The Christian Home By Rev. Paul Bayles P a sto r 9 Centinela B ib le Church H aw thorn e , California
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r|F'HE New Testament has emphatic -1*- views with regard to money. We are taught that money is to be honest ly earned, wisely spent, kept as a servant rather than a master, used to help others in need, and cheer fully given to the Lord. These prin ciples are basic for even modem couples. Wise couples will seriously consider the important issues of income, its method of being earned and invested, and its use for good and God. Chris tian couples are really obligated to give careful thought to their attitudes toward money and to their methods of handling it, since finance has so much to do with testimony and serv ice. Greedy Christians who are all out for the dollar are poor reflections of Christian discipleship. Christians who chronically fret and worry about finances become useless and miserable. An unrealistic “ spirituality” tends to make some Christians shy away from the subject of money. Is this spiritual ity? Perhaps it is an excuse to make sloppy methods appear respectable. Marital casualties that blame finan cial problems are frequent in our day of artificial prosperity, social pressure, and easy credit. However, money worries are often external to the real problem and are often symptomatic of deeper involvements, such as, emotional insecurities and behavioral immaturities. The help of competent counseling should be sought by per sons beset with these fears. For the majority of Christian fam ilies, not so deeply disturbed, the fol lowing program may be used con structively to h e l p th e financial dilemma. 1. A complete surrender of heart and life to Christ, believing that His grace and providence that re deemed you, will not now prove to be inadequate. 2. A deliberate dedication of income to God’s honor and glory, realizing that He wants you to eat, to be properly clothed and housed, to have your bills paid and to be able to tithe. 3. A realistic approach to budgeting and living within your income, cheerfully accepting your present economic status for what it is, and forgetting the pressures toward keeping up with the neighbors. Perhaps the first step toward suc cessful budgeting is honestly to find
out what you need and what you want. When you know what your goals really are, you will be able to fit them into your spending plan. Budgeting will then become challeng ing instead of frustrating. Someone has suggested that “wishes” fall into three classifications: (1) things we need and want soon, (2) during the next year, (3) and in the future. List each of them, evaluate them and you may be surprised how each goal will fit into your spending program. By now you are tempted to give up on the whole idea — it sounds too complicated. But call to mind your present, slip-shod state of affairs, not knowing what you have or what you will have. Then invest $1.00 in the “Money Management Library,” by enclosing that amount in an envelope addressed to the Household Finance Corporation, Prudential Plaza, Chi cago 1, Illinois. A few final suggestions might be: 1. Construct your spending plan cheerfully, not resentfully or bitterly. 2. Choose a time when the family is happy and calm. 3. Be realistic and honest. Don’t “pad” figures. Don’t try to deceive yourself. 4. Willingly live by your own plan — not your neighbor’s plan. Chances are that he can’t live by it himself! 5. Let the whole family in on your plan. 6. Don’t bring up past, embarrass ing mistakes made by family mem bers, with regard to money spending, poor investments, or “ sucker” deals. This is no time for lecturing or quar reling. 7. Give your plan a chance to grow and to live. Don’t expect an immedi ate miracle. 8. Don’t allow your budget to be come your master. Let it serve you, not dominate you. 9. Don’t belittle the family wage- earner’s income. 10. In listing your “ wishes,” re member that family love and loyalty are worth more than some luxuries. Keep your values in balance. Part of Christian living is to live honestly and cheerfully within one’s income. This can be accomplished. You don’t need to be bewildered by economic disorganization.
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