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Devotional: The Source Of Happiness

Peter Anderson — Sun, 06 Jun 2010 14:43:48 +0000

This past week I read several posts in the personal finance blogosphere that talked about how having more money can lead to living a happier life. While I do believe that having enough to keep ourselves out of poverty is a desirable thing, I don’t think having money or any material thing is what can lead us to living a truly happy life. Unfortunately I think that quite the opposite often holds true. Things can cloud our focus, and cause us to lose sight of the person who truly is THE SOURCE for all happiness.

I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through Him who gives me strength. – Philippians 4:12-13

The world tells us that when we concentrate on things, money, success and on protecting all of those things at any cost – that we will be happy. Those things will give us fulfillment. The problem is, the world also tells us the lie that who we are and what we have is never enough.

God tells us that we need to put our focus on Him.

Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. Deuteronomy 6:5

In His word we are called to be good stewards of all that we have been entrusted with. As part of that we need to recognize God as the source for all good things – whether we are given much or if we have little, we are to thank Him for his provision. Through him we find contentment – and happiness.

But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs. But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness. – 1Timothy 6:6-11

We need to let the Lord manage our lives, instead of allowing our lives, and the things in them manage us and distract us from our Savior. We need to realize that true eternal happiness – not the fleeting and disappearing kind found in things – comes only through a relationship with Jesus Christ.

This article was written by Peter Anderson. Peter Anderson is a Christian, husband to his beautiful wife Maria, and father to his baby boy, Carter. He loves reading and writing about personal finance, and also loves a brisk game of tennis every now and again. You can find out more about him on the about page or check out his design site at http://www.logosforwebsites.com. You can also follow him on Twitter at @moneymatters.

Would You Pass the ‘Rich Young Ruler’ Test?

Guest Poster — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 12:31:45 +0000

This is a guest post from Lakita at Personal Finance Journey. You can read more of her great writing at her site, or by subscribing to her RSS feed.

The Bible records an encounter Jesus had with a man identified only as a “Rich Young Ruler”. This man realized that in spite of all he had…he was still lacking. He asked Jesus what more he had to do to gain eternal life. Jesus said:

“If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.” The rich young ruler went away with sorrow because he could not part with his worldly possessions. You can read the entire story in Matthew 19:16-22

On the surface, it may seem that the key to passing the “rich young ruler” test is the ability to give up ones possessions, however it isn’t that simple. The Rich Young Ruler wanted to be granted eternal life on his terms. He failed to realize an eternal plan for salvation was established and it involved putting the Lord first. The Bible says:

“No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money. (Mt 6:24)

Does this mean Christians are supposed to forfeit their possessions? Not at all! But it is saying we are not to be a slave to it. We should not love our worldly possessions so much that we are not able to be a blessing to others. The love of God, not money should dictate our actions.

On the surface, it may seem the rich young ruler was given a strict requirement, but actually it is the same mandate that is given to all followers of Christ:

“If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me and for the gospel will save it.What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul? (Mark 8:34-36)

The Bible does not say that all Christians are mandated to sell all they have and give the proceeds to the poor. Luke 19:8-9 records the story of Zacchaeus, a tax collector, that gave half of his possessions and received salvation. Also, when the woman broke her alabaster box and anointed Jesus she was harshly rebuked by the crowd saying she wasted oil that could have been given to the poor. However, Jesus told them to leave her alone and that she had done a beautiful thing (Mark 14:3-6). The Bible does not contradict itself. All of these encounters teach us the same thing:

There is no amount or percentage of money that can be given to purchase salvation. In fact, the price for salvation has already been paid by Jesus on the cross.
We are required to put God first. Give up anything that will get in the way of that!

Passing the “rich young ruler” test requires a heart check. Is there anything that you love more than God? Money? Your job? Friends? Will you let it go and follow HIM with your whole heart?

This article was written by Guest Poster. We love guest contributors here at Bible Money Matters. Would you like to write for us as well? Please check out out our guest post submission guidelines and then contact us with your post idea!

Tips On How To Obey “Thou Shalt Not Covet”

Guest Poster — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 12:55:27 +0000

This is a guest post from Mr Credit Card from askmrcreditcard.com. If you are looking for a credit card, check out his list of best credit cards recommendations.

A few weeks ago, my Pastor from church was preaching about “Thou shalt not covet” – one of the Ten Commandments. He said that it was not one of the most talked about commandments but was nevertheless very important and so easy to break. He gave the following analogy. He said that if he was caught reading a “Playboy” magazine in his office, it would be a scandal! But if he was seen reading “Kitchen and Bed” magazine, nobody would bother. But to him, reading the magazine about Kitchens and “coveting” for that dream kitchen that one’s neighbor has is just as bad. This got me thinking about how to prevent myself from coveting for “stuff”.

I think this is especially important because overspending and buying things we cannot afford is one of the main reasons we get into debt, both as individuals and as a nation. I’m also quite passionate about this subject because my kids are always asking me to buy stuff. Sometimes they expect to buy a stuff animal toy just because they visited the zoo, or they want a batting glove when they join spring baseball.

Off course, everyone, including myself have fallen for this, coveting for stuff. Here are some of my thoughts on this and how not to fall into this trap.

Buy only what you need – The first concept I thought was that we should only buy what we need. This sounds ridiculously simple but the concept is easily violated. Here’s a few examples. My kids have lots of soft toys (especially animal stuffed toys we get from the zoo). By the way, we’ve stopped buying stuff when going to such places. Last year, my son says he wanted a baseball batting glove (everyone on the team has one). Well, he hardly had a hit the whole season, though his team won the championship. My son also keeps wanting to buy “new soccer balls”. (The kid with the fanciest soccer shoes was the worst player on the team by the way!)

In these examples, you can see that we buy things we simply do not need at the end of the day. So, here’s rule #1: Buy only what you need. Not more, not less.

Buy only what is functional – There is never a need to buy the latest stuff. Even if you want to buy an iPhone, you don’t need the latest model if you are not going to use up all the memory! Most folks do not need the latest Intel Duo Core chip in their computers because they will never need such processing power, but they still buy them anyway. If you are into video editing, then perhaps you could justify spending on the Apple Mac Pro with tons of extra RAM!

Over the weekend, I was taking a friend from abroad to an Outlet mall. He went inside a Prada shop to check things out. I saw a very nice winter coat. It cost $770 on sale! It was a very nice coat, but will it really keep me warm in freezing weather? I don’t know! It’s a Prada, not a North Face? I also know several folks who do not play the piano well, but they bought a grand piano for their house anyway. Their kids take piano lessons, but they are certainly no maestros that warrant a Steinway! Perhaps an electronic piano or even a second hand piano would have served the purpose.

Earn the right to better stuff – My son recently asked me if he could get a “first base” glove if he played first base in this Spring’s baseball! My answer was a firm “NO”. Once again, I had to explain to him that wearing a “first base” glove was not going to make him a better player. In fact, I told him that he had to earn the right to get one. That means lots of practice and if he gets into his high school or college team, then he would probably have earned his right to get the right gear.

Same goes to the grand piano example. If an aspiring pianist has made it and is a professional, then he or she has earned the right to get a grand piano. In fact, you would even say that it is a necessity then. If a college student has excellent grades and has a gotten a job with a top law firm or something equivalent, then he or she has probably earned the right to a slightly “more expensive but stylish” working attire. A chef (who happens to cook at lot at home) probably has earned the right to good or even high end kitchen equipment because he will make use of them to the fullest. Ordinary folks like us who can hardly make a scramble egg properly should settle for the most affordable gear.

Do Not Go To The Mall Just For Sales and Discounts – Most of the time, it never pays to buy stuff just because they are on sale or on credit. Sales are always designed to stimulate impulse purchases. Furniture stores and car dealers are always offering 0% financing deals (sometimes as long as 24 months!). Here’s the thing – if you cannot pay in cash, you cannot afford it! Very often, I find myself tempted to buy something I would never have bought because “it is on sale!”.

Make use of sales, but do not let “SALES MAKE USE OF YOU”.

Think about long run maintenance cost – Even if you could afford anything, thinking about long run maintenance cost is a good antidote if you are always coveting for the “best stuff”. Let’s use a mansion (or a huge house) as an example. Buying a new house is not cheap. Even if you could pay cash for a two million dollar home, it does not mean that is the end of the story. Your estate taxes will probably be about $1,500 a month (if you are lucky). Paying that every month is like paying a mortgage to me even if you have paid cash up front! Not to mention maintaining a garden, a pool etc. Getting the largest SUV is the same story. Unless, you “really” need it, the cost of gasoline could eat away at your finances. The same thing applies to expensive hobbies, or constantly buying tickets to sporting events. Buying expensive involves ongoing insurance cost to insure those valuable pieces!

Get rid of your credit card if it helps – It’s strange to hear this from me. But in my area of expertise, folks ask me if they should carry a credit card. My answer is that if it tempts you to spend more, then get rid of it. Use your bank check card instead. But if you have a business and you need one (like for example you have a business) then by all means get the best business credit card you can for your business. If you can use a credit card responsibly, a simple cash back credit card (like the one Peter uses) will save you money. But you know yourself on this one.

Slowly Change Your Concept of Happiness – Despite all these suggestions, I guess the only way to really stop coveting for stuff is to realize that material possessions do not make us happy. It can make life more comfortable, but they can’t make us any happier. To escape our consumerism culture requires a realization that spending time with your kids, having dinner with your spouse, talking to friends, watching a movie together will probably make you happier than all the “stuff” money can buy. We do not need the latest Wii game or Xbox. We don’t need the latest cell phone because our parents got along with none at all! We just have to learn to live simply and enjoy the simple things in life.

What are your thoughts on the how not to covet? What tips can you give? Tell us in the comments.

Practical Steps To Becoming A Cheerful Giver

Guest Poster — Mon, 11 Jan 2010 13:00:31 +0000

This article is by Fred at One Project Closer. Fred’s blog is home improvement focused, but he also enjoys personal finance from a Christian perspective.

I grew up with the benefit of Christian parents who made giving to God’s work a top priority. My mom regularly reminded my siblings and I that all the money on earth was God’s anyway, and that we are called to give him His tithes and our offerings as a way for us to participate in His ministry. To do otherwise—particularly with respect to tithing—would be to steal from Him.

Throughout high school and college I had a series of internships that paid between $8-15/hour. It was good money in my world. Still supported by my parents, the money gave me the ability to buy A/V equipment and video games, and take relatively extravagant trips with friends.

While I occasionally threw some money into the offering plate at church, I did it more out of compulsion and guilt than any kind of joy. My average contributions were probably 2-3% of my paychecks. As a result, I didn’t feel like I was meaningfully participating in God’s work. Instead, I felt like I was appeasing a God who might get angry with me for ‘stealing’ from him.

Perhaps He’d show mercy to me for my minimal effort?

In the most extreme example of my sin, I remember making a deal with God. I promised Him that when I came to church on Sunday, He could have whatever remained in my wallet after Friday and Saturday night. That promise ultimately resulted in heavy spending on Saturdays and extra care when I got ready for church on Sunday morning. I left any big bills on the dresser before heading out.

Pretty pathetic, eh?

Looking To Scripture For Guidance

As Paul says in II Corinthians 9:6-7:

Consider this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. Each must do as already determined, without sadness or compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.

I was sowing sparingly… and reaping sparingly. I had little joy from the work that was accomplished with the funds I was giving. Why? I wasn’t giving what I was called to give.

I was giving out of compulsion. I wasn’t necessarily cheerful about it, and I wasn’t vested in God’s work.

As the end of college approached, I accepted a job offer with a large contracting company as a software engineer. God blessed me with a salary beyond my expectations, and I knew it was time to make a change.

The words Paul writes, “each must do as already determined” really strike me. The verse implies that we should pre-determine our giving. I think of it as giving according to a plan. All of my prior, rather sparse giving decisions had been spur of the moment, under compulsion. They were not in the least bit coordinated, planned or really determined at all.

I decided it was critical to make a change and to put together a plan. Here’s what I did and I think it can work for others in my situation:

I set up budgeting software. As paychecks came in, I consistently paid God first (by reserving tithe funds in the software, even before I wrote the check to my church).
I added all of my credit cards and bank accounts to the software so I could see a complete picture of my non-invested financial position. I downloaded credit card information about every 3-5 days. Sometimes I logged receipts even before I could sync up the credit cards online.
I started to live my financial life by the balance reported in the software, rather than the balance reported in my checking account. This was perhaps the biggest change… because there was often a 10-12 day delay between when I got paid and when checks cleared the bank. Also, it helped me to avoid overspending on credit cards, since I was constantly aware of how much I had swiped.

These three changes had a profound effect on my life. Not only did I get my financial ship in order, I was able to approach giving systematically.

The result of that systematic approach was a guilt-free giving experience. When the pastor gave a ‘money sermon’ on Sunday, I knew that I was giving what God had called me to give cheerfully. It was a number I had “already determined.”

Turbo Charging Our Giving

A few years later—about two years after I got married, my wife and I decided to change our giving plan again.

We had been setting God’s tithe aside out of each paycheck, but still had been giving offerings sparingly. Sometimes we’d carve out $100 for a missionary or to support a noble cause, but we weren’t regularly giving anything beyond our tithe.

So the next time I got a raise at work, we decided that the year’s raise would go entirely to a new offering/giving budget. We would set the money aside at every paycheck, but we’d give the money out only when needs arose in the church or community.

It’s been 5 years since we started this practice, and the results have been truly awesome. Each year we increase our tithe and offering budgets and are able to give more and more to God’s work! We take incredible joy in being able to say “yes” to so many requests because we’re setting the money aside early.

To keep us from being tempted to keep the money for ourselves, we make sure to give everything from our offering budget by the end of each calendar year. This has the unintentional side-effect of helping non-profit organizations get that extra boost they all want at the end of the year.

By giving our offerings systematically, we’ve had even more joy! Now, when missionaries or organizations contact us, the questions are three: Do we believe it what they’re doing? Do we have the money in our offering budget? Does God want us to support this cause?

Notably absent from this list are questions like: Can we afford it? Would we rather spend the money on ourselves?

Not needing to ask those questions makes our giving far more joyful and rewarding. I believe it’s the essence of what Paul had in mind in those verses from II Corinthians.

Business and Bible Terms: “Gain”

Craig Ford — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 12:32:34 +0000

At the end of the day, each of us hopes to have a gain for our endeavors. “Resources or advantage acquired or increased” is how Webster’s defines gain. A gain is simply what we have left over after we have expended ourselves.

Businesses will cease to operate if there are not any gains. Each employee hired by an organization is intended to improve profitability – to bring more gains to the organization. Businesses speak of quarterly gains and losses. Gain is often referred to as the bottom line. At times it seems as though nothing else matters beyond gains.

Identify What True Gain Is

However, there is story after story of individuals whose financial sheets show gains, yet internally they feel nothing but loss. I believe it is Steven Covey who says that too many people are climbing the ladder of success only to find that it is leaning against the wrong wall. This reveals an inability to identify true gain.

In his book, First Things First, Steven Covey speaks of the importance of having a life compass. Don’t be so concerned about your odometer – how fast you are operating. However, give due attention to your compass – the direction you are traveling. It is better to head in the right direction at 1 mph than 100 in the wrong direction.

What the Bible says about “gain”

Paul uses business and accounting terminology when he writes:

What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ (Philippians 3:8 NIV)

This is a moment when Paul was reviewing the ledger sheet of life. Originally he had a long list of gains, but eventually decided to call those losses. What he gained was rubbish. The only true gain in life is knowing Jesus Christ.

Jesus himself asks the challenging question:

What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul? (Matthew 16:26 NIV)

Our society will attempt to dictate and define what should be in the gain category and what should be in the loss category, but our goal as Christians is to keep gaining the right things.

Some items to be “gained” and “lost”:

Money Family Peace Legacy Influence Integrity Time Faith Relationships

The reality is that, at times, a gain in one category means a loss in another. Consider the relationship between time and money. Typically the more time you give (loss of time) the more money you get (gain of money). However, we must all evaluate if the loss of time is worth the gain of money. As a result, we must broaden our descriptions of loss and gain beyond the simplistic and narrow categories of money.

As I write this post I am sitting in my daughter’s room with her sitting on my lap. She asked if daddy would work in her bedroom while she played. What I lost was time, efficiency, and a lot of concentration. What I gained, however, was perspective and a meaningful encounter with my daughter.

How to be sure you are investing in “gains” and ignoring “rubbish”:

Slow down long enough to evaluate the truly important things in life. Using the compass illustration, ask if you are moving in the right direction.
Establish your gains from an eternal perspective. This world and all its contents will pass away. There are some gains, however, that will last forever.
Confidently declare rubbish the vain things the world calls gains. Do not succumb to the pressure to get confused about your true priorities.
Passionately pursue that which leads to lasting gain.
Frequently reconsider you position in life – am I gaining the world or gaining Christ?

How do you keep yourself pointed towards the true eternal gains of life?

This article was written by Craig Ford. Craig is a fulltime missionary in Papua New Guinea who writes Money Help For Christians and Help Me Travel Cheap, a frugal family travel blog. He is the author of Money Wisdom From Proverbs, has a Masters of Divinity degree, and (most importantly) eats homemade pizza with his family every Friday night.

Business and Bible Terms: “Cost”

Craig Ford — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 12:10:16 +0000

The dollar is a currency. Each and every country of the world has an accepted currency. A currency has no value in and of itself. It only has value as a group if people (1) recognize, and (2) accept its value. For example, I might have $1,000 U.S. But when I am in Papua New Guinea that money is of little value to the local people because it is not accepted in stores. Because the US dollar cannot be exchanged for food products there, it is of no value. It only becomes valuable when exchanged into the local currency, the PNG Kina (used in Papua New Guinea).

That is a roundabout way to introduce the fact that in life we have access to many currencies. A currency is anything we have that can be exchanged in order to receive something. A company will set a price for products they wish to sell. When purchasing an item the customer wants to know the cost because they are aware of the fact that they must give something in exchange for the item in question.

Budgeting Implications

When we budget we tend to have tunnel vision. We think of cost only in terms of dollars. We do not account for all the other currencies. But, things we get have other costs too – convenience, time, anxiety, and worry. I could buy a pair of scissors to cut my grass, but the convenience and time exchange would not make the product worth my few dollars. Instead, it might be better to spend more money and get a convenience and time saver.

Ethical Implications

Sure, I might be able to make a little extra money this year by lying to you about my product. What that transaction costs me was the currency of integrity. There should not be circumstances where your beliefs are exchanged to get something. You integrity should always remain intact when you want to get something. Always choose to pay the currency of money over and above the currency of integrity.

Spiritual Implications

The NIV subtitle above Luke 14:25 says “The Cost of Following Jesus”. So if I want to follow Jesus I just need to find out how much he charges? Would 10 silver coins be sufficient? Immediately, it becomes obvious when Jesus is speaking of cost that he is referring to a currency other than money.

“Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Will he not first sit down and estimate the cost to see if he has enough money to complete it? (Luke 14:28 NIV)

What does it cost to follow Jesus?

There may be a relational cost – family, friends, people you work with.

There may be a thinking cost – what you think is best, what you can do, how you think about others.

There may be a commitment cost – to family, church, job, plans, others.

There may be an action cost – how you pray, give, serve.

There may be a belief cost – what you believe about God, his purposes, his ways, your relationship to him.

What are some of the ‘currencies’ in your life that you will not sell for money? What currencies do you value more than you value money?

Business And Bible Terms: “Free”

Craig Ford — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 12:00:21 +0000

Psychologists tell us that the word “free” sets off a mental trigger. Endorphins are released when you see the word ‘free’. Yet, ‘free’ also makes us immediately skeptical. People say ‘free’ is never free. Free means that you have the opportunity to receive something without cost. The reality is that nothing is free! The only question is – who assumes the cost? Nothing is free until someone has first paid for the item.

Reasons to Beware of “Free”

“Free” is often a marketing word. Researchers tell us people would rather buy one and get one free than buy two for 50% off. Any word that becomes a marketing resource is a word that should cause us to pause. When something free is being offered always stop and ask the question – why would they be offering that product to me for free?

Free might simply mean there is not a dollar requirement, but there might still be a cost. ‘Free’ can be a terribly inconvenient thing at times. Free can also be extremely time consuming. When someone offers you a free product, ask yourself if a cost is involved other than price.

Reflecting on my own experience with’ free’ I think many of us have a fear of free – and rightfully so. This month (until August 30th, 2009) I have been offering a free eBook to new and existing subscribers on my site (www.moneyhelpforchristians.com). I offered that book to my readers ‘free’ in that there was no financial cost to the book. However, in this case there is a requirement – a subscription to Money Help For Christians. Furthermore, free to my readers did not necessarily mean free to me – the one who provided the eBook. When I offered the book free I did not ask readers to cover that cost; I carried it. This concerned people. Many were looking for the catch. In the case of my eBook I was hoping to increase my readership, and so in exchange I was willing to offer a free incentive. Since my motivation to offer the product free was known, you could proceed with confidence. Once you determine why someone would offer the product for free, you can evaluate its worth. If, however, you cannot figure out why it would be offered free, it is quite possible something else is happening that you are unaware of. Avoid unexplainable offers of free.

Free – Consumer Implications:

As a consumer you need to remember that nothing is free! When something is offered ‘free’ it simply means the provider is assuming the cost. Typically, there is a valid reason for this. When you get a better deal, you spend more. Just because something is ‘free’ does not mean it is better or even cheaper for you. Many organizations offer a free month or two for a subscription based product because they know most people will be too lazy to cancel their subscription after those free months. Remember, free is a marketing word.

Free – Ethical Implications:

While remembering that nothing is truly free, we should recognize that anything you take for free is coming out of someone else’s pocket. Consider the the following example. You check out of the store and when you are unloading the groceries you realize that you unintentionally didn’t pay for an item. At this moment that item is ‘free’ to you, but the store has now assumed that cost. This is why it is important to pay for the product as you now have the product. Theft is a means by which some people get items free. However, a price has been paid – honesty, trustworthiness, and integrity were all sacrificed. As a result, the cost is assumed by the store owner instead of the customer. How about another seemingly silly example? When you eat at a fast food place and you load up your bag with 50 ketchup packets so you can use them at home for ‘free’, you need to remember that all you are doing is transferring the ketchup bill from yourself to the restaurant. The ketchup is not really free - you just didn’t pay for it. In this case you essentially determined it would be more appropriate for another to pay for the item so you could have it for free. We should only accept free products when they are offered.

Free – Christian Implications:

and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. (Romans 3:24 NIV)

As I read the Christian story I notice and embrace the importance of our freedom from the unrelenting forces of evil. On the one hand, the grace offered to us is free – we pay no price for our salvation. However, ultimately one cannot speak of forgiveness as a free product since a terribly substantial price was paid for forgiveness. The beauty of forgiveness is not that it comes without a price, but that the price was not passed along to us. God assumed the cost. Though not ultimately liable nor responsible for the price, Jesus assumes it and pays it.

I, for one, am extremely thankful for God’s free gift of his son – Jesus Christ.

What good or bad experiences have you had with “free”?

Ten Ways To Be Sure Helping Is Helping

Craig Ford — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 12:36:22 +0000

“He who is kind to the poor lends to the Lord, and he will reward him for what he has done”. Proverbs 19:17

“He who gives to the poor will lack nothing, but he who closes his eyes to them receives many curses”. Proverbs 28:27

“Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute. Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy.” Proverbs 31:8-9

Many of us would like to help the poor. Christians are frequently called to help the poor. However, our difficulty is in answering the ‘what’ question – what is the best way for me to help the poor?
Many times we think that generosity is the key to helping people. However, I believe that generosity coupled with discernment is essential. This post is a guide to those who are generous and want to be sure that their ‘helping’ is helping.

Here are ten things to keep in mind when you’re involved in a helping ministry:

Helping is about what is best, not what is easiest. There are occasions where giving something is the easiest action. Unfortunately, many of those quick solutions have devastating long-term effects. Force yourself to do what is right, not just what is easy.
Helping requires creativity, time, and energy. Often situations need to change before money will be of any value. That change only happens with a huge investment of resources other than money.
Helping involves a lifelong commitment to reconsidering alternative efforts. No matter how good your intentions are (or how rich you are) you cannot solve someone’s poverty issues in a moment.
Helping demands prayerful dependence on the wisdom of God. Any of you who are directly involved in a benevolence ministry know that there are so many roadblocks and challenges along the way. Often times you are divided in your heart about which way is right. James 1:5 encourages us to ask God to give us the necessary wisdom.
Helping means moving beyond ourselves and our cultural upbringing. Ron Sider, who is a strong advocate for the inner city poor, has taught me (through his books) to ask the question, “how does/will this impact the poor?” We should ask that question when discussing our family habits, our church programs, and our government policies.
Helping always follows a change of heart and attitude. Many middle-class people have assumptions about the poor. There is a strong feeling that the rich are rich because of effort and the poor are poor because of laziness – no exceptions. When our hearts are hard towards the poor, our actions will also be equally cold.
Helping requires you to learn a story. Your assumptions about the world’s poor cannot be eradicated until you first listen to ‘their’ story. ‘Their’ story is not one unified story, but a combined story of many individuals. Sit with the poor, ask, and then listen.
Helping is an embodiment of the ministry of Jesus Christ. God has a heart for all people. The poor are no exception. How we minister to the poor is a sermon we preach. For our sakes Jesus became poor.
Helping offers a voice to and speaks for the poor. One of the tragedies of poverty is the lack of voice. No one listens. Often, the poor have no voice. No one is willing to speak of the desires, dreams, frustrations, and concerns of the poor.
Helping is about you, not me. Helping does bring a rewarding feeling, but we need to help because of the needs of another, not our own insecurity or need. When helping is about ‘you’ I am more likely to be able to reach out to you and your need.

Your first step:

Many of these ten items point to the necessity of being in the midst of the poor. There are many church and other non-profit organizations that have ministries to the poor. If you are not currently involved, you could volunteer. Through your involvement you will come to know the situations and challenges of the poor. In your conversations you will change, and your views might also change. Your money will be of better use to the poor when you better understand the situation of the poor.

What else do you think we need to keep in mind when it comes to helping?

Personal Finance Bible Verse Of The Day: Count The Cost And Plan Ahead

Peter Anderson — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 15:12:58 +0000

For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not sit down first and count the cost, whether he may have enough to finish it; lest perhaps, after he has laid the foundation and is not able to finish, all those seeing begin to mock him, saying, This man began to build and was not able to finish. Luke 14:28-30

Earlier this week I wrote a post about how important it is to plan ahead, to save for the things you need to buy, and how much more satisfaction you’ll get when you do that. Today’s verse speaks to the importance of counting the costs of the things we buy, and planning ahead for those costs.

The verse says, “which of you intending to build a tower, does not sit down first and count the cost..”. We could easily change that verse to apply to today saying something like, “which of you, intending to buy a car, does not sit down first and count the cost”?

So many people just approach their finances passively, allowing things to happen to them. Instead of planning ahead, saving up for a car and being ready when the time comes to buy a new one, instead they drive their old car until it completely dies, and then when the time comes they buy an expensive brand new car (more than they can afford), financed at a high rate of interest. They didn’t count the cost, and now they’ll paythe price.

B e active with your finances, count the costs, plan ahead, and you’ll be much better off when the time comes to buy the things you need.

Personal Finance Bible Verse Of The Day: God Loves A Cheerful Giver

Peter Anderson — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 14:38:07 +0000

Let each one do just as he has resolved in his heart, not grudgingly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. 2 Corinthians 9:7

This verse in 2 Corinthians tells us that God loves a cheerful giver. God wants us to give to our church, and to others freely so that we might experience the true joy of giving, and sharing with those around us.

I truly believe that not only does God love a cheerful giver, but that the act of giving will also make you more cheerful! When you give you experience the true joy of knowing you’ve made a positive impact on someone’s life, and you acknowledge that there is something more important out there than money or material things. Hording everything you earn won’t make you happy. True happiness comes through knowing Jesus Christ, and through living more like him – in an unselfish, caring and loving manner.

So next time you’re thinking about whether or not you should give, remember. Giving makes you happier, and makes you a more un-selfish and caring person. Food for thought.

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