My schedule has been super busy and hectic this past month as I’ve learned how this whole house buying/budgeting process works, but the biggest thing I’ve learned from it is how dangerous and enticing the love of money can be.
In the past (while I’ve provided for just myself in fairly cheap rent scenarios), I’ve always felt super comfortable with my finances and was able to live “comfortably” when it came to money. It was easy to give to my church because it really didn’t “cost” me much. I had plenty, was spending little, and had no reason not to give. I was like the rich people Jesus described in the following scenario…
“And he sat down opposite the treasury and watched the people putting money into the offering box. Many rich people put in large sums. And a poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which make a penny.And he called his disciples to him and said to them, ‘Truly, I say to you, this poor widow has put in more than all those who are contributing to the offering box. For they all contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty has put in everything she had, all she had to live on.'”–Mark 12: 41-44
Now that I’ve got a mortgage of my own, the temptation to hoard whatever money is left for myself has become all the more real. It’s not so easy to give to my church and to others now that I have a much tighter budget and begin thinking about the demands of having a family of my own someday.
The situation has caused a little anxiety for me and I’ve wasted lots of time over the last month worrying about it–even though I have little reason to be!
God has always provided for me and my family throughout the entirety of my life. Whether our money scenario was going really well or trending down, God’s always given us what we needed and then some.
I don’t know why I haven’t handled all this better. For God promises that He’ll provide everything I need no matter what my financial situation is. I was reading in Matthew this past week, when I came over this passage. I’ve heard it a thousand times throughout my life, but after this past month, it really spoke to me like never before.
“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.”–Matthew 6: 25-34
Now God doesn’t promise in these verses to give me all I “want” necessarily, but He does promise to provide me with all that I need. Therefore, as long as I’m smart, prayerful, and faithful with my finances, I need not worry! Because worrying about it leads to nothing but stress, selfishness, and greed…
“For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.”– 1 Timothy 6: 10
I don’t want to pierce myself with griefs that don’t matter–it’s not like I can take any of my earthly possessions with me when I die! Rather, I want to be pierced by the freedom that comes through faith in Jesus Christ, who provides so much more than this world has to offer.
Lord, help me give even when it’s not comfortable and easy. Let me be more like the poor widow who had the faith and trust to give knowing You provide so much more…
-BH
Brady Hammond 
Well said! It seems like every time I have worried about money when a big event has happened in my life, such as getting a new job, getting married, buying a house or having children, God has always provided for us. It’s important to share some of the gifts He has given us to build His kingdom and to help those less fortunate.