Free Money!

My first experience with a credit card illustrates my former fiscal ignorance. The minute I turned 18, I had figured out a way to get one of those cute little plastic things, which seemed to be the key to unlocking material happiness. I waited anxiously for it to arrive, checking the mail day after day. Then boom, there it was. I called to activate it right away and then hopped in my car to see what kind of damage I could do. Within one hour I had maxed out my balance of $500 by purchasing a brand new stereo system for my car (about the same cost as the car itself). Wow. I couldn’t believe the freedom and the newfound joy that came with my own ten-disc CD player and sound system. Bon Jovi never sounded so good!

Reality Bites

The love story took a turn south, however, when less than a month later, I went outside one morning to find my stereo system stolen from my car, along with my entire collection of music. I was devastated and angry that someone had stolen my new system. But the worst part came when the first bill finally showed up, along with the stark realization that credit cards aren’t free money. I was stuck paying off a nice stereo that I didn’t even get to listen to anymore. I was paying an enormous interest rate while someone else was enjoying the fruit of my folly. Fast forward a few years. Jesus steps in to forever change my heart and, more slowly, my wallet. I’m still in need of much, further sanctification, but the Gospel has gripped me and continues to change my outlook. No longer is money the source of my hope or the thing to be worshiped. Rather, it’s a tool with which to worship God. My initial salvation began an unfinished journey of seeing my stuff in a totally different light, a biblical light.

Faith or Fear

Last Saturday I had the opportunity to teach at the Financial Training Day. It was my task to start the day by speaking on the Bible and money. It is my hope and prayer that as Christians we get this completely—that our head knowledge on the subject moves to heart transformation. The culture elevates money as a god, and when hard times come, like the one we’re in now, fear is the dominant mood. People are angry, panicked, and afraid—and rightly so if they’re hoping for their money to save them. I don’t want to belittle the difficulty and struggle that some are experiencing today, but we have to move from fear to faith. This was the intent of the Financial Training Day, to help people begin this journey. Over the next week or so, I’ll be sharing some of what was taught at the event. To get started, here’s the introductory session: