This week, we have been looking at the issue of investing. Yesterday, we saw Solomon reveal for us the timeless principle that when it comes to treasure, those who fail to plan for the future financially plan to fail financially in the future. Solomon wanted humanity throughout history to clearly understand that there are seasons in our lives where we have the ability and opportunity to prepare financially for the seasons in our lives where will not have the ability or opportunity to do so.
Those who plan and prepare for the future by investing in short and long term savings demonstrate the wisdom, the developed skill for living life that brings the positive result of being prepared for that future when it arrives. Those who fail to plan and prepare for the future by investing in short and long term savings reveal the reality that followed a faulty plan that resulted in them failing to be prepared financially for that future when it arrives.
Today, I would like us to look at some guiding principles that the Bible provides when it comes to investing. We discover a first guiding principle a little further in the Book of Proverbs, in Proverbs 21:5:
The plans of the diligent lead surely to advantage, But everyone who is hasty comes surely to poverty.
In this proverb, we see Solomon provide for us a contrast of two types of investors. One type of investor is diligent. Diligence, simply put, is thoughtful and industrious plodding. This is a person who carefully and thoughtfully makes calculations and plans when it comes to investing. Solomon states for this type of investor, the result is advantage. In other words their investments make steady progress over time that leads to abundance.
Solomon then contrasts the diligent investor with the hasty investor. The hasty investor makes quick decisions without careful thought. The hasty investor is making the plan up as they go along and often changes that plan without much though as they go along. The hasty investor is looking to get rich quick. Solomon states that for this type of investor, the result is poverty.
Solomon here is revealing for us the reality that investing requires diligence. Investing is not a get rich quick endeavor. Investing requires careful and thoughtful planning and the diligence to stick with the plan and not become distracted by a get rich quick scheme. Because usually, the people who become rich in the get rich quick scheme is not the investor, it is the one who is running the investment. Take Bernie Madolf, as the most recent example.
But not only does investing require diligence; in Ecclesiastes 11:1-2, we see Solomon reveal for us a second guiding principle when it comes to investing. Let’s discover that guiding principle together:
Cast your bread on the surface of the waters, for you will find it after many days. Divide your portion to seven, or even to eight, for you do not know what misfortune may occur on the earth.
Here we see Solomon paint for us a word picture designed to reveal a guiding principle in investing. To fully understand the word picture, however, we first need to understand what Solomon means when he uses the phrase “Cast your bread on the surface of the waters, for you will find it after many days”. In Solomon’s day, as it is today, some trade and commerce was conducted over the waterways. Unlike today, however, maritime trade involved to use of wind power. In addition, ships were made of wood. As a result, maritime commerce was much riskier that commerce conducted over land.
Solomon uses this word picture to explain that just like maritime trade, investing is risky. Just like maritime trade, there is the possibility of loss when it comes to investing. Yet, in spite of the risks that are involved, the Jewish people still went ahead and engaged in maritime trade. And in the same way, despite the risks of investing, we should engage in investing.
Solomon then describes how we should engage in investing so that we manage the risk of investing in verse 2. Because there is danger in maritime trade, what traders would do is run several small ships that left at differing times instead of running one larger ship on a single load. That way, if misfortune struck, you would not lose the entire product that was being traded.
Solomon uses this word picture to reveal for us the reality that investing requires diversity. Instead of investing all of our resources in a single investment, we reduce the risks that come in investing by diversifying our investments. We even have a phrase in our culture for this, don’t we? “Don’t put all your eggs in one basket”.
When we diversify our investments, we reduce risk and demonstrate wise management and planning for our future that results in a positive return on our investment. And there are many financial advisors that apply the principles of diligence and diversity when it comes to investing. Because, the timeless reality is that when it comes to treasure, those who fail to plan for the future financially plan to fail financially in the future.
So how are you doing when it comes to investing? Are you planning for the future financially?
Thursday, May 17, 2012
Wednesday, May 16, 2012
When it comes to treasure, those who fail to plan for the future financially plan to fail financially in the future.
This week, we have been looking at the issue of investing. Yesterday, we discovered that the reason why investing is so important is because the average American is three weeks away from bankruptcy. The average American is three weeks away from bankruptcy because they have either no emergency fund or short terms saving, significant consumer or mortgage debt, or a combination of the two. After missing one paycheck, the average American is in a position, where they do not have the financial resources to pay their bills apart from going deeper into debt.
And this problem is not a new problem. In Proverbs 6:6, we looked at a man named Solomon engage a sluggard, who is one who lives a life that is reactive in nature and whose lifestyle is marked by lethargy, laziness, and a lack of motivation. Solomon commands such a person to go to the ant and observe her ways. If Solomon was to communicate this command in the language we use in our culture today, this command would sound something like this: “your lifestyle of laziness and lethargy is not going to bring you positive results, so go learn from the ant so that you can develop some skills for living life that will bring you positive results”. Solomon then describes to the sluggard the wisdom of the ant that produces such positive results in verse 7:
Which, having no chief, Officer or ruler, Prepares her food in the summer And gathers her provision in the harvest.
To understand what Solomon is communicating here, we first need to define some terms. When Solomon refers to the ant having no chief, he is explaining that the any has no leader giving him commands or directions to follow. An officer, in the language that this letter was originally written in was a term that was used to describe an accountant or record keeper. When Solomon refers to a ruler, he is referring to someone who exercises dominion or authority over another.
Solomon’s point is that the ant does not have anyone giving orders as to what they should be doing. The ant does not have anyone keeping track or record of what they are doing. The ant does not have anyone that they have to report to who holds them accountable for what they do. Yet, in spite of the fact that the ant has no one in authority over them that gives them direction and holds them accountable, Solomon states that the ant prepares her food in the summer and gathers her provision in the harvest.
In the agrarian culture of Solomon’s day, there were seasons of the year where food grew and there were seasons of the year where food would not grow. And in such a culture the summer and the fall were the prime times when food needed to be gathered, prepared, and stored so that it would be available during the winter and spring months when food was scarce. For the ant to survive, the ant must harvest his food the right way at the right time.
And Solomon’s point is that no one needed to motivate the ant; no one needed to record the ant’s progress in order to hold them accountable; no one needed to exercise dominion or rule over the ant in order for the ant to do what they needed to do in order to survive. Solomon then asks the sluggard a very pointed question in verse 9:
How long will you lie down, O sluggard? When will you arise from your sleep? "A little sleep, a little slumber, A little folding of the hands to rest "—
In other words, Solomon asks the sluggard “how much longer are you going to stay sleeping? How much longer are you going to lay on the couch napping your life away? When are you going to get up from your lazy and lethargic lifestyle that just sleeps through life and get to work? You see, there are seasons in our lives that are like the summer and fall for the ant. These are the seasons in our lives when we are physically and emotionally in a condition where we can earn income.
For most Americans, the prime income earning years range from 22-65 years old. In other words, we have a 40-45 year window that is our summer and fall seasons in our life. We have a 40-45 year window in which to prepare and gather the resources that are necessary for the later years of our lives.
And, just like the ant, for us to survive financially in the seasons of life when we will no longer be able to prepare and gather financial resources, we must harvest those financial resources the right way at the right time. The sluggard, however, was content to spend the time that he should have been gathering, preparing and storing those resources being lazy and lethargic.
Solomon then reveals the slogan of the sluggard that reveals their lazy, lethargic, and reactive lifestyle: "A little sleep, a little slumber, A little folding of the hands to rest ". I have time to kick back and relax. I will deal with that later”. The folding of hands is a gesture that demonstrates something isn’t it? I mean, when I fold my hands, what am I saying? I’m saying “I refuse; I am defiant.” The sluggard’s attitude is “I refuse to do what I should be doing; instead I am going to kick back and take it easy”.
Solomon is revealing the reality that the sluggard refuses and instead attempts to escape the responsibility that they have to save and invest for their future. Solomon then reveals the consequences that such decisions have for the sluggard in verse 11:
Your poverty will come in like a vagabond And your need like an armed man.
When Solomon uses the word poverty here, this word is not referring to lack of riches. Instead a person in poverty lacks the necessities of life. A vagabond literally refers to a shiftless wanderer who has no means of support, but instead panhandles. In our culture today, a homeless person would be a word picture of this type of person. Solomon’s point here is that just as the easiest victim for a vagabond is the lazy person who is asleep and lacks the diligence and vigilance to prepare for the future and protect what he has, the person who fails to save or invest for the future places themselves in a position where their laziness and lack of vigilance makes them an easy victim for poverty.
Solomon then hammers his point home with another word picture, this time of an armed man attacking a defenseless person. And just as an armed man is able to take away what one has by force, poverty that results from a lack of preparation takes away a person’s money, possessions, and treasure by force, not stealth.
At it is in this proverb that we see Solomon reveal for us a timeless principle when it comes to the issue of investing. And that timeless principle is this: When it comes to treasure, those who fail to plan for the future financially plan to fail financially in the future. Solomon wanted his son, and humanity throughout history to clearly understand that there are seasons in our lives where we have the ability and opportunity to prepare financially for the seasons in our lives where will not have the ability or opportunity to do so.
Those who plan and prepare for the future by investing in short and long term savings demonstrate the wisdom, the developed skill for living life, that brings the positive result of being prepared for that future when it arrives. Those who fail to plan and prepare for the future by investing in short and long term savings reveal the reality that followed a faulty plan that resulted in them failing to be prepared financially for that future when it arrives.
Now, just as it was last week, you might be thinking “well Dave that is great; thanks for telling me this now, but where were you five years ago? And how am I supposed to invest anyways?” If that question is running through your mind, I have good news for you. And that good news is this: The Bible also provides some guiding principles when it comes to investing.
Tomorrow, we will look at those guiding principles…
And this problem is not a new problem. In Proverbs 6:6, we looked at a man named Solomon engage a sluggard, who is one who lives a life that is reactive in nature and whose lifestyle is marked by lethargy, laziness, and a lack of motivation. Solomon commands such a person to go to the ant and observe her ways. If Solomon was to communicate this command in the language we use in our culture today, this command would sound something like this: “your lifestyle of laziness and lethargy is not going to bring you positive results, so go learn from the ant so that you can develop some skills for living life that will bring you positive results”. Solomon then describes to the sluggard the wisdom of the ant that produces such positive results in verse 7:
Which, having no chief, Officer or ruler, Prepares her food in the summer And gathers her provision in the harvest.
To understand what Solomon is communicating here, we first need to define some terms. When Solomon refers to the ant having no chief, he is explaining that the any has no leader giving him commands or directions to follow. An officer, in the language that this letter was originally written in was a term that was used to describe an accountant or record keeper. When Solomon refers to a ruler, he is referring to someone who exercises dominion or authority over another.
Solomon’s point is that the ant does not have anyone giving orders as to what they should be doing. The ant does not have anyone keeping track or record of what they are doing. The ant does not have anyone that they have to report to who holds them accountable for what they do. Yet, in spite of the fact that the ant has no one in authority over them that gives them direction and holds them accountable, Solomon states that the ant prepares her food in the summer and gathers her provision in the harvest.
In the agrarian culture of Solomon’s day, there were seasons of the year where food grew and there were seasons of the year where food would not grow. And in such a culture the summer and the fall were the prime times when food needed to be gathered, prepared, and stored so that it would be available during the winter and spring months when food was scarce. For the ant to survive, the ant must harvest his food the right way at the right time.
And Solomon’s point is that no one needed to motivate the ant; no one needed to record the ant’s progress in order to hold them accountable; no one needed to exercise dominion or rule over the ant in order for the ant to do what they needed to do in order to survive. Solomon then asks the sluggard a very pointed question in verse 9:
How long will you lie down, O sluggard? When will you arise from your sleep? "A little sleep, a little slumber, A little folding of the hands to rest "—
In other words, Solomon asks the sluggard “how much longer are you going to stay sleeping? How much longer are you going to lay on the couch napping your life away? When are you going to get up from your lazy and lethargic lifestyle that just sleeps through life and get to work? You see, there are seasons in our lives that are like the summer and fall for the ant. These are the seasons in our lives when we are physically and emotionally in a condition where we can earn income.
For most Americans, the prime income earning years range from 22-65 years old. In other words, we have a 40-45 year window that is our summer and fall seasons in our life. We have a 40-45 year window in which to prepare and gather the resources that are necessary for the later years of our lives.
And, just like the ant, for us to survive financially in the seasons of life when we will no longer be able to prepare and gather financial resources, we must harvest those financial resources the right way at the right time. The sluggard, however, was content to spend the time that he should have been gathering, preparing and storing those resources being lazy and lethargic.
Solomon then reveals the slogan of the sluggard that reveals their lazy, lethargic, and reactive lifestyle: "A little sleep, a little slumber, A little folding of the hands to rest ". I have time to kick back and relax. I will deal with that later”. The folding of hands is a gesture that demonstrates something isn’t it? I mean, when I fold my hands, what am I saying? I’m saying “I refuse; I am defiant.” The sluggard’s attitude is “I refuse to do what I should be doing; instead I am going to kick back and take it easy”.
Solomon is revealing the reality that the sluggard refuses and instead attempts to escape the responsibility that they have to save and invest for their future. Solomon then reveals the consequences that such decisions have for the sluggard in verse 11:
Your poverty will come in like a vagabond And your need like an armed man.
When Solomon uses the word poverty here, this word is not referring to lack of riches. Instead a person in poverty lacks the necessities of life. A vagabond literally refers to a shiftless wanderer who has no means of support, but instead panhandles. In our culture today, a homeless person would be a word picture of this type of person. Solomon’s point here is that just as the easiest victim for a vagabond is the lazy person who is asleep and lacks the diligence and vigilance to prepare for the future and protect what he has, the person who fails to save or invest for the future places themselves in a position where their laziness and lack of vigilance makes them an easy victim for poverty.
Solomon then hammers his point home with another word picture, this time of an armed man attacking a defenseless person. And just as an armed man is able to take away what one has by force, poverty that results from a lack of preparation takes away a person’s money, possessions, and treasure by force, not stealth.
At it is in this proverb that we see Solomon reveal for us a timeless principle when it comes to the issue of investing. And that timeless principle is this: When it comes to treasure, those who fail to plan for the future financially plan to fail financially in the future. Solomon wanted his son, and humanity throughout history to clearly understand that there are seasons in our lives where we have the ability and opportunity to prepare financially for the seasons in our lives where will not have the ability or opportunity to do so.
Those who plan and prepare for the future by investing in short and long term savings demonstrate the wisdom, the developed skill for living life, that brings the positive result of being prepared for that future when it arrives. Those who fail to plan and prepare for the future by investing in short and long term savings reveal the reality that followed a faulty plan that resulted in them failing to be prepared financially for that future when it arrives.
Now, just as it was last week, you might be thinking “well Dave that is great; thanks for telling me this now, but where were you five years ago? And how am I supposed to invest anyways?” If that question is running through your mind, I have good news for you. And that good news is this: The Bible also provides some guiding principles when it comes to investing.
Tomorrow, we will look at those guiding principles…
Tuesday, May 15, 2012
Observing Investing...
For several weeks, we have been
looking at what the Bible has to say about the subject of money and finances. This
week, I would like to talk about a very practical and yet misunderstood aspect
of how we manage the money, possessions, and treasure we have been given. And
that aspect involves the issue of investing. My hope
and prayer this week is that we would be able to wrap our heads and hearts
around three specific answers to three specific questions.
First, my hope and prayer is that we would be able
to wrap our minds around what investing is. In other words, that we would
understand on a practical level what we are talking about when we talk about
investing.
Second, my hope and prayer is that we would be able
to wrap our minds around why we should invest. In other words, I want to answer
the question why do I need to worry about invest? Does investing really matter?
And third, my hope and prayer is that we would be
able to wrap our minds around how we should invest. In other words, in a
practical way, how can we as individuals wisely invest the money and treasure
we have been given? So let’s take each of these questions head on, one at a
time, so that we would be able to come to discover the answers.
Investing, simply put, is making financial plans and
provision for the future. Investing is the opposite of debt, which we talked
about last week. Investing makes provision for tomorrow, while debt is
presuming upon tomorrow. There are two types of investing. The first type of
investing is called short term savings, which involves putting money aside that
is easily and readily accessible to provide for emergencies or future
purchases.
Dave
Ramsey, who is a financial expert that I highly recommend, recommends that the
first financial goal that one should have is to have $1,000 put away in an
emergency fund, or short term savings. After achieving the second goal, which
is to be debt free except for a house payment, Ramsey suggests that a person or
family have between 3-6 months income set aside in what he calls a fully funded
emergency fund, or short term savings account.
The
second type of investing is long term savings, or investments, which are
designed to provide for long term needs or goals. A question that often arises at
this point is “well, Dave, why is that so important? And why should I really
become so focused on savings or investing?” And this question or objection,
whether or not it is verbalized, is apparent in the statistics of our culture
when it comes to investing, especially short term savings.
Studies
have discovered that the average American is three weeks away from bankruptcy.
The average American is three weeks away from bankruptcy because they have either
no emergency fund or short terms saving, significant consumer or mortgage debt,
or a combination of the two.
Here
is a question to consider? If you were somehow unable to work and earn a
paycheck, how long would it be until you would be unable to pay your bills? For
the average American, it is only three weeks. After missing one paycheck, the
average American is in a position, where they do not have the financial
resources to pay their bills apart from going deeper into debt.
And
this problem is not a new problem. This is a problem that has been around for
thousands of years. As a matter of fact, around 2,950 years ago, the wisest man
who ever lived, King Solomon, wrote a proverb to his son that is recorded for
us in our Bibles in the book of proverbs. A proverb is a little slice of truth
about the way things generally happen in life. And it is in a section of this proverb that we
see revealed for us the reason why we should invest and why investing matters.
So let’s look at this proverb together, beginning in Proverbs 6:6:
Go to the ant, O sluggard, Observe her ways and be wise,
Here we see Solomon engaging a
person who he refers to as a sluggard. Now a sluggard is someone who is lazy
and sluggish. A sluggard is one who lives a life that is reactive in nature and
whose lifestyle is marked by lethargy, laziness, and a lack of motivation.
Solomon commands such a person to go to the ant and observe her ways.
If Solomon was to communicate
this command in the language we use in our culture today, this command would
sound something like this: I want you to go watch how an ant lives their life
so that can learn something from the life of the ant that you have not learned
in your own life.
Solomon then explains that what
the sluggard, or lazy person, would learn from the lifestyle of the ant would
make them wise. In the book of Proverbs, the phrase to be wise or the word
wisdom refers to a developed skill for living life that brings positive
results. In other words, Solomon is saying, “your lifestyle of laziness and
lethargy is not going to bring you positive results, so go learn from the ant
so that you can develop some skills for living life that will bring you
positive results”.
Tomorrow, we will see Solomon describe
to the sluggard the wisdom of the ant that produces such positive results…
Thursday, May 10, 2012
Being Delivered from the Trap of Debt...
This week we have been talking about the issue of debt. Through Proverbs 22:7 and James 4:13-17, we saw God provide us a timeless principle when it comes to the issue of debt in that when it comes to treasure, debt reveals an arrogance that enslaves us. The timeless reality is that the temptation to get into debt is driven by an arrogance that blinds us to the reality that debt will enslave us. You see, awareness, leads to discontentment, which leads to debt. Oftentimes, we are perfectly content until we became aware that there is something better. And it was that awareness that can fuel an arrogant discontentment that can lead to debt.
Now you may be thinking “well Dave that is great; thanks for telling me this now, but where were you five years ago? I am in debt now, how am I supposed to get out of debt?” If that question is running through your mind, I have good news for you. And that good news is that the Bible also provides a strategy on how to get out of debt; a strategy that we find back in the book of Proverbs. So let’s look at that strategy together, beginning in Proverbs 6:1:
Notice how Solomon describes this financial arrangement in verse 2: “If you have been snared with the words of your mouth, have been caught with the words of your mouth”. Solomon uses a hunting metaphor that paints a picture of an animal being caught by the bait if a trap to describe how a person becomes caught by the bait of debt by making the commitment to enter into such a financial arrangement as a cosigner.
Here’s the timeless principle that Solomon provides in these verses: Never, ever, ever, be a cosigner for a loan. There is a reason why that bank is not willing to lend that person money. And that reason is because the bank views that person as being a serious risk to fail to pay back the loan. There is myriad of landmines that surround the idea of cosigning for someone else, especially when it involves family. After providing the example of debt, Solomon then provides a strategy for getting out of debt in verse 3:
Third, Solomon commands his son to importune the lender. This word literally means to plead your case aggressively or to badger someone. In other words, Solomon is encouraging his son to consistently and persistently speak to the lender to attempt to negotiate a situation where the debt could be paid off sooner or with terms that are more reasonable. In verse 4, Solomon then reinforces these commands with two additional admonitions: Give no sleep to your eyes, Nor slumber to your eyelids. Solomon’s point is that we are not to be lazy when it comes to dealing with our debt. Instead we are to deal with the debt immediately. Solomon then paints an amazing word picture to summarize his strategy in verse 5:
Have you ever noticed that the humans never warn the gazelle? Separate talk. We all know what happens next, don’t we? Sure we do- there is going to be a chase; the cheetah is going to chase the gazelle. And one of two things is going to happen: either the cheetah will catch the gazelle and have dinner, or the gazelle is going to escape.
Now here is the question: Are either the cheetah or the gazelle casual about what is happening? Does either the cheetah or the gazelle seem to be lazily going through the motions? No, there is intensity there; I mean that is why we lean to the edge of our seat; that is why we do not change the channel; that is what we watch. There is an adrenaline rush and intensity that occurs. And it is with that same intensity that Solomon wants his son to display as he attacks the debt that he has become enslaved to. As Dave Ramsey so famously states when referring to this passage “we need to attack debt with a gazelle like intensity”.
You see getting out of debt is like dieting. Seriously. Debt and dieting are really both quite simple. We all know that we gain weight when we eat more calories than we expend. And is the same way we get into debt when we spend more money than we earn. Similarly, we all know that we lose weight when we burn more calories than we eat. And, in the same way, we get out of debt by making more money than we spend.
The problem isn’t in understanding how to diet or get out if debt; the problem is in our behavior when it comes to dieting or getting out of debt. And to get out of debt, we need to, with gazelle like intensity, make more money than we spend and then take that money to pay off the debt. It is as simple as that. Whether it is working two or three jobs in order to pay off the debt; whether it is spending significantly less money than in the past; whether it is a combination of the two; to get out of debt requires an intense and a persistent commitment to do so.
Because, as we have seen, when it comes to treasure, debt reveals an arrogance that enslaves us.
So, are you in debt? And if you are in debt, what are you doing to get out of debt?
Now you may be thinking “well Dave that is great; thanks for telling me this now, but where were you five years ago? I am in debt now, how am I supposed to get out of debt?” If that question is running through your mind, I have good news for you. And that good news is that the Bible also provides a strategy on how to get out of debt; a strategy that we find back in the book of Proverbs. So let’s look at that strategy together, beginning in Proverbs 6:1:
My son, if you have become surety for your neighbor, Have given a pledge for a stranger, If you have been snared with the words of your mouth, Have been caught with the words of your mouth,In this proverb, we see Solomon addressing the issue of debt with his son by providing an example of what not to do. To understand the example, however, we first need to define some terms. When Solomon uses the word surety, he is referring to a person who pledges to guarantee the debt of another. The word pledge here refers to making a down payment that serves to seal a financial agreement. In our culture today, we refer to this as being a cosigner on a loan. Solomon is providing an example of a person who provides the down payment and cosigns on a loan for another that commits them to be responsible to pay off the loan if the person defaults on the loan.
Notice how Solomon describes this financial arrangement in verse 2: “If you have been snared with the words of your mouth, have been caught with the words of your mouth”. Solomon uses a hunting metaphor that paints a picture of an animal being caught by the bait if a trap to describe how a person becomes caught by the bait of debt by making the commitment to enter into such a financial arrangement as a cosigner.
Here’s the timeless principle that Solomon provides in these verses: Never, ever, ever, be a cosigner for a loan. There is a reason why that bank is not willing to lend that person money. And that reason is because the bank views that person as being a serious risk to fail to pay back the loan. There is myriad of landmines that surround the idea of cosigning for someone else, especially when it involves family. After providing the example of debt, Solomon then provides a strategy for getting out of debt in verse 3:
Solomon provides three his son three specific commands in order to deliver, or free himself from the trap of debt that he had become caught in. Solomon’s first command is to go. In other words, Solomon is revealing the reality that debt is a serious and urgent problem that requires immediate attention. Debt does not resolve itself; the trap of debt needs to be attacked immediately and aggressively. Second, Solomon commands his son to humble yourself. What is so interesting is that this command, in the letter that this language was originally written in, literally means to exert yourself to the point of exhaustion through persistence. Solomon’s point behind this command is that getting out of debt requires strenuous effort. While it does not take much effort to get into debt, it takes a great deal of effort to get out of debt.Do this then, my son, and deliver yourself; Since you have come into the hand of your neighbor, Go, humble yourself, and importune your neighbor. Give no sleep to your eyes, Nor slumber to your eyelids;
Third, Solomon commands his son to importune the lender. This word literally means to plead your case aggressively or to badger someone. In other words, Solomon is encouraging his son to consistently and persistently speak to the lender to attempt to negotiate a situation where the debt could be paid off sooner or with terms that are more reasonable. In verse 4, Solomon then reinforces these commands with two additional admonitions: Give no sleep to your eyes, Nor slumber to your eyelids. Solomon’s point is that we are not to be lazy when it comes to dealing with our debt. Instead we are to deal with the debt immediately. Solomon then paints an amazing word picture to summarize his strategy in verse 5:
Deliver yourself like a gazelle from the hunter's hand And like a bird from the hand of the fowler.Solomon provides a word picture that, while we may never have experienced firsthand, almost all of us have seen this picture unfold, haven’t we? I mean, at some point in our lives all of us have seen this picture play out, either on wild kingdom growing up or on natural geographic today. You know the picture: “Jim, here we see the gazelle grazing in the African tundra. Just look at what a beautiful animal the gazelle is. Oh, now we see the cheetah, as the hunter, begin to stalk his prey”.
Have you ever noticed that the humans never warn the gazelle? Separate talk. We all know what happens next, don’t we? Sure we do- there is going to be a chase; the cheetah is going to chase the gazelle. And one of two things is going to happen: either the cheetah will catch the gazelle and have dinner, or the gazelle is going to escape.
Now here is the question: Are either the cheetah or the gazelle casual about what is happening? Does either the cheetah or the gazelle seem to be lazily going through the motions? No, there is intensity there; I mean that is why we lean to the edge of our seat; that is why we do not change the channel; that is what we watch. There is an adrenaline rush and intensity that occurs. And it is with that same intensity that Solomon wants his son to display as he attacks the debt that he has become enslaved to. As Dave Ramsey so famously states when referring to this passage “we need to attack debt with a gazelle like intensity”.
You see getting out of debt is like dieting. Seriously. Debt and dieting are really both quite simple. We all know that we gain weight when we eat more calories than we expend. And is the same way we get into debt when we spend more money than we earn. Similarly, we all know that we lose weight when we burn more calories than we eat. And, in the same way, we get out of debt by making more money than we spend.
The problem isn’t in understanding how to diet or get out if debt; the problem is in our behavior when it comes to dieting or getting out of debt. And to get out of debt, we need to, with gazelle like intensity, make more money than we spend and then take that money to pay off the debt. It is as simple as that. Whether it is working two or three jobs in order to pay off the debt; whether it is spending significantly less money than in the past; whether it is a combination of the two; to get out of debt requires an intense and a persistent commitment to do so.
Because, as we have seen, when it comes to treasure, debt reveals an arrogance that enslaves us.
So, are you in debt? And if you are in debt, what are you doing to get out of debt?
Wednesday, May 9, 2012
Debt Reveals an Arrogance that Enslaves Us...
This week, we are looking at the issue of debt. Yesterday we looked at the state of debt in our culture. In addition, we saw that one of the reasons that debt is such a big deal is because debt is slavery, pure and simple. In Proverbs 22:7, we discovered that debt removes the freedom that we should have as followers of Jesus and instead makes us a slave to the responsibilities that are placed upon us by financial institutions.
But not only does debt matter because of the fact that debt is slavery. In a section of a letter that is recorded in the New Testament of our Bibles today, we see James, the half brother of Jesus address why debt is such a big deal. And it is in this section of this letter that we see revealed for us the underlying motivation that often drives us into debt. So let’s look at this section of this letter together, beginning in James 4:13:
Come now, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, and spend a year there and engage in business and make a profit." Yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow. You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away. Instead, you ought to say, "If the Lord wills, we will live and also do this or that."
In these verses, we see James provide an illustration that will serve to uncover why debt is such a big deal. In this illustration, a person that we would call a venture capitalist in our culture today is making plans to travel to a city and start a new business. This person assumes that they will be able to have the ability to recoup their initial start up expenses and make a profit as a result of hard work over time. However, look at James response to that assumption in verse 14: “Yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow. You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away”.
And it is in this word picture that we see James reveal for us the reality that debt presumes upon tomorrow. When we go into debt, we are presuming several things. First, we are presuming that we will be around long enough to pay off that debt. We are presuming that we will not lose our lives during the period that we are under that debt. Second, we are presuming that we will be healthy enough to work in order to pay that debt. We are presuming that we will not become injured or suffer an illness that would hinder us from working. Third, we are presuming that we will have the resources to pay off the debt. We are assuming that we will have a job. And in some cases, we enter into a debt assuming that our income will increase during the period of that debt.
Now here is something to consider: Are any of those presumptions iron-clad guarantees? Are you guaranteed that you will be alive for the term of that debt? Are you guaranteed that you will be healthy enough to work for the term of that debt? Are you guaranteed to have a job the entire term of that debt? When we enter into debt, we presume upon tomorrow. Now a natural question that arises here is “Why would we make that kind of presumption?” James answers that question for us in James 4:16-17:
But as it is, you boast in your arrogance; all such boasting is evil. Therefore, to one who knows the right thing to do and does not do it, to him it is sin.
Here we see James explain that those who presume upon tomorrow by entering into debt are not placing their confident trust in God and the word of God for direction. Instead, those who presume upon tomorrow when it comes to debt boast in your arrogance. In other words those who presume on tomorrow by entering into debt today take pride in their prideful self reliance. They take pride in their position, they take pride in their personality, and they take pride in their ability. And in that arrogance they presume that they will always be able to pull it off financially; that life will always be bigger and better.
And it is this arrogance that drives a person to enter into debt. James response to such arrogant self reliance is that all such boasting is evil. This word evil, in the language that this letter is originally written in, refers to something that is morally and socially worthless. James’ point here is that it is morally and socially worthless to live a life that arrogantly presumes upon tomorrow by accumulating debt today.
But not only is it morally and socially worthless to arrogantly presume upon tomorrow by accumulating debt today; James explains that a life that arrogantly presumes upon tomorrow in such a way is sin. Notice what James says in verse 17: Therefore, to one who knows the right thing to do and does not do it, to him it is sin. As we have seen throughout this series, the Bible provides principles and practices when it comes to how we are handle the money, possessions, and treasure that we have while here on earth.
Yet, when we know the right thing to do when it comes to how we are to handle the treasure we have been given, but refuse to do the right thing, we are selfishly rebelling against God and the word of God. And it is in these two passages that we see God provide us a timeless principle when it comes to the issue of debt. And that timeless principle is this: When it comes to treasure, debt reveals an arrogance that enslaves us. The timeless reality is that the temptation to get into debt is driven by an arrogance that blinds us to the reality that debt will enslave us.
Let me give you a practical example of how this can play out. When Julie and I moved to Bullhead City in 2006, we purchased a home in Sun Mission Resort. And we love our home. Then one evening, we ended up driving through Laughlin Ranch. As we drove through Laughlin Ranch, we became aware that there were larger and nicer homes than the one we purchased. And as we became aware that there was something out there bigger and better than what we had, we became discontented. Something within us said “Wow these are nicer houses. My house is not nearly as nice as these houses. I wish we had a nicer house like these. And you know what, I deserve a house like this”.
And at that point, as a result of this arrogance and pride that begins to well up within us, there is a temptation, isn’t there. And that temptation is to go down to the bank and try to get a loan that I may not be able to afford so that I can live in a house that I think I deserve. You see, awareness, leads to discontentment, which leads to debt. I was perfectly content with the house that I had until I became aware that there was something better. And it was that awareness that fueled an arrogant discontentment that can lead to debt.
Now you may be thinking “well Dave that is great; thanks for telling me this now, but where were you five years ago? I am in debt now, how am I supposed to get out of debt?” If that question is running through your mind, I have good news for you. And that good news is that the Bible also provides a strategy on how to get out of debt; a strategy that we find back in the book of Proverbs.
Tomorrow, we will look at that strategy together…
But not only does debt matter because of the fact that debt is slavery. In a section of a letter that is recorded in the New Testament of our Bibles today, we see James, the half brother of Jesus address why debt is such a big deal. And it is in this section of this letter that we see revealed for us the underlying motivation that often drives us into debt. So let’s look at this section of this letter together, beginning in James 4:13:
Come now, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, and spend a year there and engage in business and make a profit." Yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow. You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away. Instead, you ought to say, "If the Lord wills, we will live and also do this or that."
In these verses, we see James provide an illustration that will serve to uncover why debt is such a big deal. In this illustration, a person that we would call a venture capitalist in our culture today is making plans to travel to a city and start a new business. This person assumes that they will be able to have the ability to recoup their initial start up expenses and make a profit as a result of hard work over time. However, look at James response to that assumption in verse 14: “Yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow. You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away”.
And it is in this word picture that we see James reveal for us the reality that debt presumes upon tomorrow. When we go into debt, we are presuming several things. First, we are presuming that we will be around long enough to pay off that debt. We are presuming that we will not lose our lives during the period that we are under that debt. Second, we are presuming that we will be healthy enough to work in order to pay that debt. We are presuming that we will not become injured or suffer an illness that would hinder us from working. Third, we are presuming that we will have the resources to pay off the debt. We are assuming that we will have a job. And in some cases, we enter into a debt assuming that our income will increase during the period of that debt.
Now here is something to consider: Are any of those presumptions iron-clad guarantees? Are you guaranteed that you will be alive for the term of that debt? Are you guaranteed that you will be healthy enough to work for the term of that debt? Are you guaranteed to have a job the entire term of that debt? When we enter into debt, we presume upon tomorrow. Now a natural question that arises here is “Why would we make that kind of presumption?” James answers that question for us in James 4:16-17:
But as it is, you boast in your arrogance; all such boasting is evil. Therefore, to one who knows the right thing to do and does not do it, to him it is sin.
Here we see James explain that those who presume upon tomorrow by entering into debt are not placing their confident trust in God and the word of God for direction. Instead, those who presume upon tomorrow when it comes to debt boast in your arrogance. In other words those who presume on tomorrow by entering into debt today take pride in their prideful self reliance. They take pride in their position, they take pride in their personality, and they take pride in their ability. And in that arrogance they presume that they will always be able to pull it off financially; that life will always be bigger and better.
And it is this arrogance that drives a person to enter into debt. James response to such arrogant self reliance is that all such boasting is evil. This word evil, in the language that this letter is originally written in, refers to something that is morally and socially worthless. James’ point here is that it is morally and socially worthless to live a life that arrogantly presumes upon tomorrow by accumulating debt today.
But not only is it morally and socially worthless to arrogantly presume upon tomorrow by accumulating debt today; James explains that a life that arrogantly presumes upon tomorrow in such a way is sin. Notice what James says in verse 17: Therefore, to one who knows the right thing to do and does not do it, to him it is sin. As we have seen throughout this series, the Bible provides principles and practices when it comes to how we are handle the money, possessions, and treasure that we have while here on earth.
Yet, when we know the right thing to do when it comes to how we are to handle the treasure we have been given, but refuse to do the right thing, we are selfishly rebelling against God and the word of God. And it is in these two passages that we see God provide us a timeless principle when it comes to the issue of debt. And that timeless principle is this: When it comes to treasure, debt reveals an arrogance that enslaves us. The timeless reality is that the temptation to get into debt is driven by an arrogance that blinds us to the reality that debt will enslave us.
Let me give you a practical example of how this can play out. When Julie and I moved to Bullhead City in 2006, we purchased a home in Sun Mission Resort. And we love our home. Then one evening, we ended up driving through Laughlin Ranch. As we drove through Laughlin Ranch, we became aware that there were larger and nicer homes than the one we purchased. And as we became aware that there was something out there bigger and better than what we had, we became discontented. Something within us said “Wow these are nicer houses. My house is not nearly as nice as these houses. I wish we had a nicer house like these. And you know what, I deserve a house like this”.
And at that point, as a result of this arrogance and pride that begins to well up within us, there is a temptation, isn’t there. And that temptation is to go down to the bank and try to get a loan that I may not be able to afford so that I can live in a house that I think I deserve. You see, awareness, leads to discontentment, which leads to debt. I was perfectly content with the house that I had until I became aware that there was something better. And it was that awareness that fueled an arrogant discontentment that can lead to debt.
Now you may be thinking “well Dave that is great; thanks for telling me this now, but where were you five years ago? I am in debt now, how am I supposed to get out of debt?” If that question is running through your mind, I have good news for you. And that good news is that the Bible also provides a strategy on how to get out of debt; a strategy that we find back in the book of Proverbs.
Tomorrow, we will look at that strategy together…
Tuesday, May 8, 2012
Does Debt Matter?
This week I would like to address an issue that has
been prevalent and prominent in the conversations that we have been having as a
culture when it comes to money, possessions, and treasure. And that issue is
the issue of debt. My hope and prayer this morning is that we would be able to
wrap our heads and hearts around three specific answers to three specific
questions. First, my hope and prayer is that we would be able to wrap our minds
around the state of debt in our culture today. In other words, that we would
understand on a practical level what the financial state of our culture is in
when it comes to the issue of debt.
Second, my hope and prayer is that we would be able
to wrap our minds around the significance of debt in our culture today. In
other words, is the state of debt in our culture a big deal? Does debt really
matter? And third, my hope and prayer is that we would be able to wrap our
minds around a strategy that would enable us to get out of debt. In other
words, in a practical way, how can we as individuals and as a culture begin to
get out of debt?
So, what is the state of debt in our culture today?
How are we doing individually? How are businesses and corporations doing? How
is our country doing? How are we doing when it comes to this issue of debt?
Let’s start with the national debt. The most recent projections estimate that
our national debt is a little over 15 trillion dollars. Now, I don’t know about
you, but the number 15 trillion is so large a number that I cannot seem to wrap
my mind around it. So here is a mental picture to help. If you were to take
dollar bills and lay them from end to end to signify our national debt, the
distance that those dollar bills would stretch out to would be to the sun and
back. Actually, they would not just go to the sun and back; they would go to
the sun and back over 7 ½ times. That is how large a number that 15 trillion
is; so, is our national debt significant?
Let’s talk about corporate debt, which is the amount
of debt that corporations carry. The most recent projections, that I am aware
of, estimate that the current corporate debt in the United States is
approximately 2.5 trillion dollars. To give you a bit of perspective, the
average corporation in the United States spends approximately 51 percent of
their profits to simply pay the interest on their debt. So, is our corporate
debt significant?
Then there is individual or personal debt. Studies
have shown that the average family spends $400
dollars more than it earns each year. In addition, the average family in the
United States spends 23% of their annual take home pay is to make payments on
debt. While that number sounds o.k. at first, that number does not include
mortgage payments. In other words, in addition to their house payment or rent,
the average American family spends almost ¼ of their after tax money on
consumer debt such as credit cards, car loans or leases, and the like.
So, is our individual or personal debt significant?
Now this leads us to the second question, which is
“is the state of debt in our culture a big deal? Does debt really matter? I
mean, aren’t we simply going to grow our way out of debt, because that is what
I hear on talk radio and T.V.” For those of you who may be here and believe
that is that case, my answer is this:
remember what we talked about last week? The issue is not the amount of
money, because making more money
will not solve our financial problems. Instead more money only multiplies our
financial problems.
And the Bible has a great deal
to say about debt. In Proverbs 22:7, the writer of Proverbs, a man named
Solomon, who was the wisest man who ever lived, writes a single proverb that
provides us stunning clarity when it comes to the issue of debt. Let’s discover
this proverb together:
The rich
rules over the poor, And the borrower becomes
the lender's slave.
So, why is debt a big deal? According to Solomon, the
reason why debt is a big deal; the reason why debt matters, is because the rich
rules over the poor, And the borrower becomes the lender's slave. This
little word rule here, in the language that this letter was originally written
in, literally means to exercise dominion or to Lord over someone. Solomon’s
point is crystal clear: debt is slavery. Just as a slave has lost his freedom
and is responsible to his master, a person who is in debt is no longer free.
Instead, they are responsible to his or her master card. Or visa. Or car lease.
Or adjustable rate mortgage that they entered into to be able to purchase that
dream home. The person who is in debt has their life dictated to them by their
debtors.
If you are here and do not think that is the case, then
let me ask you this question. If your boss was willing to allow you to take off
work for a few weeks, without pay, would you have the freedom to do that? If,
not, why not? “Well Dave, there is no way that I could do that. I have bills to
pay: You know car payments, credit card payments, student loan payments”. So
here is my question: Do you have freedom, or are you a slave to the debtors as
a result of the debt that you have? Do you have the freedom to use God’s
treasure to reflect His generosity and advance His kingdom, or is God’s
treasure wholly committed to the financial responsibilities that you are enslaved
to as a result of debt?
You see, debt is slavery, pure and simple. Debt removes
the freedom that we should have as followers of Jesus and instead makes us a
slave to the responsibilities that are placed upon us by financial
institutions. But not only does debt matter because of the fact that debt is
slavery. In a section of a letter that is recorded in the New Testament of our
Bibles today, we see James, the half brother of Jesus address why debt is such
a big deal. And it is in this section of this letter that we see revealed for
us the underlying motivation that often drives us into debt.
Tomorrow we will look at this section of this letter…
Thursday, May 3, 2012
When It Comes To Treasure, The Measure For How We Manage God's Treasure Is Faithfulness...
This week, we are looking at what the Bible teach when it comes to how we are to manage the money, possessions, and treasure we have on earth. We are asking the question: “Will we be held accountable for how we manage all that God owns? And if that is that case; if we will be held accountable, then what is the standard we will be held to? How will God measure and judge our management?”
Yesterday, we looked at a section of a parable where Jesus revealed the reality that those who are His followers will demonstrate the proof of their faith and their relationship with Him by how trustworthy they are in handling the money, possessions, and treasure of this world. We know this to be the case because of what Jesus says next in Luke 16:10-13. When we read the accounts of Jesus life that are recorded for us in the Bible, Jesus often will first tells a parable and then explain the parable to His confused followers.
In Luke 16:1-9, Jesus tells the parable. And in Luke 16:10-13, we see Jesus explain the parable. And it is in His explanation that we see Jesus reveal for us a timeless principle about how God will measure and judge how we manage the money, possessions, and treasure we have been given. So let’s look at the explanation together beginning in verse 10:
"He who is faithful in a very little thing is faithful also in much; and he who is unrighteous in a very little thing is unrighteous also in much.
After telling the parable, Jesus then explains that when it comes to how we handle the money possessions, and treasure we have been given, the issue is not about the amount of money, possessions, and treasure. In other words, Jesus is explaining to His disciples that the amount of treasure is not the issue. Jesus point is that the amount of treasure that one possesses does not make one more or less spiritual, because money, possessions, and treasure are amoral; they are not inherently good or evil. As we discovered a few weeks ago, however, the thing about treasure that makes it so powerful is that treasure exposes the motives of our hearts. That’s why we can find ourselves feeling so convicted, I mean uncomfortable when the subject of money, possessions, and treasure is brought up in church.
And it is here that we see Jesus reveal for us another timeless principle when it comes to how God will measure and judge how we manage the money, possessions, and treasure we have been given. And that timeless principle is this: When it comes to treasure, the measure for how we manage God’s treasure is faithfulness. When it comes how we will be judged as managers of God’s treasure, Jesus explains that the standard is faithfulness. Maybe you are here this morning and you are thinking “if I only had more money then everything would be OK. If I only had more money, I would be able to get out off debt and pay off my credit cards and make my house payments.” What Jesus is saying here is “no everything wouldn’t be ok”.
Jesus point in verse 10 is that the reason that we are in the financial situation that we are currently in, whether good or bad, is due to how we have managed the money, possessions, and treasure that we have been given. Just adding more money to the problem does not solve the problem, because the problem is not a lack of money; the problem is a lack of faithfulness with the money that we have been given. Jesus point here is that if we are unfaithful, we are unfaithful; whether it is with $10, $100, or $1,000,000. After exposing the problem, Jesus continues by explaining the implications that the level of our faithfulness with money, possession, and treasure can have on our relationship with God in Luke 16:11-12:
"Therefore if you have not been faithful in the use of unrighteous wealth, who will entrust the true riches to you? "And if you have not been faithful in the use of that which is another's, who will give you that which is your own?
In these verses, Jesus reveals for us the reality that how we handle money, possessions, and treasure here on earth impacts the depth of our relationship with God and our spiritual maturity. Jesus uses two rhetorical questions to hammer His point home. First, in verse 11, Jesus asks “if you have been unfaithful in the use of unrighteous wealth, then who will entrust true riches to you?” Jesus was not looking for the disciples to answer the question, because the answer to the question is obvious.
Jesus point here is that if we are unable to demonstrate faithfulness with the temporary treasure that we are given while on earth, then we will be unable to demonstrate faithfulness with the vastly greater spiritual treasure that flow out of a growing and maturing relationship with Him. And so we can find ourselves in a place where we are not growing spiritually in our relationship with Jesus because Jesus is not going to give to us the true treasure that flows out of a growing and maturing relationship with Him if we fail to demonstrate faithfulness with the temporary things of this earth, including money, possessions, and treasure.
And to hammer His point home, Jesus asks a second rhetorical question in verse 12: “If you have not been faithful in the use of that which is another’s, who will give you that which is your own?” Again, Jesus is not looking for an answer, because the answer is painfully apparent. Jesus point is that is we are unfaithful with someone else’s treasure, we prove to be unworthy of being given anything of our own.
For example, let’s say that you have a teenage son or daughter that continually uses your car. And they want you to go out and buy them a car of their own. Yet every time they borrow your car they leave it a mess; they use all the gas; they don’t take care of it; and they get in several accidents. So are you going to give them thousands of dollars so that they can buy a car for themselves? No you are not going to do that because they have not demonstrated faithfulness with your car. What you may do is go out and buy them a $500 clunker so that they stop wrecking your car; but you are not going to reward their unfaithfulness by giving them a new car.
How many of us feel like we are driving around in a $500 clunker when it comes to our spiritual life? How many of us would describe our spiritual life and our relationship with Jesus in such terms? Jesus point here is that our spiritual lives and our relationship with God stagnates and suffers when we fail to be faithful with what He gives us materially and financially. Jesus makes that point unmistakably clear as He concludes His explanation of this parable in verse 13:
"No servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth."
Jesus makes it clear that we cannot faithfully serve two masters. As we discovered two weeks ago when Jesus made an almost identical statement as part of perhaps the most famous sermon that He ever preached, when Jesus uses the word serve, He is referring to someone who acts in total allegiance and total commitment to someone or something. Jesus point is that you cannot be totally and faithfully committed to two differing options. Jesus is reminding His followers that we cannot serve God and money because we will only be faithful to what we are devoted to. The timeless reality is that God and money, possessions, and treasure compete for our total devotion. You will either be totally devoted to God, or you will be totally devoted to money, possessions, and treasure.
Jesus point is that how we manage the treasure that we have been given reveals who or what we place our faith and trust in. And the level of faithfulness that we demonstrate when it comes to managing the temporary treasure that we have while on earth serves to provide the proof and reveal the depth of our faith. Because the measure for how we manage God’s treasure is faithfulness.
So do you have the mindset that “if I only had more money then everything would be OK. If I only had more money than all my financial problems would be solved.” Or do you have the mindset that your relationship with money and your relationship with God are unrelated. You live your day to day life as though your handling of money has no impact on your relationship with God. If I have just described you, here’s the thing: More money will not solve your financial problems. Instead more money only multiplies your financial problems. Because the issue isn’t the amount of treasure you have; the issue is how faithful are you with the amount of treasure you have been given. And when it comes to God’s treasure, the measure for how we manage God’s treasure is faithfulness.
And as we have seen this morning, our relationship with money and our relationship with Jesus are not unrelated. Our relationship with money is directly related to our relationship with Jesus, because followers of Jesus demonstrate the proof and depth of their faith and their relationship with Jesus by how they handle the money, possessions, and treasure of this world.
So how are you doing?
Yesterday, we looked at a section of a parable where Jesus revealed the reality that those who are His followers will demonstrate the proof of their faith and their relationship with Him by how trustworthy they are in handling the money, possessions, and treasure of this world. We know this to be the case because of what Jesus says next in Luke 16:10-13. When we read the accounts of Jesus life that are recorded for us in the Bible, Jesus often will first tells a parable and then explain the parable to His confused followers.
In Luke 16:1-9, Jesus tells the parable. And in Luke 16:10-13, we see Jesus explain the parable. And it is in His explanation that we see Jesus reveal for us a timeless principle about how God will measure and judge how we manage the money, possessions, and treasure we have been given. So let’s look at the explanation together beginning in verse 10:
"He who is faithful in a very little thing is faithful also in much; and he who is unrighteous in a very little thing is unrighteous also in much.
After telling the parable, Jesus then explains that when it comes to how we handle the money possessions, and treasure we have been given, the issue is not about the amount of money, possessions, and treasure. In other words, Jesus is explaining to His disciples that the amount of treasure is not the issue. Jesus point is that the amount of treasure that one possesses does not make one more or less spiritual, because money, possessions, and treasure are amoral; they are not inherently good or evil. As we discovered a few weeks ago, however, the thing about treasure that makes it so powerful is that treasure exposes the motives of our hearts. That’s why we can find ourselves feeling so convicted, I mean uncomfortable when the subject of money, possessions, and treasure is brought up in church.
And it is here that we see Jesus reveal for us another timeless principle when it comes to how God will measure and judge how we manage the money, possessions, and treasure we have been given. And that timeless principle is this: When it comes to treasure, the measure for how we manage God’s treasure is faithfulness. When it comes how we will be judged as managers of God’s treasure, Jesus explains that the standard is faithfulness. Maybe you are here this morning and you are thinking “if I only had more money then everything would be OK. If I only had more money, I would be able to get out off debt and pay off my credit cards and make my house payments.” What Jesus is saying here is “no everything wouldn’t be ok”.
Jesus point in verse 10 is that the reason that we are in the financial situation that we are currently in, whether good or bad, is due to how we have managed the money, possessions, and treasure that we have been given. Just adding more money to the problem does not solve the problem, because the problem is not a lack of money; the problem is a lack of faithfulness with the money that we have been given. Jesus point here is that if we are unfaithful, we are unfaithful; whether it is with $10, $100, or $1,000,000. After exposing the problem, Jesus continues by explaining the implications that the level of our faithfulness with money, possession, and treasure can have on our relationship with God in Luke 16:11-12:
"Therefore if you have not been faithful in the use of unrighteous wealth, who will entrust the true riches to you? "And if you have not been faithful in the use of that which is another's, who will give you that which is your own?
In these verses, Jesus reveals for us the reality that how we handle money, possessions, and treasure here on earth impacts the depth of our relationship with God and our spiritual maturity. Jesus uses two rhetorical questions to hammer His point home. First, in verse 11, Jesus asks “if you have been unfaithful in the use of unrighteous wealth, then who will entrust true riches to you?” Jesus was not looking for the disciples to answer the question, because the answer to the question is obvious.
Jesus point here is that if we are unable to demonstrate faithfulness with the temporary treasure that we are given while on earth, then we will be unable to demonstrate faithfulness with the vastly greater spiritual treasure that flow out of a growing and maturing relationship with Him. And so we can find ourselves in a place where we are not growing spiritually in our relationship with Jesus because Jesus is not going to give to us the true treasure that flows out of a growing and maturing relationship with Him if we fail to demonstrate faithfulness with the temporary things of this earth, including money, possessions, and treasure.
And to hammer His point home, Jesus asks a second rhetorical question in verse 12: “If you have not been faithful in the use of that which is another’s, who will give you that which is your own?” Again, Jesus is not looking for an answer, because the answer is painfully apparent. Jesus point is that is we are unfaithful with someone else’s treasure, we prove to be unworthy of being given anything of our own.
For example, let’s say that you have a teenage son or daughter that continually uses your car. And they want you to go out and buy them a car of their own. Yet every time they borrow your car they leave it a mess; they use all the gas; they don’t take care of it; and they get in several accidents. So are you going to give them thousands of dollars so that they can buy a car for themselves? No you are not going to do that because they have not demonstrated faithfulness with your car. What you may do is go out and buy them a $500 clunker so that they stop wrecking your car; but you are not going to reward their unfaithfulness by giving them a new car.
How many of us feel like we are driving around in a $500 clunker when it comes to our spiritual life? How many of us would describe our spiritual life and our relationship with Jesus in such terms? Jesus point here is that our spiritual lives and our relationship with God stagnates and suffers when we fail to be faithful with what He gives us materially and financially. Jesus makes that point unmistakably clear as He concludes His explanation of this parable in verse 13:
"No servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth."
Jesus makes it clear that we cannot faithfully serve two masters. As we discovered two weeks ago when Jesus made an almost identical statement as part of perhaps the most famous sermon that He ever preached, when Jesus uses the word serve, He is referring to someone who acts in total allegiance and total commitment to someone or something. Jesus point is that you cannot be totally and faithfully committed to two differing options. Jesus is reminding His followers that we cannot serve God and money because we will only be faithful to what we are devoted to. The timeless reality is that God and money, possessions, and treasure compete for our total devotion. You will either be totally devoted to God, or you will be totally devoted to money, possessions, and treasure.
Jesus point is that how we manage the treasure that we have been given reveals who or what we place our faith and trust in. And the level of faithfulness that we demonstrate when it comes to managing the temporary treasure that we have while on earth serves to provide the proof and reveal the depth of our faith. Because the measure for how we manage God’s treasure is faithfulness.
So do you have the mindset that “if I only had more money then everything would be OK. If I only had more money than all my financial problems would be solved.” Or do you have the mindset that your relationship with money and your relationship with God are unrelated. You live your day to day life as though your handling of money has no impact on your relationship with God. If I have just described you, here’s the thing: More money will not solve your financial problems. Instead more money only multiplies your financial problems. Because the issue isn’t the amount of treasure you have; the issue is how faithful are you with the amount of treasure you have been given. And when it comes to God’s treasure, the measure for how we manage God’s treasure is faithfulness.
And as we have seen this morning, our relationship with money and our relationship with Jesus are not unrelated. Our relationship with money is directly related to our relationship with Jesus, because followers of Jesus demonstrate the proof and depth of their faith and their relationship with Jesus by how they handle the money, possessions, and treasure of this world.
So how are you doing?
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