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Managing Mammon, Part 3

John Rosemond is a funny nationally syndicated columnist-and also a family psychologist. He likes to take unusual informal polls of parents. For example, whenever he's in a foreign culture, he'll ask parents, "Do your kids complain about boredom?" Without exception he's been told "No" outside of this country. In fact, parents in other cultures look at him with disbelief, as if to say: Boredom and kids just don't go together!

Rosemond also likes to question parents who raised their kids in the 1940s and 1950s. He asks: "When you were raising your kids back then, did you hear them complain about boredom?" The typical response: "Rarely."

In another of his little surveys, Rosemond asks middle-aged parents, "How many toys did you have growing up?" The answers range from zero to 10, but mostly these folks respond with something like, "Toys? We took a cardboard box, and we made something out of it." In contrast, Rosemond says the typical American child of five years of age has accumulated 250 toys! Now, since five-year-olds have only lived for 260 weeks, they're apparently accumulating almost one toy per week. Yet, they're bored!

So where does contentment come from? Does it come from having more toys? From going to more movies? From eating out more often? From enlarging our wardrobes? From escape of any kind?

His survey supports a statement by J. Paul Getty, one of the world's rich and famous people. The Washington Star reported that Mr. Getty was asked what single thing he would change if he had the power. He replied: "I'd change philosophy. People should be more content. The way to cure discontent is not necessarily to get more.... The old cliché about money not buying happiness is certainly true."

The Scriptures could not agree more. 1 Timothy 6 says this:

Now godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and clothing, with these we shall be content. But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and harmful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. But you, O man of God, flee these things and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, gentleness.

Note that 1 Timothy 6:6 says godliness plus contentment equals great gain. Living this reality, however, is a constant challenge. Our behavior too often preaches that godliness plus great gain equals contentment!

In over 60 of our broadcasts during the past year, we've studied what it means to make worship a way of life. This study has now brought us to the question of money.

A couple programs ago, we confronted the reality that all money is God's, not ours. We also saw from the Scriptures that money is not an end in itself. Rather, it's a means to an end. That is, he wants us to use our money—and everything else He has given us—to acknowledge His worth in acceptable ways.

In our last broadcast, we noted from the lives of the apostle Paul and Jesus Christ that God does not promise us financial wealth here on earth. As with all the rest of His gifts, He distributes wealth sovereignly, not equally.

Today, let's look at the secret weapon in financial control. Let's look at the role of contentment.

Satan does not want us to be content. He fights us, lures us, and deceives us in a daily battle. In fighting this battle, we sometimes actually help the enemy. We do this by comparing ourselves to others and our possessions to their possessions. This is a problem because it leads to pride if we compare favorably and it leads to dissatisfaction if we don't. That dissatisfaction builds and builds until we try to relieve the tension we feel by throwing money at it. We buy something - even if we don't have the cash for it - in order to 'keep up with the Jones'.' It's a financial emotional outburst.

Advertisers know this, and explore it to the max. It's a trap into which Satan delights to see Christians fall, since it wastes our money and reduces funds which could be channeled into much more spiritually productive directions.

The secret weapon we have is contentment. Paul set the pace in Philippians 4:11-13, saying that he had learned—the hard way—to move easily between poverty and wealth. How? By Christ's strength.

Do you want to control money better? Begin by recognizing emotional expenditures that tugs at your credit card. Resist them. Flee them, if necessary. God wants to renew your mind. The question is, do you?

Contentment implies balance. Your challenge and mine is to keep our "haves" and our "wants" in balance and under control. The key to having what we want is to want what we have.

As we conclude our look at using money to honor God, let's consider the priority of planning.

Planning is such a part of today's world that some Christians sincerely believe planning must be unspiritual. They feel it demonstrates a lack of dependence upon God. It seems downright carnal.

so. Matthew 6:34 is often cited in support of that position:

Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.

Actually, Jesus says nothing here about planning. This abused verse is part of a 10-verse passage challenging us not to be anxious. It isn't telling us to eliminate planning; it's telling us to eliminate anxiety.

Proverbs 20:18 says: "Plans are established by counsel; by wise counsel wage war."

There is no condemnation of planning here. God's point in this proverb is that we should make plans - and base those plans upon good advice.

Lifestyle worship is a thoughtful experience. It is "reasoned out." Planning-especially for important areas of life such as finances-must be welcomed as critical to the process for using our money worshipfully. The money, after all, is God's. Our job is to manage His money well, for His glory. Would you like Him to find you managing it or winging it?

Money is a major aspect of life, but don't worry about it. Keep the basics in mind:

It belongs God
Be a good manager of His money
Be content