Your Money Attitude Leads to Aptitude
By Julia Jorna, CPA
Before we can begin to explore ways to manage our
resources, we need to assess our attitude toward
money. Attitude determines how we approach acquiring, handling, and spending money. Until we know
what our attitudes are and adjust them to be in line
with sound principles, we will not be fully successful
with money management.
capital that we have from last month? Our use of
money indicates the character of all the levels of our
capital. Read the story in Luke 16: 11-12. “So if you
have not been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth,
who will trust you with true riches? And if you have
not been trustworthy with someone else’s property,
who will give you property of your own? ” God entrusts many things to us. One of these is money and
There are many attributes that contribute to success.
he expects us to be diligent and faithful in the way we
Less than ten percent of people in the world have a
procure it, safeguard it, and wisely use it for our own
Biblical world view. It is good common sense that if we good and for the good of others.
align ourselves with God’s plans for us and His attitude
toward money, we will stand a much greater chance of As God’s people we are called to be the salt and light
meeting with financial success.
of the world. There are many ways we can use our
material possessions including money to shine light on
Biblically, money can be thought of as three things: a
committed, right living and to sprinkle salt in
tool, a test and a testimony. * In Philippians 4:11-12,
places that need the empowerment emanating from its
Paul tell us, “I have learned to be content whatever the qualities. I believe that if we are to prosper financially,
circumstances.” He goes on to say that he has known
we must view money as a way to enhance lives. That
plenty and need, and that he has learned the secret to
includes not only our own but those of our family,
contentment. The secret of contentment is an invaluchurch and community including the entire world.
able thing to know. It is to be satisfied with what we
There are so many ways our material possessions can
have. If what we have is not enough to accomplish
enrich others. Giving items we no longer need or use
our goals, we may plan and strive by honest work and
to community thrift stores allows others to have use of
management to seek to make more money. But at no
them for affordable prices. A donation of even a small
time should we live beyond the current means. Some
amount can advance medical research toward the cure
amount of money is absolutely essential to meet our
for a horrible disease or assist a victim of addiction in
basic needs. It is when we do not possess the secret of finding a way out. A small donation to local assistance
contentment with our worldly material situation that
programs might keep someone’s heat on in the winter.
we let the advertisement or the Jones down the street
cloud our judgment and to influence us to spend too
Until our next article, think about how your use of
much by wanting too much too soon. God wants to
money might be improved by viewing your financial
use money as a tool to teach us. One question to ask
resources as a tool, a test, and a testimony. Can you
ourselves is “what lessons are held in my financial
identify specific ways your attitude toward money
circumstances currently that God wants me to learn.”
affects your use of it? In the next issue, we will considOnce we learn them, we might find our situation
er some very specific mindsets and how they affect our
changing.
financial well-being.
Money is a method by which we are readily tested to
reveal so much about us. Remember the total
*Ideas from Focus on the Family Complete Guide to Faith-Based Family
Finances by Ron Blue with Jeremy L. White, CPA