While discussions on finances may seem overwhelming, it is crucial that we start from a position of communication and posing genuine questions. That is where we all need to start: we need to ask the right questions. How much is enough? (How much money do we need before we – retire? Buy a house? Send our kids to college?) Will we ever have enough? (Are we on the right track with our investments/savings rate? How long do we need to keep saving?) Will it always be enough? (What if we outlive our savings? What if an emergency occurs?) These three questions are naturally where we tend to focus when we think of our future, but there exists three fundamental questions that followers of Jesus should instead be asking:
- Who owns it?
- What are the finish lines? (How much is enough?)
- Is the next steward chosen and prepared?
There is some overlap between these three fundamental questions and the ones mentioned above, however there is a major difference in the focus or the reason behind each. In order to fully grapple with these questions, it is important to have the guidance of scripture as our foundation. One encouraging verse comes from Paul’s letter to the Romans.
“I appeal to you, therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” – Romans 12:1-2 (ESV)
We are instructed to be transformed by the renewing of our mind – a lofty goal indeed, especially when it comes to our beliefs about money – but we are not alone! The Holy Spirit is our guide, and He speaks to us clearly through God’s Word. The Bible is the source of all wisdom, and it speaks authoritatively and timelessly to all financial planning and decision making, giving wisdom for the process and principles for the decisions.
As we explore the three fundamental questions, I would like to incorporate some “transferable concepts” I have studied in my Kingdom Advisors’ training. Campus Crusade for Christ (CRU) defines “a transferable concept” as “an idea or a truth which can be transferred or communicated from one person to another and then to another, spiritual generation after generation, without distorting or diluting its original meaning.” Just in that definition alone, there is an important emphasis on generational wisdom (which I will discuss shortly). We see the important use “transferable concepts” throughout scripture as well.
“And what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.” – 2 Timothy 2:2 (ESV)
One such transferable concept – which answers our first fundamental question – is “God owns it all; therefore I am a steward.” I begin here because the belief that God owns everything – my money, my belongings, my children, even my own life – will shift my focus from my own comfort and my own fears of the future, to God’s Kingdom. The concept of stewardship should be the heart of our belief about money as Christians.
Another crucial transferable concept is “spend less than you earn. Building short-term savings is the only way to meet long-term goals.” It is very common for clients to have deep concerns about their future and or their budget. It can seem like a daunting task trying to nail down a “number” for how much you will need in retirement, and even nailing down what you would like to do during retirement or how long it will last. Going back to basics and taking a look at your spending and saving habits is a great starting place.
I spoke in my first blog post on the concept of contentment, which is the heart of the third transferable concept I’d like to discuss – “An eternal perspective allows me to be content with what I have.” When thinking about contentment, and what it looks like in our lives, I’d like to take a page out of the greatest Teacher’s lesson plan and ask some probing questions. Jesus asked his followers questions all the time in order to change their thinking, and in order to change their focus from themselves to Him, the provider of all answers. When you ask “Will we ever have enough to do all of the things we’d like to do?” can you expand and list some of your most important future goals? When it comes to your current finances (bills, lifestyle spending, saving for future expenses, etc.) are there areas where you may be struggling with being content?
One final transferable concept – which may not be on your radar but is vitally important nonetheless – “Pass wisdom before passing wealth.” Many of my clients have children and grandchildren (and even great-grandchildren), and as a mother of three myself, I know what an incredible blessing our children are. One of my favorite Psalms is:
“Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb a reward. Like arrows in the hand of a warrior are the children of one’s youth. Blessed is the man who fills his quiver with them! He shall not be put to shame when he speaks with his enemies in the gate.” – Psalm 127:3-5
Many of our questions on finances seem to revolve around our own future, but I would encourage you to spend some more time together discussing what the future looks like for our children, and someday grandchildren, and even great-grandchildren! Shifting our focus to leaving a legacy and what that looks like for our kids is truly humbling, and God tells us in his word that it is one of the best ways to turn our eyes toward Him and His Kingdom! Proverbs 13:22a tells us:
“A good man leaves an inheritance to his children’s children.”
I’d like to leave you with some more questions to encourage your discussion of your future and your finances. The first is, what does your spouse think? I applaud you for diving into some challenging topics with one another, and I encourage you to keep pressing on. Are there topics where you may be assuming you know what your spouse thinks…but maybe you have never take the time to ask her/him and truly understand her/his heart? What are her/his ideas for retirement/the future?
Another important question: have you thought of increasing your giving? Again, shifting our focus from ourselves to others can alleviate our fears of the future. We give generously because it breaks the power of money over our lives. Lastly, what is the likely impact of your financial decisions on your children? I encourage you to go to God’s word and read what He has to say about leaving a legacy. These questions are the tip of the iceberg – there is so much more to learn and I look forward to learning along with you.