Archives For Contentment

The Power of Contentment in Christ

Corey —  November 24, 2009

       We discussed what contentment is and how to find it over the last two weeks. Defining contentment as “when what you have fulfills what you desire” gives us a very straightforward idea of contentment and how to get it. But the problem is that kind of contentment can be easily changed by your circumstances in life. If you lose the things you have, you are no longer content because that definition only considers your material things.

       There is, however, a way to find true contentment – contentment that lasts through any change in your circumstances. I’m talking about contentment that triumphs over anything that might happen in your life – good or bad. This kind of contentment is completely independent of what happens to you on Earth, and it only comes through faith in Jesus Christ.

How Christ Brings True Contentment

       To understand how Christ brings true contentment to those who believe in Him, we must grasp these four concepts:

  1. Faith in Jesus Christ gives us eternal life with God.

    2.        

  2. Eternal life with God is far greater than anything we can imagine for ourselves in our life on Earth.

    3.        

  3. So we put our hope in Christ and the eternal life He gives – not in the things of this world.

    4.        

  4. Then Christ can give us true contentment that conquers any circumstance we may face, but we must continue to focus on our hope in Him and weigh everything against the surpassing value of our eternal life with God.

Faith in Jesus Gives Eternal Life

       All of the prophets, the apostles, and Jesus himself testify to the fact that if we believe in Him we will have our sins forgiven and receive eternal life with Him in Heaven. Understanding how Jesus can bring true contentment to deal with the circumstances in our life requires that we accept this truth. Without it, you will never know how to find true contentment in Christ.

Eternal Life with God Outweighs All Else

       Life with God in Heaven will be unimaginably better than anything we can experience in this life. There will be no more tears, no more pain, no more sorrow, no more suffering, and no more separation from God. We will be able to experience the presence of God at all times and behold His glory. The finest things on Earth cannot compare with what we will have in Heaven. There are no words to describe the surpassing greatness of eternal life with God over life in this world.

Our Hope Is in Christ & Eternal Life with Him

       Because we know that eternal life in Heaven with God will be so much better than anything we can have on Earth, we put our hope in Christ and the salvation we receive through Him. Christians find no happiness or contentment in anything the world can offer – we look only to Jesus and the reward that waits for us in Heaven.

       Our time on Earth is not a chance to accumulate all we can, experience all the best things life has to offer, or to make a name for ourselves. Instead, we view this life as a chance to serve God before we are called home – to our true home – by spreading the good news about Jesus Christ and by obeying His teachings. Our success is not measured by our jobs, our wealth, or our fame. Success for Christians is measured by how closely we walk with the Lord and imitate His life.

       We don’t look at our circumstances to determine whether we are happy or content. Our one desire is to know God, and our faith in Christ fulfills that one desire. Everything else is counted as nothing when compared to the glory of knowing Him.

True Contentment in Christ

       Once we fully believe and practice those three things, Christ can give us true contentment that can conquer any circumstance we will ever face. This is what Paul spoke about in Philippians 4:

       11 Not that I speak in respect to lack, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content in it. 12 I know how to be humbled, and I know also how to abound. In everything and in all things I have learned the secret both to be filled and to be hungry, both to abound and to be in need. 13 I can do all things through Christ, who strengthens me.

Philippians 4:11-13 (WEB)

       The power of Christ, the salvation He provides, and the contentment He gives overcome the desires of our flesh and the cravings of the world. Jesus fulfills all our needs to the point that even when we lack in this life we can still be content. We find the strength to have peace in all circumstances through Him. And that’s how Jesus brings us true contentment.

Do You Want That Kind of Contentment?

       So tell me – what kind of contentment do you want? Do you want the kind of contentment that disappears whenever you see something you want and can’t have? Or do you want the kind of contentment that brings you peace and joy in all circumstances – even in the face of death?

       To have contentment that is never affected by your circumstances requires that you go to Christ. You must seek Him and learn to trust Him. You must continually focus on the hope you have in Him and the unspeakable riches that come through eternal life with God. If you take your eyes off of Him, then the worries of this life will choke you and you’ll find yourself in discontentment once again.

       You have the choice to experience true contentment right now. It is within your grasp. If it’s been eluding you all your life, you now know how to find it. Come to Jesus. Take His yoke. And experience the peace that surpasses all understanding and will guard your heart and thoughts in all circumstances. I pray that you will find contentment in Christ and know what it means to have all your needs fulfilled by Him.

       How has the power of contentment in Christ affected you? Share your thoughts in the comments below, and be sure to sign up for free updates to Provident Planning to learn more about God’s plan for your finances.

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How to Find Contentment

Corey —  November 17, 2009

       Last week, we looked at the definition of contentment. I suggested we define contentment as “when what you have fulfills what you desire”. Discontentment comes when what you desire outweighs what you have. Today, we’re going to look at how you get from discontentment to contentment.

Visualizing Discontentment and Contentment

       Last week, I used this image to depict discontentment:

Discontentment - What You Desire Outweighs What You Have

       Then I used this image to depict contentment:

Contentment - What You Desire Equals What You Have

       Keep these illustrations in mind as we discuss how you get from discontentment to contentment.

Two Options

       If discontentment is a result of what you desire outweighing what you have, then you have two options to find contentment. Both options tip the scale in favor of “what you have”, but they do it in different ways. First, you can try to get the things you desire. The idea is that getting what you desire increases the weight of the “what you have” side of the scale – bringing you into a balance and leading to contentment.

       Your second option is to give up some of the things you desire. This lightens the load on the “what you desire” side of the scale – again bringing you into a balance and leading to contentment.

Get What You Desire

       The most common approach to finding contentment is to try to get the things you desire. This idea tells you that getting those things you crave will satisfy your cravings and you’ll finally be happy and content. But experience shows us that those who go down this path are never actually satisfied. They never find true contentment by fulfilling their desires. Meeting one desire simply leads to another, greater desire. Solomon noted this well in Ecclesiastes:

       10 He who loves silver shall not be satisfied with silver; nor he who loves abundance, with increase: this also is vanity. 11 When goods increase, those who eat them are increased; and what advantage is there to its owner, except to feast on them with his eyes?

Ecclesiastes 5:10-11 (WEB)

       If all you desire is more wealth or a greater abundance, you will never actually be satisfied when you get more. You’ll just want even more, and after you get that you’ll still want more. When John D. Rockefeller, one of the richest men in history, was asked “How much money is enough?” he replied “Just a little bit more.” His response is a clear example of the problem with desiring an abundance and always seeking to fulfill that desire. You’ll never get to a spot where you have enough. And finding your “enough” is key to finding contentment.

Desire Less

       The other approach to finding contentment is to begin desiring less and appreciating what you already have. By giving up your cravings for the things you don’t have, you can find pleasure in enjoying the things you do have. You learn what your “enough” is, and you often find that it’s what you already have. The idea is that you can find happiness and contentment in your current situation if you free yourself from the idea that more is better.

       Many people look at this path as striving for “the simple life”. All it really amounts to is defining your true needs and assessing whether those needs have been met. If they have, then you don’t need to desire anything else. If not, then you know exactly what you need to find the contentment you want.

       The power in this approach comes from eliminating all the desires that are not truly yours. The media/business/consumerism teaches us that we need more stuff or better stuff – that’s the way they make money. But those are false teachings. We don’t really need a car that can go 0 to 60 in 4 seconds flat or that can parallel park itself. We don’t need a house with marble countertops, vaulted ceilings, closets as big as a bedroom, and an Olympic size swimming pool.

       The truth is our needs are much simpler than what our consumer-driven economy would like us to realize. And we don’t find contentment or happiness in having more than what we truly need. Yes, those things may be “nice”, but they aren’t necessary for happiness and they won’t make you content. Focusing your life around getting nice things will distract you from finding true contentment.

       Our lives don’t consist of the abundance of the things we own (Luke 12:15). Happiness is not found in what we own, and contentment cannot be achieved by having more. Finding satisfaction in having our needs met allows us to find the balance between what we have and what we desire.

       When we define contentment as “when what you have fulfills what you desire”, anyone can achieve it. It’s a straightforward idea of contentment that’s really not all that difficult to accomplish.

       But when I talk about contentment in Christ, I’m talking about a different kind of contentment. By contentment in Christ I mean being satisfied with what you have in any situation. I mean that Christ fulfills all your needs and all your desires. And finding contentment in Christ is the key to true contentment – peace and satisfaction in all circumstances.

Stay Tuned!

       Next week, I’m going to discuss contentment in Christ – what it means, why it’s possible, and the power it has over the world. Be sure to sign up for free updates to Provident Planning if you don’t want to miss it!

       As always, I’m interested in hearing your thoughts. So please leave a comment below and let me know what you think!

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What Is Contentment?

Corey —  November 11, 2009

       What is contentment? What does it mean to be content? I wondered how it’s defined in the dictionary, so I looked it up. It says contentment is “the state of being contented; satisfaction”. Not much help, so I looked up content. It means “satisfied with what one is or has; not wanting anything else”. So then I checked the dictionary for satisfied, and I found “to have one’s desires, expectations, needs, or demands fulfilled”. So let’s start with a working definition of contentment as “when what you have fulfills what you desire”.

       Let’s visualize discontentment:

Discontentment - What You Desire Outweighs What You Have

       Whenever your desires outweigh what you have, you’ll find yourself in a state of discontentment. You won’t be happy with your situation because you won’t feel satisfied. Contentment begins when what you desire is equal to (or even less than) what you have:

Contentment - What You Desire Equals What You Have

       Contentment comes when you no longer crave or desire anything you don’t already have. It’s not just the passive acceptance of your situation. It’s a conscious choice to enjoy, appreciate, and accept what you have while giving up the cravings for the things you don’t have.

       Contentment will not come by waiting for it to appear. It requires you to assess your current situation and decide if that’s enough for you or if you want more. If you never take the time to really consider what you need to be content, you’ll never know if you’ve found contentment or not.

       This idea of contentment has powerful implications for those who choose to follow Christ. We’re going to discuss that in much more detail next week when we look at how to find contentment.

       I’m going to stop here today, and let you have your say. What is contentment? How do you define it? How do you know when you have it? What do you need to be content? Leave your thoughts in a comment below, and stay tuned for next week when we’ll talk about how to find contentment!

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Who or What Is Mammon?

Corey —  November 3, 2009

       19 Don’t lay up treasures for yourselves on the earth, where moth and rust consume, and where thieves break through and steal; 20 but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust consume, and where thieves don’t break through and steal; 21 for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. 22 The lamp of the body is the eye. If therefore your eye is sound, your whole body will be full of light. 23 But if your eye is evil, your whole body will be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in you is darkness, how great is the darkness! 24 No one 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 can’t serve both God and Mammon.

Matthew 6:19-24 (WEB)

       Many times “Mammon” is translated simply as money in verse 24. While the idea of serving “money” can help us get the gist of what Jesus was saying here, we can gain a better understanding by looking carefully at the meaning of “Mammon” and its context in these verses.

       The word “Mammon” originally came from the ancient Chaldeans. It has its roots in the word “confidence” but it also signifies wealth. The way Jesus used it here seems to mean the personification of wealth, as if it were a person, thing, or god that can be served. We can gain even more understanding from the fact that it is rooted in the same word for confidence. If we think of it as confidence in wealth, it flows very well to the next passage where Jesus tells us not to worry about food or clothing because God will provide. Our confidence should be in God and our priority should be to serve Him and Him alone.

       The idea of “Mammon” representing wealth also makes sense in the context of the preceding verses. Jesus tells us not to lay up treasures on earth but instead to lay up treasures in Heaven. We’re not to focus our lives on amassing treasure, or wealth, for our own use while we’re here on earth. Making that a priority in our lives is the same as serving wealth. It means that we make becoming rich more important than becoming like Christ – so that we are not serving God.

       This should be an area of extreme concern for all Christians because of the statement Jesus makes here. He says we cannot serve both God and Mammon. We must make a choice. And we must live out that choice. There is no middle ground. We cannot choose to amass wealth and claim to be following Christ at the same time.

       It’s clear why Jesus makes this statement. Mammon’s goals are directly opposed to God’s.

  • God says, “Give me your heart.” Mammon says, “No, give it to me.”

    •        

  • God says, “Learn to be content.” Mammon says, “Get as much as you can – anything you want.”

    •        

  • God says, “Never lie or rip others off. Be honest and fair in everything you do.” Mammon says, “Cheat anyone you can if you’ll gain something from it.”

    •        

  • God says, “Be generous and give to the needy.” Mammon says, “Keep everything for yourself. You deserve it, and you worked for it.”

       In every way the commands of Mammon are inconsistent with the commands of God – to the point where you cannot serve both at the same time. You must choose one or the other.

What Is Wealth?

       Some people have taken these teachings of Jesus to mean that we should not save any money at all for the future. The claim is that saving money, even for needs (not wants, or unnecessary things), demonstrates a lack of faith in God’s provision.

       But what, exactly, is Jesus attacking here? Is he telling us that prudent saving and wise management of our affairs is against God’s will? If so, how does that idea support the numerous Proverbs that encourage saving, wisdom, and preparing for danger and the future? Or how would Paul’s command that Christians should provide for the needs of their own family be following Christ’s instructions?

       The way Jesus describes serving Mammon does not preclude Christians from saving for their needs or the needs of their families. Jesus preached against unbridled greed and materialism. He taught us that if we value being rich and having things more than serving God then we will not enter the Kingdom of Heaven.

       Let’s look specifically at the idea of treasures, riches, and wealth. These words have never meant “any amount of money or possessions”. Who are the rich and the wealthy? Are they the people who have just enough to meet their needs, or are they the people who have far more money than they could ever possibly need to survive?

       Being wealthy or rich signifies that you have an abundance that goes far beyond what is sufficient for your needs. Having enough money saved to cover small emergencies or saving money for a time when you can no longer work does not necessarily make you rich or wealthy. You only come to the point of wealth or storing up treasures when you have more money than necessary to meet your needs.

       What exactly is Jesus condemning here? Clearly, He condemns putting money before God – service to money before service to God. The whole idea is that if you let money rule your decisions and how you live life, then you cannot let God rule your decisions and how you live life. When you make money your idol, your god, you are violating God’s command to never have any other god before Him and to never worship anything other than Him.

       For Jesus to say that it is wrong for His followers to save money, prepare for the future, and properly care for their families would require that He go against the Word God had already spoken. But Jesus isn’t saying those things in this passage – or even in the passage that follows concerning worry.

       What Jesus said is that those who follow Him must never put pursuing money above pursuing God. Indeed, if we make pursuing and serving God our top priority, we will not even become consumed with getting rich or having more money than we need (to cover our necessities). How can I say that? Because Jesus Himself said you cannot serve both God and Mammon (the greedy pursuit of wealth). So if you choose to serve God, His love will cause you to reject greed, materialism, and amassing wealth beyond your needs.

How Then Should We Live?

       Even though this teaching does not prohibit Christians from saving for the future, it should still convict us when it comes to materialism. When we choose to spend our money on things we don’t need we are deciding that our wants are more important than our poor brother’s needs. That is why John says:

       16 By this we know love, because he laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers. 17 But whoever has the world’s goods, and sees his brother in need, and closes his heart of compassion against him, how does the love of God remain in him? 18 My little children, let’s not love in word only, neither with the tongue only, but in deed and truth. 19 And by this we know that we are of the truth, and persuade our hearts before him, 20 because if our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and knows all things. 21 Beloved, if our hearts don’t condemn us, we have boldness toward God; 22 and whatever we ask, we receive from him, because we keep his commandments and do the things that are pleasing in his sight. 23 This is his commandment, that we should believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and love one another, even as he commanded. 24 He who keeps his commandments remains in him, and he in him. By this we know that he remains in us, by the Spirit which he gave us.

1 John 3:16-24 (WEB)
(emphasis mine)

       When we selfishly use the abundance God has blessed us with and close our hearts against the needs of the poor, we do not have God’s love in us. God’s love teaches us to lay down our lives for the needs of others. If we have some extra that we don’t really need and we see a brother in need, God’s love compels us to give generously to that brother – despite any claim or right we have to spend that money on our own wants. By choosing to follow Christ, we are saying we will lay down our rights just as He did so that others might be helped. If we do not follow God’s leading in that situation, then God’s love does not dwell within us. We must not only say we love our neighbors – we must prove it in our actions.

       Brothers and sisters, if you’re reading this right now and your heart is condemning you because you have chosen to place your wants above the needs of the poor, know this: God is bigger than the feeling of condemnation you have right now. He knows all things, and He knows that you want to do the things that please Him. His love can persuade your heart and give you compassion, so that you can testify to His power and love by laying down your life (setting aside your wants) for your brothers. Repent and pray to God for a change in your heart, that you might start serving Him and stop serving Mammon.

       Choose this day whom you will serve – God or Mammon. You must choose!

In Contentment, Giving, Personal Finance Bible Study, Prosperity, Retirement, Saving, Stewardship
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Show Me in the Scriptures…

Corey —  October 27, 2009

       A reader recently left a comment on my post discussing how much you should have in your emergency fund. Frank said:

Could you please show me in Scripture where it says believers are to have an emergency fund?

Thank you.

       I responded to Frank’s question in the comments, but I think this is an important enough issue to address in its own post.

       Not all personal finance advice can be backed up with a specific quote from Scripture. Does that mean it is bad or unchristian? Not in the least. If the advice follows the pattern of teaching and wisdom in the Bible, it can still be considered good advice for Christians despite the lack of a specific Biblical reference.

       For example, is there a specific Bible verse telling you that you should create a will? No. But it’s still a wise thing to do. Is there a specific Bible verse that tells us to update our résumés? Again, the answer is no, but that doesn’t change the validity of the advice.

       This concept doesn’t apply just to personal finance. Is there a Bible verse telling us to buckle our seat belts? Nope. But does that mean you’re trusting your seat belt more than God if you buckle it? What about looking both ways before you cross the street? Do you lack faith because you do this?

       The problem with applying the “show me in the Scriptures” test is that there is not specific advice for every single situation we will encounter in life. There are guiding principles and values that, along with God’s Holy Spirit, will help us discern the wise choices. But you’re not going to find Bible verses telling you to brush your teeth, stop eating at McDonald’s, or to take advantage of an HSA if you’re eligible.

       Scripture does contain many verses teaching us the importance of wisdom in handling our affairs. Here are a couple examples:

       The simple believes everything, but the prudent gives thought to his steps.

Proverbs 14:15 (WEB)

       The plans of the diligent lead surely to abundance, but everyone who is hasty comes only to poverty.

Proverbs 21:5 (WEB)

       Precious treasure and oil are in a wise man’s dwelling, but a foolish man devours it.

Proverbs 21:20 (WEB)

       The prudent sees danger and hides himself, but the simple go on and suffer for it.

Proverbs 22:3 (WEB)

       In fact, the entire book of Proverbs points to the importance of wisdom and its place in the life of those who follow God. But what about all the times Jesus told us not to store up treasures on earth? Or when He taught us not to worry about what we’ll eat and drink and wear?

       Tell me, what did Christ mean when He said do not worry or be anxious? What does it mean to worry or be anxious? Those words mean to be distressed, uneasy, and tormented with care about something (material things in this case). Christ’s solution was for us to “seek first the Kingdom of God”. Instead of being worried about how we’ll meet our material needs, we should be worried about how we’ll meet our spiritual needs – how will we serve God and draw closer to Him.

       You can be worried and anxious about material things whether or not you wisely plan ahead. I can have an emergency fund and still be worried about material things. I can not have one and still be worried about material things. Even if I have an emergency fund, I can stop worrying either because I have that money saved or because I trust in God’s provision. That brings us to the other main teaching of Christ about money.

       When Jesus taught about storing up treasures and serving Money what did He mean? What does it mean to be wealthy or rich or to have treasure? All those words denote an abundance, which means having much more than what is sufficient or needed. Jesus’ warnings about wealth were not to tell us that we should never use money appropriately to meet our needs. Jesus warned us instead of the danger in accumulating more than what we really need. He told us not to become consumed with money and wealth.

       There is a vast difference between being consumed with accumulating an abundance of wealth and planning wisely to have enough to meet our needs. In the same way, there is a huge difference between being occupied with worry and prudently foreseeing needs and dangers and preparing to face those situations. These two teachings that Jesus gave us are so often stretched to mean that we should never save anything at all for the future because that demonstrates a lack of faith. The truth is that Jesus taught us to:

  1. Give God and His Ways priority in our thoughts and lives.

    2.        

  2. Avoid storing up more money than we will need. (That is, not to let becoming rich be our priority in life.)

       Proverbs commends wisdom and many New Testament verses speak to the importance of providing for your own family. We are not taught to make ourselves a burden to others when it is within our power to care for ourselves. Instead, we are taught that if there are any among us who cannot provide for themselves it is our responsibility as fellow Christians to care and provide for those people. Jesus’ teachings combined with the rest of Scripture in no way preclude us from saving for the future, using insurance, or utilizing money in any other wise manner. What is forbidden is making Money our god – giving priority to accumulating more money than we really need instead of serving God.

       The real issue then becomes finding contentment in Christ and determining our true needs. The danger we face is allowing the world to dictate our needs and success (a bigger house, a fancy car, expensive clothes, etc.) instead of learning to live on enough (our daily bread). That is the bigger issue here and the battle all of us Christians face. Once we have submitted to God in our discontentment and covetousness, we will be able to make Money serve us and God’s Kingdom instead of allowing it to be our master. But these are all topics worthy of their own discussion (contentment, defining needs, and avoiding covetousness).

       Please share your thoughts on this topic in the comments. I’m looking forward to hearing from all of you!

In Budgeting, Contentment, Debt, Estate Planning, Frugality, Giving, Insurance, Investing, Miscellaneous, Personal Finance Bible Study, Personal Finance Bible Verses, Prosperity, Retirement, Saving, Stewardship, Taxes, Work
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How Much House Do You Really Need?

Corey —  October 20, 2009

A. H. Allyn Mansion by cliff1066TM on Flickr
       The median size of a new home in America has grown from 1,200 square feet in 1940 to over 2,200 square feet in 2008. And it’s not because our families are getting bigger – the average household size has shrunk from 3.7 to 2.6 in that same time period. Discontentment has fueled the false need for more space. Larger families thrived in smaller homes in the old days. And most families around the world live in small homes today. It’s not that we need all this extra space. We just want it.

       The problem with our imaginary need for bigger houses is that it artificially inflates home and land prices. These increased prices and our “need” for bigger homes stretches our finances far beyond the amount we can afford.

But It’s a Good Investment!

       The myth of a home as a good investment has also led us to believe that more is better. First, look at the costs. What other “investment” can you buy that has maintenance costs of 1-3% a year, is taxed every year, needs to be insured, and needs to be filled with furniture all while appreciating at about the rate of inflation? Yes, mortgage interest and real estate taxes are tax deductible, but the deduction is not as good as you think. Homes have the highest costs for some of the lowest returns of any investment option out there.

       Second, for a home to really be an “investment” you have to be able to get your money back out of it. Otherwise, it doesn’t really matter how much it has appreciated – that growth does you no good if you can’t touch it. So let’s look at your options. You can sell your home and downsize, you can get a home equity line of credit, or you could get a reverse mortgage (if you qualify). The HELOC and reverse mortgage are terrible ideas and only detract from the idea of your home being a good investment. The costs for those options far outweigh any benefits of owning a home as an investment.

       As for the other option, how many people do you know that have actually sold their home and downsized to access the growth of their “investment”? Some do, but most people look at that option as constricting and undesirable. They’ve built their life around that home and created many memories there. They don’t want to leave if they don’t absolutely have to.

       The truth is we only think of a home as a good investment because we fail to track all the costs accurately. If we kept good records, most of us would probably find that it’s pretty much a wash. A home is not an investment. It’s a liability and expense. You’ll save yourself a ton of money if you learn to look at it that way.

The Issue of Space

       Once we can stop looking at a home as an “investment” (and stop using that as an excuse to buy more house), the next thing we need to consider is just how much space we really need. If you’re struggling to figure out how you can afford to buy a house, going through this thought process could help you determine that a smaller house would meet your needs just as well.

       My wife and I rent a house with about 1,500 square feet of livable space. Based on how we’re using this space, I know we could live in 1,000 square feet or less quite easily. Yes, the extra space is nice, but we don’t need it. If we needed to make cuts in our budget, we could try moving to a smaller place. (Though it would be difficult to find anything for much less than what we’re paying to rent this place!)

       Consider your actual space needs before deciding you must have a certain house. Take bedrooms for example. How much time will you actually spend using your bedroom while you’re awake? Unless it’s extremely cramped, you’re not going to care much about how big your bedroom is while you’re sleeping in there. If you have children, can they share a room? Although most kids in our culture today have their own room, it’s not a necessity.

       If you feel like you need more space because you have so much stuff you need to store, consider selling or donating the things you don’t really use. The extra space you free up can help you downsize or just give you extra space you can do something useful with.

       I’m not saying you should make yourself miserable, but you should carefully consider your needs before stretching yourself to buy more house than you can afford. Just because a bank is willing to loan you a certain amount of money doesn’t mean you should use all of it to buy your house. Just because a Realtor suggests that you can afford a bigger house doesn’t mean you should believe them. They have a conflict of interest in convincing you to buy more house than you really need.

       The point is this – don’t convince yourself or let someone else convince you that you need to buy a bigger house than you really need. If you’re going to be pushing the limits of your budget, back off for a bit and consider your true needs. Reevaluate your situation and see if a smaller house would do just as well. Then look for the house that matches your needs rather than the house that’s just under the maximum amount you can borrow.

       Housing is by far the biggest cost in most budgets. If you can save a good chunk of money in this one area, you’ll have a much easier time staying on top of your finances and reaching your goals.

In Budgeting, Contentment, Frugality, Stewardship
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Selfish or Selfless?

Corey —  October 13, 2009

       Jesus did not call His followers to lead selfish lives. He taught about selfless living. He told us to forgive an unlimited number of times. He told us to give generously to the needy from our own abundance. He told us to love our enemies. He told us to repay evil with good. In every case of justified judging, keeping what we deserve and earned, hating, and revenge, Jesus taught us to choose love instead.

       Why does this matter for our personal finances? Jesus spoke often about wealth and the dangers of loving money. In every case, he told us we must not submit ourselves to the service of money or the lusts of riches. If we do, we cannot serve God. He did not leave us a middle ground. Jesus told us to sell what we have and give it to the poor. He didn’t say keep some extra wealth back for yourself to enjoy because you worked so hard for it. He called us to lovingly give to the needy out of our abundance.

       What’s an abundance? It’s having much more than we need. Not the kind of “I need a million dollar home” need. These are the basics we need for a comfortable (not luxurious) life. Jesus calls His followers to live simply so they can meet the needs of the poor and so they will not become slaves to money.

       Jesus didn’t tell us we should not work to meet our needs. But He did call us to avoid seeking wealth as our main pursuit in life. He told us that we should instead seek the Kingdom of God. Those who choose to follow Jesus must give up the selfish life and seek the selfless life.

       But how well are we doing this? American Christians as a whole (including me) have done a terrible job of following Jesus’ teachings about wealth and giving. We choose to satisfy our selfish desires (early retirement, vacation homes, frivolous luxuries, and other unnecessary wants) instead of meeting the basic needs of the millions of starving, homeless, hurting, and sick around the world. And it’s not that we just do these things once or twice in our lives. We have made an entire lifestyle – developed an entire culture – around it.

       As Christians we often try to justify it by saying we tithe or give to this charity or that mission. Or we claim that God has blessed us, so He must want us to enjoy at least some of it. But I’ve never found any justification for our selfish behavior anywhere in Jesus’ teaching at all. If I’m wrong, please show me.

       Jesus called us to live generously and sacrificially. He told us to put our desires and rights aside and put the needs of others first. I cannot see how Jesus could want me to buy a big screen TV when people are starving. I cannot see how it is loving of me to want a fancier house when people will sleep out in the rain tonight. I am blessed by God with everything I need to enjoy each day and do His work. I have not completely mastered these ideas – I still struggle with similar choices all the time. But God is opening my heart to the needs of others and showing me just how greatly blessed I really am.

       We have found too many reasons to push Jesus’ words aside to justify our own selfishness. We claim to follow Him, but we don’t do what He taught. Instead, we work so hard to get all the things we want (and don’t need). We are blind to how Satan has gained control of our hearts through our culture and money. We are not serving God when we spend on our extravagant wants. We are serving money (and Satan).

       There’s no secret to living a selfless life. There’s no formula. And I can’t set guidelines for what you should and shouldn’t do. You must choose to look at Jesus’ life for your example. You must choose to listen to His teaching for guidance. You must love Him, and He will teach you what it means to love others.

       Are we really willing to follow Jesus’ teaching? Are we ready to forsake the world, set aside our desires, and give generously to the needy in the name of Jesus? Are we going to take up His cross? Or are we going to close our eyes and shut our ears to the needs of the poor while we justify our selfish actions?

In Contentment, Giving, Stewardship
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