More Than Sunday: Kingdom Economy
“Money is the most reliable external indicator of where our heart is.”
Oh man, Tres! That was my first thought when he opened his message (11/24) with this statement. I grew up in a one-income household. My dad always provided for us, and I always had everything I needed—not necessarily everything I wanted, though. Fox grew up in a one-income household. His mom worked multiple jobs to care for him and his siblings. Again, he always had what he needed—just not everything he wanted.
Early into our marriage, Fox and I both made some inner vows and judgments (even though we didn’t know that’s what we had done) about our money at the time. To quote the modern-day philosopher, Ariana Grande: “I see it, I like it, I want it, I got it.” If we want it, we’re going to make it happen. Because we wanted our “wants” met, we made some dumb decisions in our twenties. Money was our external and internal driver.
Thankfully our parents taught us to always tithe to the local church. That was and is the first thing we budget each month. It’s a non-negotiable. We understand the Biblical mandate of tithes and what it means to God and for the Church. It did take us years to submit the rest of our money to the Lord though. It was a discipleship decision for us. Were we willing to take ALL our money to the Lord and lay it on the altar? Did we want to acknowledge that the Lord is the owner and giver of EVERYTHING? Ten years ago, I would have pretended the answer was yes. But maturity and wisdom are the best teachers, and I can now confidently say that we acknowledge the Lord as the owner and giver of everything in our lives. Glenn Shaffer would say it this way, “I own nothing. I possess nothing.” That is a hard, but vital lesson to learn and put action to.
There’s an undeniable peace that comes when you’ve lived out Matthew 6:25-34. It says, “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life? And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”
I’ve lived a life driven by WANT. Money has been the master of my life more times than I care to admit. My desire to have things when I want them has led me to make decisions in secret at times. I had a very poor kingdom vision for my finances. Thankfully the Lord was still faithful to me (us) during those decisions and always provided what we needed. He was also faithful in giving me opportunities to put my money where my mouth is. Was I willing to re-assign that allotted money to a friend in need? Was I willing to be a part of a community that lacked nothing because they took care of each other's needs?
Maybe you find yourself being driven externally and internally by money. My challenge to you would be to be honest and ask the Lord to show you how you are, or aren’t, living a life that acknowledges him as the giver and owner of everything. I cannot promise that his answer won’t sting a little. I can promise that if you are willing to see him AS everything, you’ll never lack anything.
Oh man, Tres! That was my first thought when he opened his message (11/24) with this statement. I grew up in a one-income household. My dad always provided for us, and I always had everything I needed—not necessarily everything I wanted, though. Fox grew up in a one-income household. His mom worked multiple jobs to care for him and his siblings. Again, he always had what he needed—just not everything he wanted.
Early into our marriage, Fox and I both made some inner vows and judgments (even though we didn’t know that’s what we had done) about our money at the time. To quote the modern-day philosopher, Ariana Grande: “I see it, I like it, I want it, I got it.” If we want it, we’re going to make it happen. Because we wanted our “wants” met, we made some dumb decisions in our twenties. Money was our external and internal driver.
Thankfully our parents taught us to always tithe to the local church. That was and is the first thing we budget each month. It’s a non-negotiable. We understand the Biblical mandate of tithes and what it means to God and for the Church. It did take us years to submit the rest of our money to the Lord though. It was a discipleship decision for us. Were we willing to take ALL our money to the Lord and lay it on the altar? Did we want to acknowledge that the Lord is the owner and giver of EVERYTHING? Ten years ago, I would have pretended the answer was yes. But maturity and wisdom are the best teachers, and I can now confidently say that we acknowledge the Lord as the owner and giver of everything in our lives. Glenn Shaffer would say it this way, “I own nothing. I possess nothing.” That is a hard, but vital lesson to learn and put action to.
There’s an undeniable peace that comes when you’ve lived out Matthew 6:25-34. It says, “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life? And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”
I’ve lived a life driven by WANT. Money has been the master of my life more times than I care to admit. My desire to have things when I want them has led me to make decisions in secret at times. I had a very poor kingdom vision for my finances. Thankfully the Lord was still faithful to me (us) during those decisions and always provided what we needed. He was also faithful in giving me opportunities to put my money where my mouth is. Was I willing to re-assign that allotted money to a friend in need? Was I willing to be a part of a community that lacked nothing because they took care of each other's needs?
Maybe you find yourself being driven externally and internally by money. My challenge to you would be to be honest and ask the Lord to show you how you are, or aren’t, living a life that acknowledges him as the giver and owner of everything. I cannot promise that his answer won’t sting a little. I can promise that if you are willing to see him AS everything, you’ll never lack anything.
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That Ariana comment got me! LOL