things in this world, we cannot take with us. But heaven is forever, your home for eternity.

We challenge you to pray together with your spouse and seek God’s guidance on how and where you spend. Become tithers, giving 10% of your income as first fruits to the Lord. God will bless your life when you set Him as your priority in all expenditures. Proverbs 11:25 says “the generous man will be prosperous and he who waters will himself be watered.”

Where is your treasure? To what does you heart really belong? Does your spending reflect that you love God or goodies? How do you feel about giving God 10% of your income?

My father-in-law always says, “You can’t out-give God.” May you be blessed with faith to trust in Him, learn to appreciate what you have and be patient for what you desire. God has a way of fulfilling the desires of your heart when you truly delight in Him.