For many Christians , handling money in the right way can be a challenge . In this culture of easy credit , some families find it difficult to manage their income and expenses properly , and some even find themselves a slave to creditors . Whether you are just starting on your financial journey or are retired and planning for the next generation , we will discuss how to avoid common mistakes that many people make and be the best steward of what you have been entrusted to manage .
HAVE A PLAN
I know that many of you are rolling your eyes right now and wanting to tell me that this isn ’ t anything new . I would agree with that sentiment , but much of the data tells us that less than five percent of families have a written plan of their financial goals and how they intend to achieve them . Early in life , families establish patterns and habits that follow them throughout their years . We have found that the best place to start is fully understanding your actual income and expenses and then discussing what financial goals you might have . We love working with families to help them through this process , but you don ’ t have to work with a professional . You just have to be willing to be completely honest about where you are and how you will get to where you want to be .
For example , you may have a heart to support missions , but if you fall short each month in paying your bills , you need to be honest about where you are willing to sacrifice to support the ministries God has put in your heart . It might not be that you have to cut something out of your budget , but it might mean that you decide to increase your income . Whenever I teach classes to newly married couples , I tell them that there is no magic bullet . You either have to spend less or earn more .
DON ’ T MEASURE YOUR SUCCESS BY SOMEONE ELSE
I remember when the light bulb went off for me ! I was in my early twenties , and I was working myself to death because I had this silly goal of wanting to amass a certain amount of money by a specific age . I wanted to be a millionaire by the time I was forty years old . I look back at that now and see how worldly and foolish it was to set such a goal .
In Philippians 2:3-4 , Paul writes , “ Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit . Rather , in humility value others above yourselves , not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others .” I realized that God has a unique path for each of us , and my ambition was to be pointed outward . I wasn ’ t to pursue “ stuff ” for myself and was to be serving those around me . God would take care of my needs as I strove to serve others .
It is very easy to fall into the trap of keeping up with the Joneses . Don ’ t get me wrong ; money is not the root of all evil , but the love of money is ! Don ’ t worry about someone else ’ s financial journey . Find out what the Lord has in store for your journey . It will be a heavy burden lifted from your shoulders when you have peace with God about how you should seek to help those around you .
THE SCOREBOARD IS IN HEAVEN
As Americans , we take for granted our standard of living and our ability to earn a good wage . I ’ m sure many of you reading this have traveled abroad and know how blessed we are . I remembered a story I heard recently about a family who received asylum in America after suffering persecution in a communist country . On their first trip to the grocery store , they walked down the cereal aisle and were presented with dozens of options . For several minutes , they stood there trying to comprehend what to do . Finally , the father spoke up and said , “ Which one is for us ?”
We see the world through our American perspective , and many genuinely don ’ t understand the needs around the world . I know you may be wondering what this has to do with scoreboards and heaven , but I think it ’ s simple . Are we laying up treasure in heaven , or are we just increasing our standard of living in the here and now because we don ’ t think that our financial decisions in this life have eternal consequences ? As I said earlier , we shouldn ’ t compare our journey with anyone else ’ s , but are we doing all we can for the Kingdom ? Do I believe that I am a trusted steward , or do I believe that these “ treasures ” are ultimately mine ?
CONCLUSION
As believers , we need to be reminded that our life here is a vapor , and eternity is real . The world isn ’ t going to be fixed by politicians or some new form of government ; the only answer is Jesus Christ . Matthew 6:21 reminds us , “ For where your treasure is , there your heart will be also .” I humbly ask that we all examine our finances and ask the Lord to show us where we might be missing the mark .
Start by having a plan , and then understand your unique journey and remember that anything we accumulate here will one day perish . As silly as it might seem , simple diversions and little financial investments in the Kingdom could yield huge returns for the Lord and bring Him the glory forever ! ■
Joshua Stamm serves as president of Legacy Wealth Management . He and his wife , Dawn , have two adult children , Logan and McKenna . Joshua graduated from Liberty University and has several financial designations . With eighteen years of industry experience , he enjoys applying a discovery process that is natural and comprehensive , where the client ’ s goals and needs are put at the heart of the financial plan . He also specializes in assisting business owners with formulating a transition process and assisting in many areas of finance unique to the small business community . Joshua is active in several charitable organizations and believes deeply in connecting with the local community .
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