$950 - 30/3/09
$950
Sarah Schachtel
What would I do with $950? As a poor uni student, $950 will go a long way. Maybe I’ll splurge on a few meals out. Blow the weekly food budget. Buy that new CD I’ve been holding out for. Go on a road trip. Or even overseas. After all, I’ve been studying hard, I deserve a bit of a treat. And if the government is paying, even better. Besides, they really need me to spend it. That’s the whole point of this economic stimulus package they’re handing out to most of us this month.
But what does God have to say? No, there’s no a verse on how-to-spend-an-economic-stimulus-package. But there is heaps that God has to say about money throughout the Bible, and I think that there’s a few things that we need to remember when thinking about money, not just when we’re getting $950, but always.
Firstly I think we need to establish the fact that we are NOT poor. Please don’t ever tell me you’re a poor uni student while you still have a roof over your head at night, shoes on your feet, and food in your belly. We are the wealthy of the world, and we need to be thankful to God for putting us in that position.
Secondly, our money is not our own. Every good thing we have comes from God. Every dollar and cent I have to my name belongs to God and not to me. We may think we have earned it through hard hours at a stressful part-time job, but it is God who gives us the ability to work, and the job to work at. Not only that, but God made us and then bought us through the blood of his Son – I’m pretty convinced that he has rightful ownership of my bank account as well as my whole life. That $950 is not mine now, and when Kevin gives it to me, it still won’t be mine. God has given us different amounts of money and has placed us as stewards of it. May we not abuse that privilege.
There is also an underlying misconception in our society that we deserve treats. I’ve studied hard, I deserve a cup of coffee. I’ve had a rough week, I deserve a new dress. There’s only one thing that we deserve – hell. Praise God that if we have faith in him, we won’t get what we deserve.
I think a key to having the right attitude about money is contentment. “Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said ‘Never will I leave you, never will I forsake you.’” (Hebrews 13:5) We have everything that we need and more. We have hope for eternal life through Jesus Christ despite turning our backs on God – my goodness, if that doesn’t satisfy us, what will? New clothes, new music, new ipods, new countries visited – all these things will come and go. No, we might not have the latest mobile phone but the one we have makes calls just fine. We might not have been to Italy or Fiji or New Zealand but let us be content with the beautiful area that we live in.
Finally, there is a continually reoccurring call in the Bible for generosity. “Command those who are rich in this present world…to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share” (1 Tim 6:17-18). “If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him? Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but in actions and in truth” (1 John 3:17-18). We are commanded and urged to prove our faith genuine by caring for the poor and the needy. Frankly, we aren’t doing a great job of this. Every 3.6 seconds someone dies of hunger. And God calls us to respond! God cares for each person, rich or poor, and he wants to use us to care for them too. Meet their physical needs wherever you can. Give money to buy rice, to provide funding for a small fish farm or other sustainable food resources, fund basic immunisations programs amongst women and children. And give to see God’s kingdom expanded and enriched. Use the money God has given you to allow every person in every country to hear the Good News and be taught to follow Christ. Give as much as you are able – God demands no more, but calls for no less.
So what will you do with $950? I want to challenge you to be generous. Give it away – all of it. You don’t need it, you don’t deserve it, it’s not rightfully yours. No it won’t be easy – it is counter cultural, it goes against our nature, and I cringe as I write it. But we have the opportunity to be used by God to give generously and with joy. And “because of the service by which you proved yourselves, men will praise God for the obedience that accompanies your confession of the gospel of Christ, and for your generosity in sharing with them and with everyone else” (2 Corinthians 9:14).
Some good places to give your money:
TEAR Australia, Baptist World Aid, Interserve, CMS, IFES.
Look on their websites. Read up on them. Arrange to have your bank direct debited. Transfer money online. Come and see me for donation forms. Just do something – please.
Sarah is in her 3rd year of commerce and is a very slow learner when it comes to contentment and generosity. The Page welcomes any feedback! Send it to promotions@ecuwollongong.org
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