Tuesday: Begin With Personal Needs
In Old Testament times, many of the children of Israel were farmers and shepherds. Thus some of God’s promised blessings were couched in farm language. For example, in Proverbs 3:9-10, , God says that if we are financially faithful with Him, our “barns will be filled with plenty” (NKJV). It is likely that many Christians don’t have a barn today. So, we understand that God will bless our work or business if we are willing to follow and obey Him.
Read Proverbs 27:23-27. How would you interpret “Be diligent to know the state of your flocks” (NKJV) for Christians living today?
Image © Jim Howard at Goodsalt.com
However much the Bible warns against the rich trampling on the poor, or being greedy with their wealth, Scripture never condemns wealth or people’s efforts to acquire wealth, provided of course they don’t do it dishonestly or through oppressing others. In fact, the texts for today, in Proverbs, indicate that we should be diligent in our financial affairs in order that we may have enough for ourselves and our family. “You shall have enough goats’ milk for your food, for the food of your household, and the nourishment of your maidservants” (Proverbs 27:27, NKJV).
How would we rephrase that verse for today? Maybe we would suggest, “Review your financial records and determine the state of your affairs.” Or “Do a balance sheet and understand your debt-to-equity ratio.” From time to time during your earning years, it would be appropriate to review your will or other documents and your present assets and update them as necessary. Documents such as wills and trusts are put in place early in the estate planning process in order to be a protection against untimely death, or of not being able for health reasons to decide about where your assets should go. The idea is to plan ahead for what will happen to your possessions once they are no longer yours.
In short, good stewardship of what God has blessed us with doesn’t deal only with what we have while alive but also with what happens after we are gone — because, unless the Lord returns in our lifetime, we will one day be gone while our material possessions, whether a little or a lot, will remain behind. Hence, it is up to us now to make provisions so that what we have been blessed with can be a blessing to others and for the furtherance of God’s work.
| “For riches are not forever” (Proverbs 27:24, NKJV). Why is it important to keep this thought before us? |
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I don't really like dealing with financial matters. As long as the income pile is a bit higher than the outgoing pile, I'm happy. But, I do have to take the bull by the horns and do some financial planning just to keep the status quo. Nowadays, I can use spreadsheets and plot trendlines, and, hey it's maths and computing all rolled into one! It is almost enjoyable.
There is a lot of practical advice in today's lesson. Sometimes I get the feeling that to quote an old expression, our lessons are so heavenly-minded that we are of no earthly use! But here we are being told to look after our financial affairs. That is serious application!
I remember an Uncle Arthur's "Bedtime Story" that went like this. Two boys were told to get ready for bed, so they turned the taps on to fill the bath and then they went to their bedrooms to get their beds ready and to say their prayers. Mum could hear the bathtub filling and filling and decided to investigate. The bath was brim full and the first little stream of water was just starting to flow onto the floor. She turned it off and went to find the boys. Both of them were kneeling beside their beds praying. The story finishes with the admonition that the Bible says to "Watch and Pray!" Both are important.
Christians who leave their financial planning to the Lord are being presumptive. God has given most of us the ability to plan and review our finances. We may not have control over some of our circumstances but that does not absolve us from having a plan. Financial planning does not need to be time-consuming but it does not happen by itself.
[Uncle Arthur was Arthur Maxwell who wrote a number of children's books that were the mainstay of Seventh-day Adventist children's literature when I was a kid. He is perhaps the most well-known for "The Bible Story" a ten-volume series written for children. He was also my Great Uncle Earnest Ashton's room-mate at Newbold College (or its predecesor) in England.]
If we have made financial mistakes in the past, we should not be discouraged. We can ask the Lord to help us make better decisions for the future. We should save and spend wisely but not be anxious about everything. If we need to work a few more years, we ask the Lord to give us the strength to do so. If we need to sacrifice a few going out meals or new clothes, we ask the Lord to have our shoes hold longer and give us simpler appetites. The point is our past mistakes should not be a source of stress and anxiety. We should ask the Lord to open the doors to make better choices and provide when we can not.
The verse "For riches are not forever" (Proverbs 27:24), emphasises the temporary nature of material wealth, and to recognise that the accumulation of wealth is not the ultimate goal in life. Further along, Proverbs 27:27 could be interpreted as an assurance that one's basic needs will be met, specifically in terms of food and sustenance.
When God says something about material things, it is because He cares about what we do with material things. Isn't He the source of life? Isn't it because you and I are alive that we can do something, including work, and if we want to live the reality of this planet we have to do so diligently?
Thus, the material things we are blessed to possess also need to be carefully managed. Material things are not to be the main focus in life, but valued with responsibility.
God cares about all the details of my life, including my assets. But, as much as He wants me to live a happy and balanced life here, He also asks me for my full surrender, of body and mind and heart, because He gave you and me all that He had, so one day we can all be together with Him, and live forever without the worries of our actual crazy planet.
God gave me His most precious "Asset"; what will I give Him in return?
Our living and working environment changes anytime and every time, sometimes suddenly and other times planned. And it's good that family is taken care off in the planning, and then others, probably the gospel next. I am learning new stuff daily. Thank you, Jesus.