I recently received an email from a reader that I thought would be perfect for discussion, because my hunch is that there are others who are dealing with or have dealt with a situation like this. I promised that I would try to get some opinions from the CPF audience, so if you have any thoughts or opinions, please share them in the comments.

Here are the important parts from the email I received…

I have a question that I’m wrestling with, which I’m hoping you can help me with. Recently my siblings have been talking to my mother and I about taking a life insurance out for her, in the case that she passes, a sum of money could be left for her kids and grandkids. The idea would be that we would all co-fund this insurance with her and them.

I’m struggling with this on two levels.

• Financially: I’m not sure it is a smart financial decision. My mother is in her early sixties and in relatively good health. The prospect of paying life insurance for the next 25 years or so is not very appealing.
• Morally: I feel like I’m making a bet on her death… a self-serving action. My mother is low income and I would rather put money away in the event that she could not care for her self (healthcare, long term living assistance, etc.).

I emailed you because your website seems to strike the balance between financial and moral wisdom. Please advise me, this topic is likely to come up over the holidays.

My thoughts

You know how sometimes you immediately have a strong opinion about something, and other times you really have to work at it to decide what you think about something? Well, I have been thinking about this for a while and am having a hard time deciding what I think – so I guess I should just start writing and see what comes out…

I think a few important questions to ask are…

What does the mother think about all this? Is she in full support of it because she wants to leave some cash to her heirs, or is she being bullied into it?

If she is fully behind the plan, it could be viewed as similar to her taking the policy out herself, except that she needs the help of the children to pay for it – which is fair, since they will be the ones who will benefit from it anyway.

What I don’t like about it is the “gambling on her death” aspect. If the children are really motivated to take out the policy solely for their own monetary gain, it seems like it could create a little bit of a conflict of interest between wanting your parents to live a long healthy life and wanting to get a fat check.

Is it a wise financial decision?

To me it seems that there is just about an inverse relationship between it being a wise financial decision and it being morally acceptable. If she was in poor health (but was still able to be insured) it would probably be a much better financial decision because your ROI would likely be a lot greater, but I would feel pretty shady if I took a policy out in those circumstances.

On the other hand, if her health is great, and you would have to pay into the policy for 25 years (likely with a very high premium) it seems that it wouldn’t be nearly as good of an investment.

Saving it for her instead

Personally, I like the idea that was mentioned of saving it up for her instead. With her not being very well-off financially it seems that saving up for medical expenses, long-term care, etc. would be a beneficial plan. It would benefit her if she got to a point where expenses got out of hand, but it could also benefit the children by minimizing the possibility that they would have to provide financial assistance. Then, if the money saved was never used, it could be divided back up among the children.

All in all, I think I would prefer to use life insurance to provide for family who can’t adequately cover themselves. Assuming the children are all on their own two feet financially, it would be something I would probably pass on.

We want to hear your thoughts – have you taken out a policy on your parents? Would you?

Bob enjoys dark chocolate, paying off debt, giving, Foosball, loose-leaf tea, helping people succeed, learning, anything God created, playing guitar, doing things the "long" way, Philippians, excellence, Chick-Fil-A, and making his wife smile. He started ChristianPF in 2007 and has been having a blast ever since. Find him on Facebook & Twitter.

The following guest post was written by CPF reader Amy Sullivan.

We live in a country resounding “Instant Gratification!” as its lifestyle cadence call. But despite the fact debt has become a badge of the American dream, some folks are going back to saving money and paying for big-ticket items with cash. With this new concept, there is no debt, there is no minimum payment due…but there is a lingering question – is it worth it?

Put debt into perspective

My husband and I decided to sell our home and severely live below our means to save 75% of our six-figure household income. In less than 10 years, we hope to pay for our next house with cash. Why?

First, the Bible is clear on debt — “The borrower is slave to the lender,” Pro. 22:7. We did not want to live outside of God’s Word.

Second, much of America is obligated to work at least 30 years (the most popular term for a mortgage loan) to pay off their home – often the biggest debt they incur. So they punch in their 9-5 continuously while life passes them by. We did not want our life decisions (where we live, vacation time, sick time, etc.) to become dictated by jobs.

Is it worth it?

Americans are caught up in appearances. Ask any person what they think a millionaire looks like and they’ll likely explain a person with posh appeal and expensive possessions. I passed a woman at a mall who I overheard saying “Well, she doesn’t look rich.” My husband was talking to a co-worker who said “I saw so-and-so driving a such-and-such. He must being doing good!”

Because we plan to pay cash for our house, my husband and I worked to “get over ourselves.” We had to:

• Be OK with renting an apartment
• Be content driving our outdated, rusty-but-trusty Toyota
• Be creative with our wardrobe
• Find free ways to bide our time
• Stop shopping retail, start shopping discount
• Start eating simple at home…a lot

To not bend your beliefs or lifestyle to satisfy other peoples’ view frees you to focus on your goal.

You have the freedom to say no

Part of saving money is knowing when and how to spend it. Outside of our expenses (which included rent, utilities and groceries), my husband and I had additional money we could either put in savings or spend. To decide, we ask ourselves three questions:

1. Is it a “thing” or an “experience”? Experiences are worth more than an item you will eventually lose interest in and sell online for half the price.
2. Is it necessary? Decide if you can live without this item or experience or if it is absolutely essential (ex: flying home for a sibling’s wedding).
3. Can it be bought for cheaper? If the price tag is hefty, try to bargain with friends, put an ad online or check out discount sites.

Especially with requests from family and friends, these questions help make saying yes or no easier and less emotional because there is logic to back it up.

You don’t have to waste time counting pennies

Aside from the obvious “stop using your credit card” and “pay off your balances,” you have to allocate your money. Many families devise budgets – little pools of money they can pull from to pay for certain items. They may even put “savings” into their plan. However, what do you think is the first to suffer when they overspend in another category or have an unseen emergency? What category do you think is the last to increase in “pool size”?

Instead of categorizing savings, know how much you will be able to save each month and automatically transfer the amount into your savings. Making savings automatic doesn’t even give you a chance to waver on saving your desired amount. Then you just live on the rest. It’s a lot easier than punching budget numbers every month.

You reap lots of rewards in the process

Our goal is to save enough money to buy a house with cash within 10 years. But that doesn’t mean we have to wait 10 years to feel any reward from living this lifestyle.

Turning from debt pours blessings on you and your family:

1. You are pleasing God by not being slave to the lender.
2. You feel less pressure to get a higher paying job to support your lifestyle. There is more flexibility if your wife wants to stay at home to raise your children or if you want to switch careers.
3. You have less stress when it comes time to pay bills.
4. You get enjoyment from seeing your savings account balance rise every month.
5. You enjoy the company of others instead of worrying what they think of you.
6. You come to realize what possessions you truly do and do not need.

You can get away from discouragement

Discouragement can derail your goals. But before you take out a loan, consider two things:

1. The feeling you will have once you have the debt
2. The feeling you will have if you save the money and pay for your big-ticket item with cash. Usually one of these feelings will prevent you from acting.

Your ROI will be great

Remember instant gratification, while the popular cry of Americans today, often leaves you chained to your desk, unhappy, dissatisfied. Delayed gratification, however, is a little investment with a big return. What a novel idea.

I once heard someone say, “challenges are just wonderfully disguised opportunities for growth.” I really do believe it to be true. Just like a strong physical body requires exercises that push it beyond what is comfortable, so a strong character requires challenges that aren’t comfortable. My newest challenge is that an advertiser owes me a lot of money.

The first time someone owed me money

I remember as a teen selling my guitar to an acquaintance from church and after months of reminders and little to no payments I realized that I wasn’t likely to ever receive full payment for the guitar. As a fairly young Christian, I learned 2 lessons. First, that Christians are people just like everyone else who make mistakes and don’t always do what they should. Secondly, that I could “fight for my right” in the flesh or I could let God vindicate me.

At that point in my life the $400 that was owed to me was a huge sum of money and it was honestly very difficult to cast that care on the Lord. I prayed about it for weeks and it became clear that the best course of action was to deliberately SOW the guitar into his life. I realized that I could either have a victim mentality, thinking that something was stolen from me, or I could choose not to have been stolen from and GIVE it, knowing that the Lord sees my heart and would reward that.

Looking back on this lesson, as difficult as it was it was so good for my character development. It helped me take a great step forward in breaking any love of money that was present in my life and ultimately helped me to better learn put my trust in God rather than trying to make things happen myself.

“Give to everyone who asks of you, and whoever takes away what is yours, do not demand it back.” -Luke 6:30

Today’s challenge

Fast forward to a today, and I have a new opportunity for growth. As a result of being a full-time blogger, I receive payments from quite a few different advertisers and ad networks. Up until a few months ago, I was making the mistake of not thoroughly keeping track of my payments. I just assumed that if they owed me money, they would just pay me. As a result of my naivety, one particular advertiser went months without paying and now owes me many times more than what I was owed for the guitar. At first I just contacted them to let them know, assuming it was just a mistake and that they would just pay off the remaining balance. Instead the last couple months have been a lot of me calling and emailing and getting little to no response and even less in payments from them.

As if the large chunk of change that they owe me wasn’t enough, this is money that I pay my bills with. It seems that the stakes are quite a bit higher than they were with the guitar in high school.

At the peak of my frustration I stumbled upon this verse…

“Let your forbearing spirit be known to all men. The Lord is near.” -Philippians 4:5

And just guess what the definition of “forbearing” is. Webster’s defines it as, “a refraining from the enforcement of something (as a debt, right, or obligation) that is due.”

I think God was trying to make a point to me, and as thick as it was laid on, I got it. To add to that, I felt like I was supposed to apologize to the advertiser for being too overbearing. After arguing and coming up with about 100 reasons that they should be apologizing me, rather than me apologizing to them, I obeyed and sent an email apologizing for my behavior.

The next verse in Philippians 4 says…

“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.”

While all this was going on, we were saving up every dime we could find so we could come up with the required down payment. I have to admit it was difficult not being anxious knowing that if they would just send what they owed, we would comfortably have our down payment covered. I guess that was part of the test.

So after all that I was convinced that I was going to cast this care on the Lord and allow Him to work on the situation. Right before I left for Florida two weeks ago, I called them to kindly get a update on the payment status and it appears they have gone out of business. It’s all a test.

There have been some good practical business lessons that I have learned from all this that will serve me well in the future, but much more valuable are the lessons that God is teaching me about my character and how to do things His way. I don’t know if I will ever be repaid from the advertiser, but I am confident that obeying God’s Word will always yield the best result – even if I don’t see it right away.

Bob enjoys dark chocolate, paying off debt, giving, Foosball, loose-leaf tea, helping people succeed, learning, anything God created, playing guitar, doing things the "long" way, Philippians, excellence, Chick-Fil-A, and making his wife smile. He started ChristianPF in 2007 and has been having a blast ever since. Find him on Facebook & Twitter.

This article was written by Lakita Humber who serves as the founder of Paneh – A ministry which exists to educate, impart and equip those called to worship arts on a variety of subjects, such as D.A.N.C.E. Out of Debt.

Is There a Such Thing as a Free Lunch?

One of the tenets of economics is “There is no such thing as a free lunch.” The underlying concept is you cannot get “something for nothing.” The phrase originates from 19th century American saloons attracting drinkers by offering them a free lunch. The catch was, in order to get the “free” meal, you had to purchase a drink. Some saloon keepers were prosecuted for false advertisement. (Source) Ironically, this type of advertising campaign is still in existence and actually accepted today.

I began to wonder if there was such a thing as a “free lunch?” Is it possible to get something for nothing? Is there a hidden agenda behind every act of generosity? Is altruism nothing more than a pipe dream? Since part of the Christian faith is generosity and giving, I believe there IS such a thing as a free lunch – even if I’m the one providing it! The Bible has quite a bit to say about giving:

“Give generously to him and do so without a grudging heart; then because of this the Lord your God will bless you in all your work and in everything you put your hand to.” – Deuteronomy 15:10

“He who is generous will be blessed, for he gives some of his food to the poor.” – Proverbs 22:9

“If a brother or sister is without clothing and in need of daily food, and one of you says to them, ‘Go in peace, be warmed and be filled,’ and yet you do not give them what is necessary for their body, what use is that?” – James 2:15-16

As a participant in the 10-Day Give project I was able to observe the responses of some of the campaign recipients. Many offered some form of immediate reciprocation. For example, if I picked up the tab for lunch, they immediately offered to do the same next time. I told them that it was not necessary. For me, the promise of reciprocity negated the point of the giving project. For the most part, they were being polite. Admittedly, if the roles were reversed I would have offered as well. Still I can’t help but wonder; have we become cynical about giving and receiving?

Most advertisers, marketers and businesses are giving to receive. There is nothing wrong with that, their agenda is to make a profit. For example, FreeCreditReport.com will give you a “free” copy of your credit report once they sign you up for a monthly paid credit monitoring service. Many foundations and individuals give to charities and non-profits to receive the tax write-off. Other companies give money or promotional items in exchange for publicity.

Again, I don’t believe there is anything wrong with giving in order to receive; however, this should not be confused with selfless generosity. Many of us are business owners and entrepreneurs and therefore rely on the direct and indirect benefits of giving – great! Every once in a while let’s remember to give without expectation (except the promise outlined in Luke 6:38). It may be as simple as providing someone with a free lunch!

I have always had a feeling that contentment was a critical component of having joy in life. As I have been learning this lesson on a deeper level, I have written about it (here and here). But lately I have been seeing a new angle on a few verses in Philippians 4.

¹¹Not that I speak from want, for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am.

¹²I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need.

Philippians 4:11-12 (NASB)

I added a little emphasis to the parts of verses above that I have been pondering. What exactly was Paul talking about when he said he knew how to get along with humble means and prosperity?

I am sure that for him it was a bit of a challenging process to be content living in humble means. He was basically on the fast-track to become a super-Pharisee -  from what I understand they were a very materialistic bunch. Then Jesus steps in and his life is forever changed. And a few years later we see him in prison writing that we should “rejoice in the Lord always” and be content in every circumstance.

Breaking the attachment to things

The first way I look at the “know how” that Paul was referring to is more of an internal lesson that needs to be learned. It’s that things are just things. They come, they go. They don’t determine your value or worth and you can’t take them with you when you die. Paul had some of the most tremendous ups and downs. One minute he was shackled hand and foot in prison and the next he was staying in the King’s palace. He seemed to live the full spectrum of having a lot and having a little.

But, his outlook proves that he had broken his attachment to things. He didn’t consider his life a failure and quit when he frequently found himself in prison. And on the other hand, he didn’t allow more prosperous times to be his pinnacle achievement that he would hang his hat on. He had a goal to fulfill what God had called him to and the things were just peripheral, so as they came and went he learned not to care too much. He was successfully living Matthew 6:33.

Practically living with a little or a lot

In addition to the internal lesson, I am starting to suspect that there is a practical element to what he is saying as well. Could it be that Paul is also referring to the resourcefulness required when times are tight? On a practical level managing money is a lot different when you have a lot of it, than when you have a little. If Warren Buffett spent 2 hours of his work-day cutting grocery coupons to save $10 at the grocery store, it would be a pretty foolish use of his time. Those same 2 hours could probably be used to do what he does so well and make many thousands of dollars. On the other hand, if you are only making $100 a week, it might be worth spending 2 hours cutting coupons to save $10.

My wife and I both had the painful experience of living well (and spending more money than we had) and then having to be honest with ourselves by cutting our standard of living to what it really should be. It is not fun at all, but trying to live like you are “in prosperity” when you are in a season of “humble means” is a path for destruction. What I have been getting out of Phil 4:12 is that if I continue to try to live like I am rich, when I am not, then I am only deceiving myself. For me, moving from having an abundance back down to humble means was a test from God. I think he wanted to see if I would still love Him if I didn’t have a lot of stuff. So I had to make many cuts to my lifestyle. I had to go without things I had previously taken for granted. And I had to start praying and trusting God for things that were previously commonplace.

Like I said, it was a painful process. But all along I knew that it was just a season and that God had more for me. And as a result of those lessons we have gone from debt-ridden over spenders to a couple who consistently spends less than they earn, has no consumer debt, and who was able to save a down payment for their new house.

One last thing

Just to clarify, I don’t believe that contentment means settling for mediocrity. But rather it is being satisfied at whatever place in life God has us at, while trusting that He does have our interest at heart and that he does want to bless us and see us succeed. So, I am trying to learn these lessons that Paul did and be content in my present circumstances, while trusting that God is taking me from Glory to Glory.

Bob enjoys dark chocolate, paying off debt, giving, Foosball, loose-leaf tea, helping people succeed, learning, anything God created, playing guitar, doing things the "long" way, Philippians, excellence, Chick-Fil-A, and making his wife smile. He started ChristianPF in 2007 and has been having a blast ever since. Find him on Facebook & Twitter.

The morning of March 8, 2004 I received an email from a close friend who told me he had a “word from God” for me. Knowing the kind of life my friend lives, I gladly received it as from God. He said, “God is going to use you in ways that are very different than you have envisioned. Be aware, attentive, and ready.”

Immediately, my mind started racing, trying to figure it all out. It seems as though answers to life’s questions never come as quickly as we would like. However, since 2004 God has given me several opportunities to do things in my job, career, and various ministries that I never pictured myself doing. It was necessary that I walk through these open doors in order to stay in God’s will.

For me, one of these opportunities is helping others financially through writings such as this one. The word my friend gave me has motivated and guided me over the last 5 years, and I’m going to show you how this same word will guide you and keep you in God’s will. If you have goals and dreams as I do, it’s very important that you know how to first recognize them as God’s will for your life and then how to make them become reality.

“Be Aware, Attentive, and Ready”

Be:

The word “be” in this context implies that you are doing something. What comes after the “be” is my part, not God’s part. To get a higher paying job or to launch a new business will require action. It won’t just happen by itself. Proverbs 21:5 – “The plans of the diligent lead to profit…” So, what do you need to “be” doing?

Aware:

Be aware of purpose and opportunity in every situation, particularly opportunities to meet the needs of others. While waiting for your answer, be an answer for someone else. Working that low paying job may seem pointless, but God has a plan and purpose for having you there at this time. You may be the only person that can reach that co-worker for Jesus. Dealing with that “jerk” supervisor or employee is growing your character and is valuable experience for when you become your own boss and have employees of your own. The opportunity you’ve been praying for may be right under your nose, but you have to get your mind off of yourself in order to recognize it. Be open to the impossible. Don’t limit yourself or Him. You have abilities to do things, meet needs, and earn money you never thought possible. Dreams don’t have to stay dreams. Be aware.

Attentive:

Be attentive to God’s voice. It’s one thing to recognize an open door, but it’s an entirely different thing to actually walk through it. God may be speaking to you right now about a dream or opportunity. You might think it’s impossible because the door just isn’t open. Many times, it’s not that the door isn’t open; it’s that the devil has hung a curtain of “fear” over the opening. However, the same God who gave you the dream and the awareness of the door to begin with will also give you wisdom, knowledge, and courage to walk through it. But, you must be attentive to his voice. You have to do things in His timing and in His way. Ecclesiastes 3:1 – “There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven.” Very rarely does God birth something in you and it be manifested immediately. (Just ask ladies who have gone through pregnancy.) It takes time. If you get ahead of God, you’ll find that you went through the wrong door. If you don’t have 100% peace that taking that new job is God’s will, don’t do it, no matter how bad you want to get out of where you are at or how big the paycheck will be.

Opportunities are for an appointed time. You’ll know when the time is right if you wait to hear from God. This can only be accomplished by spending significant and quality time in the Bible and in prayer. After doing so, an open door will invariably be in front of you. The level of peace in your spirit will tell you whether or not the door was opened by God. Maybe your time and season is now. Be attentive.

Ready:

Be ready – make necessary preparations for receiving your answer. If you’re not willing to set goals and work toward them, then your dream will remain just a dream. That better paying job, unity in your relationships, or sense of purpose in your life will not come. Even if you have recognized an open door and have clearly heard from God that it’s His will for you life, you still have to do your part.

We blame way too many things on bad luck. The philosopher, Seneca, once said, “Luck is when preparation meets opportunity.” Many opportunities are lost because we aren’t prepared for them when they arise. In other words, we can make our own luck, good or bad. The Bible says to make the most of every opportunity. (See Ephesians 5:16, Colossians 4:5) Can you name 5 things you have done in the last 3 months to make the most of your finances, your marriage, or your relationship with God? Work like no one is going to give you anything. Don’t expect problems to solve themselves. God is going to bless you and help you, but he will usually do so by giving you the tools with which to construct your own blessing.

Financially speaking, examples of things you can do to prepare to step through an open door of increase are:

1. Tithe – bringing the 1st 10% of all your increase to your local church. If you don’t do this, the doors will remain shut indefinitely. (See Malachi 3:10)
2. Prepare a financial budget, in faith, based on how much money you want to make (in addition to your current budget). This shows God that you are prepared to manage more money before he actually gives it to you.
3. Read books on how to prepare resumes and prepare for interviews. There is a reason that you’re having difficulty getting hired or even getting an interview. Read up, and find out what you can do to improve your chances. Everyone has something they can learn.
4. Read books in your area of interest. Many people make money doing what they love and enjoy. Why shouldn’t you? Remember, don’t limit yourself or God. You serve a God who specializes in the impossible. An opportunity may be right in front of you. Mark 9:23 – “…all things are possible to him who believes.”
5. No negative words or thoughts! Be positive at all times. Constantly remind yourself and others that your life is in God’s hands and He will open the door in His timing. No quitting. (See Philippians 1:6, 4:8)

My goals and dreams are still in the process of being met. But, this word from God has helped me to stay focused, see the impossible, and not give up. I must stay aware of opportunities, remain attentive to God’s voice, and be willing to prepare for those opportunities. It takes all three: Be aware, attentive, and ready, and you will find yourself in God’s will and your dreams coming true.

Steve Toschlog is editor of AfterTithing.com, home of After Tithing Ministries, created to help tithers and givers receive the financial increase the Bible promises in Malachi 3:10. As an accountant and life-long tither and giver, Steve has discovered some keys to receiving the full financial benefits of tithing and giving. He desires to put those keys to financial increase in your hands, as well as help you become a better manager of the money you have left “after tithing”.

Giving what you don’t have

We live in interesting times that make it very difficult to say no to things that seem good. It seems like a good idea to use credit to give to others. It is an honorable thing and I believe that there is often a great motive behind it, but I can’t help but think that it isn’t the best way.

I hear stories all the time of people trying to give something that they don’t have to others. I remember from swimming lessons that you shouldn’t try to save someone drowning by jumping in the water with them – because you will both be pulled under. They trained us to stand on the side of the pool and throw a life-preserver to the person drowning.

While there are exceptions to this, I think this principle often applies to our finances. I have received emails from readers who couldn’t afford to pay their mortgage payment because they were allowing friends to live with them for free. There is always a really sad story attached to these situations which makes it that much more difficult to say “no”, but that is a great example of someone treading water trying to save someone drowning. Ultimately they both are likely to go under.

Parable of the Widow’s Mites

³⁸As he taught, Jesus said, “Watch out for the teachers of the law. They like to walk around in flowing robes and be greeted in the marketplaces, ³⁹and have the most important seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at banquets. ⁴⁰They devour widows’ houses and for a show make lengthy prayers. Such men will be punished most severely.”

⁴¹Jesus sat down opposite the place where the offerings were put and watched the crowd putting their money into the temple treasury. Many rich people threw in large amounts. ⁴²But a poor widow came and put in two very small copper coins,worth only a fraction of a penny.

⁴³Calling his disciples to him, Jesus said, “I tell you the truth, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. ⁴⁴They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything—all she had to live on.”   – Mark 12:38-44

Comparing the parable of the Widow’s Mites to today, the striking difference I see is that today we live in a world where credit is available to most of us at all times. If we aren’t careful credit can be used as a substitute for faith and many times it causes people to feel compelled to give what they don’t have. In the parable of the Widow’s Mite, the widow was praised for giving everything she had – it turned out it was only a fraction of a penny. But Jesus seemed to really get a kick out of it – and was much more impressed than how much all the rich guys dropped in the bucket.

I can’t help but wonder what He would have said if she would have borrowed some money from a friend in order to put more in the bucket? Would He have been more pleased? Or would He have told her not to do that and to give what she had? What do you think?

Bob enjoys dark chocolate, paying off debt, giving, Foosball, loose-leaf tea, helping people succeed, learning, anything God created, playing guitar, doing things the "long" way, Philippians, excellence, Chick-Fil-A, and making his wife smile. He started ChristianPF in 2007 and has been having a blast ever since. Find him on Facebook & Twitter.

This is a reprint of an article I wrote last year… Enjoy!

It is kind of like becoming a tree

I was staring at a tree the other day just day-dreaming and kind of worrying about how long it was taking to get answers to prayer for a few issues in my life. I was reminded of…

Psalm 1:1-3

How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, nor stand in the path of sinners, nor sit in the seat of scoffers! But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and in His law he meditates day and night.

He will be like a tree firmly planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in its season and its leaf does not wither; and in whatever he does, he prospers.

In my case I have been diligently trying not to “walk in the counsel of the wicked,” and it seems to be making my answers to prayer take even longer. I have been earnestly trying to do things the right way, knowing full well that by cutting a few corners or compromising my values I could make the answers appear faster. The major difference being that I can get mediocre answers doing it my way or the fruit God promises by doing it His way.

The pre-requisite for our fruit bearing from Psalm 1 is that we:

1. Do things God’s way
2. Stay in the Word

If we do these two things we have the promise that whatever we do will prosper and that we WILL bear fruit IN OUR SEASON.

Trees grow slowly

As I was staring at this tree I began to realize that trees grow slowly. You plant a seed for a tree and it takes a while to sprout and takes a while to grow to a decent size.

Grass and even plants, on the other hand, grow a lot faster. They sprout up quickly and sometimes you can even notice growth one day to the next. I have been enjoying watching this rapid growth with all of the plants in my vegetable garden.

Grass grows fast

Then it kind of hit me that God wants to make me “like a tree.” He isn’t interested in seeing rapid growth that will not make it to the next season and is ultimately unsustainable. A tree, though it grows slowly, becomes a lot more sturdy and is able to withstand challenges that grass and plants can’t.

I am reminded of a storm we recently had that snapped my tomato plant right in half. The plant had grown to about 2.5 feet in a matter of months and was not strong enough to survive when the winds came. God wants to make us strong and sturdy to withstand the storms in our lives.

Psalm 92:7

“That when the wicked sprouted up like grass and all who did iniquity flourished, it was only that they might be destroyed forevermore.”

Psalm 92:12

“The righteous man will flourish like the palm tree, he will grow like a cedar in Lebanon.”

Trees yield more fruit

I am excited about the tomatoes that my plants will produce this summer, but even the best tomato plant would be lucky to produce 40 lbs of tomatoes in a season. But older mature trees can produce over 1000 lbs in a season.

The downside, of course, is that trees don’t bear fruit 3 months after you plant them like many vegetable plants will. Some trees will take a few years or even longer to bear fruit. I remember the frustration I had with this when I wanted apples from a new tree and learned that I may have to wait a while.

Patience seems to be a rare virtue in our society these days, but it is one that we ought to develop. God seems to like taking the long road with a lot of things and as I begin to see the reason behind it, it causes me to say, “huh, God really is smarter than I am.”

Trying to be a tree

It’s tough watching the grass sprout up all around you and seeing others bearing fruit when you have been faithfully doing what is right, but we must not be short-sighted. We need to try to look at these things the way God sees them.

Though the tomato plants around us may be popping out some fruit, while we seem to wonder what is taking so long, our day will come. God is doing a work and creating something in us that will be around long after the grass has come and gone.

Galatians 6:9 (AMP)

“And let us not lose heart and grow weary and faint in acting nobly and doing right, for in due time and at the appointed season we shall reap, if we do not loosen and relax our courage and faint.”

Bob enjoys dark chocolate, paying off debt, giving, Foosball, loose-leaf tea, helping people succeed, learning, anything God created, playing guitar, doing things the "long" way, Philippians, excellence, Chick-Fil-A, and making his wife smile. He started ChristianPF in 2007 and has been having a blast ever since. Find him on Facebook & Twitter.

The following is a guest post from John Gowan. John is the principal financial consultant at Financial Legacy Builders, an asset management and financial consulting firm that specializes in helping young adults eliminate debt, build wealth, and increase their giving.

Staying on Course with Your Finances

How many times have you started something that you never quite finished? If you’re like most people, there are probably too many instances to count. Oftentimes we start out so well with the best of intentions only to wind up disappointed in the end. We are determined to exercise more, lose a little weight, get on a budget, pay off debt, and start saving for our kid’s college fund. Then suddenly we get off track or start to slip back into our bad habits, leaving our lofty goals as mere distant memories. As Dave Ramsey likes to say, “Personal finance is 80% behavior and only 20% head knowledge.” As a result, financial goals such as paying off debt and diligently saving for the future actually have more in common with a weight loss program than they do with crunching numbers. If you want to see real change occur in your finances, it is likely going to require significant changes in your behavior, with focus and perseverance as two of the key ingredients.

The first key is to take time to identify your core values and to set goals in accordance with that value system. For Christians, this involves diligently praying for God’s guidance and direction on how we should invest ourselves to achieve His purposes in the world. By setting goals that reflect our values, we avoid the all too common pitfall of devoting our time to things of little importance in the grand scheme of life. According to Stephen Covey, many people climb the ladder of success only to find the ladder was leaning against the wrong wall. Setting value-based goals also helps to maintain a long-term perspective on life as opposed to constantly living for the moment, which tends to rob people of their future dreams.

The next aspect is to break down your goals into manageable steps with a clear and realistic timetable for completing each step. At the end of each step, consider setting up some type of reward for yourself that will motivate you through completion and help you celebrate your victories. It is also important to keep your goals clearly visible so that they serve as a constant reminder of your intended direction. Then tap into the power of focused intensity to pour your energy into accomplishing the necessary steps towards achieving your goals. Make every effort to block out distractions that divert your attention to less important matters.

The final aspect is perhaps the most critical. It involves having the perseverance to not get discouraged and to get back up after repeatedly getting knocked down. It’s a fact of life that things are not always going to go our way. Trials and adversity are part of every endeavor. “Failure is but a paragraph in the book of each human life. It is the pages that follow that ultimately define us.” (Jeff O’Leary, The Centurion Principles) The key is to continually believe in the impossible and to never stop believing even through the heartache and pain. Just remember that the sweetest victories are often the result of the toughest sacrifices.

How can we apply these principles to our finances?

Let’s look at one hypothetical example. Suppose through prayer and consideration that you felt your consumer debt was preventing you from being able to tithe a full 10% to your local church, which happens to be one of your core values. As a result, you decide to set the goal of paying off all of your non-mortgage debt within two years and then increasing your charitable giving to 10% the following year. To accomplish this goal, you list all of your debts smallest to largest and begin attacking your smallest debt with all of your available financial resources. Once this debt is paid off, you then attack the next debt on the list using the same focused intensity. You take an extra job, sell your ski boat, and start clipping coupons. You and your spouse decide to treat yourself to a night out on the town to celebrate every time you knock out one of your debts. You keep your goals and list of debts on your kitchen refrigerator, and you strike a line through each debt on the list as you pay it off. Your car had a major breakdown during this two year period, but you refused to let this discourage you from your end goal. At the end of two years, you successfully paid off all of your debt, and now you and your spouse are using your old debt payments to give more to your church and save for a trip to Hawaii to celebrate your newly discovered freedom.

Obviously these principles can be applied to all aspects of life, but the need to correct many of our bad habits often first shows up as a result of financial issues. Regardless of whether money comes into play, building a legacy is about focusing on what is most important in life and never backing down from the calling that God has set on your heart. After you do this repeatedly throughout your life, you will be able to say looking back that “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.” (2 Timothy 4:7)

I found an interesting article today about Michael Moore, the famous documentary director of Farenheit 9/11 and Sicko. Moore has a new movie coming out soon called Capitalism: A Love Story, in which he apparently explains why Capitalism is “Anti-Jesus”.

While I agree with Moore that we have problems in our current system, I personally don’t believe that Capitalism is the problem. As I wrote a few weeks ago, I don’t think the government should be redistributing our money, but WE should be redistributing our wealth by giving to take care those less fortunate. If all Christians across the world were giving like we should be, things would look VERY different.

In the article he makes an interesting point…

“[The wealthiest Americans] proved that the free market is something they really don’t believe in, they don’t believe in competition, they actually do believe in socialism, that we the people should use our tax dollars to keep them in their mansions and their yachts.”

The argument that congress would use is that without the bailout, the whole system would have collapsed – dramatically affecting everyone’s financial lives. Looking at how so much of the bailout money was spent, I think Moore’s argument has some validity.

Dividing up the pie

But, here is where I think he gets confused…

“but I do have very strong beliefs and these beliefs were formed not in the school of Karl Marx, but in the Catholic Church. Priests and nuns taught me these lessons of how we’re to treat each other, how we’re to treat the poor, and how we’re to divide up the pie.”

We are to treat each other with love, we are to give to the poor, but what about “divid(ing) up the pie”? If you look at the parable of the talents, you could argue the exact opposite point. The good steward (who increased what he had) was given more by the master. I am not going to pretend I know how judge whether poverty is a result of a lack of personal responsibility or the hand that one was dealt in life. But either way, Jesus told us that we would ALWAYS have the poor (Mark 14:7), so thinking that a switch to Socialism would eliminate poverty seems a bit misguided to me.

What do you think? Let us know in the comments below…

Bob enjoys dark chocolate, paying off debt, giving, Foosball, loose-leaf tea, helping people succeed, learning, anything God created, playing guitar, doing things the "long" way, Philippians, excellence, Chick-Fil-A, and making his wife smile. He started ChristianPF in 2007 and has been having a blast ever since. Find him on Facebook & Twitter.