Campus CrossWalk Magazine: 2007 Spring Issue -- Financial Fitness

The points below are not about getting rich, whatever that means. They are, rather, about declaring independence from financial stress and anxiety.: 1. Don’t make money your mission! Christians are not “called” to a life of luxury, ease, power or fame, but to a life of sacrificial love and financial health. Money takes on greater value when seen as a means to higher ends.; 2. You cannot “create” wealth, it exists already. Neither does it create you. Money is a resource and your job is to be resourceful with it. It’s God’s money and you are His steward.; 3. Cultivate unselfishness. When Jesus said, “It is more blessed to give than to receive,” he was calling for humble generosity with our time, energy, skills, talents and money. When God blesses you with wealth, it’s because He wants you to be a blessing with it. Find joy in serving others.; 4. Good business is a “win-win” scenario. In a free-market economy, success swings largely on how well we meet the needs of those who pay for goods or services. Voluntary transactions made in mutual good faith should benefit both parties. It’s not about greed. It’s about helping others benefit from your success.; 5. Stay free from debilitating debt. Paul wrote, “Let no debt remain outstanding...“ (Romans 13:8).; 6. There is no magic lamp, and your name is not Aladdin. Don’t expect monetary miracles to fall in your lap. You cannot manage miracles (least of all for self-serving aims), but you can manage money. Do the math. Follow a budget.; 7 . Plan and prioritize. Don’t count on coincidence. Lay off of lotteries. Turtle beats the rabbit in the end. In 1757, Ben Franklin said, “Work as if you were to live 100 years. Pray as if you were to die tomorrow.”; 8. Stay competitive. Hone your skills and make yourself useful. Edwin Stuart said, “Men who do things without being told draw the most wages.”; 9. Be positive and optimistic. A Chinese proverb says, “Don't open a shop unless you like to smile.”; 10. Give a planned portion of your income to God’s kingdom-building work. Paul wrote, “Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion.” (2 Corinthians 9:7). Tithing (giving 10%) is a solid biblical tradition. Let the Spirit inspire additional gifts of grace as ability and need are evaluated.; 11. Be skeptical. Commercials are less about what you need than about what big-spending industries need from you. Ignore get-rich-quick secrets. Beware of huge promises at discount prices, especially promises for peace of mind. That is your legacy in Christ who paid for it already. If you think you can buy peace, you’re fit to be taken.; 12. Play by the rules and play with those who play by the rules. By cheating, you trade eternity for a thicker wallet. That’s no bargain.; 13. Be predictable. Others will see you as a reliable professional.; 14. The world does not owe you a living. Paul said, “If a man will not work, he shall not eat.” (2 Thessalonians 3:10).; 15. Enough is a feast. Be content. Edward Gibbon said, “I am indeed rich since my income is superior to my expenses, and my expense is equal to my wishes.”; 16. Avoid extravagance. We can live well without fly-in restaurants, themed indoor swimming pools, luxury accessories for pets, Patek Philippe Calibre 89 wristwatches (only $2.7 million each), Hermes “Kelly” handbags (just $10,000 per bag), and many other items we don‘t need.; 17. Stay connected to people. Do not withdraw. You need them and they need you.; 18. Watch less TV. High TV viewing rates correlate with high poverty rates. Don’t spend much time watching other people pretend to live.; 19. Don’t let Hollywood mold your mind. The movie “It’s a Wonderful Life” (1946) was about a likable banker who cared about others. How many movies have you seen lately with a plot like that?; 20. Trust God. Our national motto is not “In Cash We Trust.” God’s word says, “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).; 21. Keep first things first! Jesus said, “Seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given you as well.” (Matthew 6:33).

Joel Mark Solliday, B.A., M.Div., is the editor of Campus CrossWalk and the pulpit minister of the Northern Light Church of Christ in Minnesota. A Pepperdine graduate, he later served as a Missionary in Residence at ACU. He earned his M.Div. at Fuller Theological Seminary. His wife Katie is a junior high school teacher.