Security, Motives, Resources

We are taught to save money. Chances are, we will need it later. It makes sense to save money.
A couple of things I don't like about modern society, though: Our societal system generally installs a belief (sub-conscious, at the very least) that the following is how you should operate: Get “good grades” in school so you can go to a “good college”, so you can get a “good job”. Save money, invest money. Put as much into your 401(k) as allowed...

What are we valuing? The underlining idea here… is to do what it takes to be “successful”, which in this case can be translated as “make a lot of money” (or “have a lot of money later in life”), in order to have “financial security” (and have the THINGS you want, and live “comfortably”)(and some like to be envied, too). It’s good to save and invest. Right? Yes, but it also depends on your motives. Where’s your heart in the matter? Are we being a “good steward” of resources (or aiming to get good returns on investments, as at least one Biblical parable teaches us to do) in order to have more to help others with? –to make a bigger difference in people’s lives? ... or so that WE can be better off??? -so that we can live excessively… -so things will be easier for US… -so we won’t have to struggle… ??? Most people (if they’re completely honest with themselves) will admit that they are planning for their future security. SECURITY. Is that what being a good steward is??? -Engineering your resources over a long period of time so as to provide SECURITY for yourself (and family) later in life? Sure, there’s everything RIGHT with loving your family and desiring to provide a stable life for them. Is your motive, though, to provide a life where you’ll be able to live in excess? Most will say “no”, but most of us have a warped view about what is excessive, myself included.

Too much value is put into this model (chain of events leading to financial security, etc.). Typically we don’t even realize when we are valuing it. People often will make choices that are actually harmful, in order to be/become/stay “successful”. ---Work more hours, you can spend time with your family on the weekends. Take the promotion, uproot the family, change churches, states, schools, local relationships. It’s for the good of the family, right? How? What’s your goal? Why? What are your real needs?

The current economic condition (or “financial crisis”) I know is making things difficult for a lot of people. There are some positives, though, too. Maybe a lot of people will re-think their materialism mentality. Maybe more people will realize that some things that are here today might not be here tomorrow, and that you ought not to trust in your money for “security” and peace of mind, and happiness and joy.
I keep hearing about different non-essential industries that are seeing downturns (they’re never identified as “non-essential industries”, though)… and I have to say: So, less people are buying things they don’t need… Well… GOOD! Ticket sales are down? Nothing wrong with that! Coffee purchases are down? Big deal! People are driving less? Great! Retailers aren’t selling as many designer clothes? Awesome! And on, and on, and on… --- “Well, if all those sales go down, then those companies will have to reduce their workforce.” That’s probably true (but as sales decrease, they should be able to reduce the rate at which they are hiring people). But we shouldn’t support an industry for the sole reason that “it provides jobs”… --- I saw a thing recently where a women had paid a company $20 for them to contact companies on her behalf, in order for her to not receive direct [junk] mail from them anymore. I’ve also heard mention of a kind of “do not mail” list that would reduce the amount of direct mail marketing, pre-approved credit offers, refinance offers, etc. that go through the mail. [side note: I heard that direct mail comprises about 60% of the postal services business.] The postal service is not at all happy with people taking action to reduce their junk mail… Why? Because it would reduce their workload. Which should mean that they should reduce their expenses. --- Way too much of our economy is based on unnecessary consumption – either unnecessarily consuming too much of things, or consuming things that are unnecessary (one or the other, or both).

Then there’s the difficult issue of: Anything spent on luxury, extravagance, or even just plain un-necessities…… could have been used to make a difference somewhere (and “you spent money on the designer jeans, which helped the retail person to have a job, and helped the designer keep designing, etc” I don’t count as “making a difference”). So, is there anything wrong with spending [God’s] money on personal excesses, when it could go to “make a difference”? You tell me, you tell me… Not all “wasted potential” is actually waste, though. For example: The expensive oil that was “wasted” by the woman who used it on Jesus. Some pointed it out as waste, but Jesus defended the woman, because she “wasted” it out of love for Him. He was honored by her gift and her faith, even though it could have been sold and the money given to the poor. So, MOTIVES in spending (as in every area in our lives) MATTER. We all know that wealth is not a sin. Many people in the Bible were blessed with extreme wealth and material success. That’s not the current point.

Question: Has anyone ever called you out for “wasting” resources (mainly money), which could have been used to “make a difference”? How did/would you handle that? Would you explain to them that they should remove the plank out of their own eye before asking you about that? –or did you think about it and agree with them? -or were they incorrect, because it was somehow honoring God, but they didn’t realize it? Food for thought…