Some studies have shown that money conflicts are the number one reason of divorce in America.
Well, after corona hit our planet, money, I think, became the second reason of divorce, following after infidelity.
But the main point is this: Money conflicts can destroy a beautiful marriage and as married couples, we need to have a plan or a goal as to how to handle money in our homes.
I am not here to give the summary of “The Total Money Makeover” book by Dave Ramsey but to share with you few basic points that help us, my husband and I, through the years when it comes to the issue of money.
- To set a goal to raise God-fearing family
As a couple, as Christians whose desire is to glorify God in everything we do and say, set your priorities right by making “raising a God-fearing family” your number goal in life.
Think about it! What more do we need in life if we and our children learn to fear God?
“The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life,
that one may turn away from the snares of death.” Proverbs 14:27 EVS
Amen!
But we need to know that we cannot fear God unless we know Him; and we cannot know Him, unless we read, study and meditate on the word of God. So, we need to make the word of God take the center of our homes. The word of God always leads us to that which has eternal life.
My friends, the things of this world are nothing but vanity!
“Vanity of vanities, says the Preacher,
vanity of vanities! All is vanity.” Ecclesiastes 1:2 ESV
Yes, anything we run after, neglecting God and the word of God leads into “nothingness” – vanity,
“for you have been born again not of seed which is perishable but imperishable, that is, through the living and enduring word of God. For,
“All flesh is like grass,
And all its glory like the flower of grass.
The grass withers,
And the flower falls off,
But the word of the Lord endures forever.”
And this is the word which was preached to you.” 1 Peter 1:23-25 NASB
- Work Hard!
Diligence, not idleness, is a virtue. It is actually a sin to be idle. As Christians, we have to be hard workers for the Bible says,
“The soul of the sluggard craves and gets nothing,
while the soul of the diligent is richly supplied.” Proverbs 13:4 ESV
And the Bible says,
“if anyone is not willing to work, then he is not to eat, either.” 2 Thessalonians 3:10 NASB
To get rich quickly, by winning a lottery, through gambling or fraud, cannot be a Christian way of living because,
“But those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a snare and many foolish and harmful desires which plunge men into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all sorts of evil, and some by longing for it have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.” 1 Timothy 6:9-10 NASB
Do you see that?
- To Live Within Our Means
Some people call “striving to live beyond and above our means” as faith. I don’t know what kind of faith they’re talking about. But I know this for sure: Living outside of our means is not the faith the word of God is talking about. Faith in God is confidence in God who supplies all our needs, not our fantasies and daydreams, according to His riches glory in Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:19).
God is not in heaven to fulfill our fantasies. God only works for His own glory which is our ultimate joy and pleasure.
Living within our means, working hard and thanking and praising God in whatever we have, without complaining and arguing, is agreeing with God to glorify God.
- To budget, save and give
In general, to budget means to know our income and expense and strive to live within our means. This is not a sign of lack of faith, but wisdom.
Some people see budgeting as a source of unbelief. But budgeting is a biblical principle:
“For which one of you, when he wants to build a tower, does not first sit down and calculate the cost to see if he has enough to complete it? Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation and is not able to finish, all who observe it begin to ridicule him, saying, ‘This man began to build and was not able to finish.’” Luke 14:28-30 NASB
Putting aside some money in our savings is one of life principles we find in the word of God.
“There is precious treasure and oil in the dwelling of the wise,
But a foolish man swallows it up.” Proverbs 21:20 NASB
The word of God calls it foolishness to work hard, earn money and eat/spend it all. It is wisdom to save.
And giving is always a blessing for us, to give to the poor and to mainly give to the work of the Gospel. But giving as a source of getting more is not a biblical principle. Some people twist and distort the word of God to mean what they want it to say. If our motivation and inspiration to give is to get rich, we have a serious problem called “the love of money” which “is a root of all sorts of evil, and some by longing for it have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs” 1 Timothy 6:10 NASB
May God help us all! ///