"This day I call heaven and earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live" (Deut. 30:19).
With all the current doom and gloom economic news, I felt it would be a good idea to talk about choosing life in our finances. Times are tough, that’s for sure. Families all over America (and the world) are feeling the pinch. There are many reasons for this. Truth be told, some of these things we have no control over, but there are some areas in which we can make a difference.
It is common sense, and recommended by experts, to have an emergency savings fund equivalent to three to six months of salary set aside. We don't always get advance warning for emergencies, costly situations, or unexpected life happenings. Yet most families don’t have a month, or even a half-month, of salary saved. For most of these families it is a matter of priorities. Whether it is with their time, talent, or treasure, people make a way for whatever is a priority to them. And up till now, savings hasn’t been a priority to many people.
While it’s true that the majority of people and families live paycheck to paycheck, and beyond their means via credit, it's also true that this is a choice they make based on the priorities they have. Children often have a ridiculous amount of clothes and toys, while parents also have a ridiculous amount of clothes and grown-up toys. Is it really necessary to have a new big screen, flat-panel TV, or the latest version of a gaming system? What about cable with 400 channels, cell phones, or computers for each family member, a TV in all the bedrooms, and for that matter, do children really need to each have their own bedrooms? Or how about eating out frequently, regular spa treatments, or daily stops at Starbucks for a $5 coffee? Of course the answer to all of these questions is no, but these are the priorities many of us have had.
Any of the above choices (and the list is not comprehensive) is choosing death financially. We must first choose life financially by reprioritizing and putting the first things first. How do we do that? We sacrifice our need for instant gratification. We choose not to use credit, but to purchase with cash. We choose to simplify, save money, and invest wisely (it is possible). And we choose to make short-term sacrifice for long-term gain. (" Good planning and hard work lead to prosperity, but hasty shortcuts lead to poverty" Prov. 21:5 NLT.)
None of the above items or services are bad things, and living well certainly isn’t a bad thing, but we must live wisely. We should purchase the items we want only after taking care of what our family needs – including the savings account. ( Put first things first. "Prepare your work outside and get it ready for yourself in the field; and afterward build your house and establish a home" Prov. 24:27 AMP.) A $5 coffee doesn’t need to be a daily item, but it can be a special treat, an indulgence we allow ourselves once in awhile. Prosperity is a reward, not a right. And living beyond our means is not prosperity, it is enslavement. ( "The rich rule over the poor and the borrower is servant to the lender" Prov. 22:7 NKJV.)
There are many resources available for financial fitness. The Bible has much to teach about finances – especially in Proverbs. Financial Peace University is an amazing Bible-based program which helps people to overcome the burden of debt and live well. There are many other books and programs, both Biblical and secular, which offer a wealth of wisdom about how achieve financial fitness. ( "Get all the advice and instruction you can, so you will be wise the rest of your life" Prov. 19:20 NLT.) By taking control of our finances, by shaking off the shackles of debt, by having a real savings account, and by living within our means, we are choosing life financially.
"This day I call heaven and earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live" (Deut. 30:19).
With all the current doom and gloom economic news, I felt it would be a good idea to talk about choosing life in our finances. Times are tough, that’s for sure. Families all over America (and the world) are feeling the pinch. There are many reasons for this. Truth be told, some of these things we have no control over, but there are some areas in which we can make a difference.
It is common sense, and recommended by experts, to have an emergency savings fund equivalent to three to six months of salary set aside. We don't always get advance warning for emergencies, costly situations, or unexpected life happenings. Yet most families don’t have a month, or even a half-month, of salary saved. For most of these families it is a matter of priorities. Whether it is with their time, talent, or treasure, people make a way for whatever is a priority to them. And up till now, savings hasn’t been a priority to many people.
While it’s true that the majority of people and families live paycheck to paycheck, and beyond their means via credit, it's also true that this is a choice they make based on the priorities they have. Children often have a ridiculous amount of clothes and toys, while parents also have a ridiculous amount of clothes and grown-up toys. Is it really necessary to have a new big screen, flat-panel TV, or the latest version of a gaming system? What about cable with 400 channels, cell phones, or computers for each family member, a TV in all the bedrooms, and for that matter, do children really need to each have their own bedrooms? Or how about eating out frequently, regular spa treatments, or daily stops at Starbucks for a $5 coffee? Of course the answer to all of these questions is no, but these are the priorities many of us have had.
Any of the above choices (and the list is not comprehensive) is choosing death financially. We must first choose life financially by reprioritizing and putting the first things first. How do we do that? We sacrifice our need for instant gratification. We choose not to use credit, but to purchase with cash. We choose to simplify, save money, and invest wisely (it is possible). And we choose to make short-term sacrifice for long-term gain. (" Good planning and hard work lead to prosperity, but hasty shortcuts lead to poverty" Prov. 21:5 NLT.)
None of the above items or services are bad things, and living well certainly isn’t a bad thing, but we must live wisely. We should purchase the items we want only after taking care of what our family needs – including the savings account. ( Put first things first. "Prepare your work outside and get it ready for yourself in the field; and afterward build your house and establish a home" Prov. 24:27 AMP.) A $5 coffee doesn’t need to be a daily item, but it can be a special treat, an indulgence we allow ourselves once in awhile. Prosperity is a reward, not a right. And living beyond our means is not prosperity, it is enslavement. ( "The rich rule over the poor and the borrower is servant to the lender" Prov. 22:7 NKJV.)
There are many resources available for financial fitness. The Bible has much to teach about finances – especially in Proverbs. Financial Peace University is an amazing Bible-based program which helps people to overcome the burden of debt and live well. There are many other books and programs, both Biblical and secular, which offer a wealth of wisdom about how achieve financial fitness. ( "Get all the advice and instruction you can, so you will be wise the rest of your life" Prov. 19:20 NLT.) By taking control of our finances, by shaking off the shackles of debt, by having a real savings account, and by living within our means, we are choosing life financially.