How much money do we actually need?
Can we give it all away? Or do we need to save for our future?
Too much savings is bad. It means we are not sharing or giving.
But not saving is irresponsible. As we do need something to retire on.
How do we budget?
Financial advisors tell us to set aside something for daily expenses, something for giving, something for contingencies, something for holidays and something for the future. This can be easier if you have a fixed income. But not if your income situation is not stable or large. And many of us are in that situation.
How would you advise in this situation?
Where does God and family come into your consideration in this issue of budgets?
Do you budget? Successfully?
If not, then can you imagine the difficulty faced by a Federal Budget? It is hard to predict the future. It is hard to line up national values, as different people have different opinions.
What would you do if you were the treasurer?
Showing posts with label money. Show all posts
Showing posts with label money. Show all posts
24 May 2015
18 April 2015
Go sell all that you have ...
In Jesus' conversation with the Rich Young Ruler, we read (Mark 10:21-22)
I live in a culture which tells me to save up for my retirement. Superannuation is compulsory. Adding more to one's superannuation is advised, so that one may live comfortably in one's retirement. People are clambering to buy houses while interest rates are low.
In another culture, people borrow from one another. Having only one ladder in the village is enough, as not everybody will need to use that ladder at the same time. They are happy to share. Here, people value self-sufficiency more. Many own their own ladders even if they hardly ever use them.
It would be seen as irresponsible to sell and give away everything in this culture where savings and self-sufficiency is such a strong value in the society.
However, Jesus turns it around. He says (Matthew 6:25-30)
But to hold the tension between these two values is not easy.
Mission organisations feel the need to make sure that members are cared for. Due diligence to make sure that members can pay of their debts. That they spend within their means. That they have saved up something through superannuation for their retirement.
How do you think Christians living in this culture ought to live between the extremes of this tension? How do they "give away everything" to follow the Lord as well as to be responsible under the value system of the society? By tithing? But tithing is only 10% and is not "everything"?
How do we put God first, and let God rule our lives if we hold back?
What do you think? What do you believe?
Looking at him, Jesus felt a love for him and said to him, “One thing you lack: go and sell all you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.” But at these words he was saddened, and he went away grieving, for he was one who owned much property.Thinking about it personally, I don't really blame the Rich Young Ruler.
I live in a culture which tells me to save up for my retirement. Superannuation is compulsory. Adding more to one's superannuation is advised, so that one may live comfortably in one's retirement. People are clambering to buy houses while interest rates are low.
In another culture, people borrow from one another. Having only one ladder in the village is enough, as not everybody will need to use that ladder at the same time. They are happy to share. Here, people value self-sufficiency more. Many own their own ladders even if they hardly ever use them.
It would be seen as irresponsible to sell and give away everything in this culture where savings and self-sufficiency is such a strong value in the society.
However, Jesus turns it around. He says (Matthew 6:25-30)
“For this reason I say to you, do not be worried about your life, as to what you will eat or what you will drink; nor for your body, as to what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air, that they do not sow, nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they? And who of you by being worried can add a single hour to his life? And why are you worried about clothing? Observe how the lilies of the field grow; they do not toil nor do they spin, yet I say to you that not even Solomon in all his glory clothed himself like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, will He not much more clothe you? You of little faith!God supplies all our needs. He cares for us. Without His supply, we do not even have the energy to find a job. Or do the job. All our strength and money are blessings from Him. And He is able to meet our needs. Why do we worry? As we trust God to supply, there is not the need to cling to wealth and self-sufficiency in the way our culture dictates.
But to hold the tension between these two values is not easy.
Mission organisations feel the need to make sure that members are cared for. Due diligence to make sure that members can pay of their debts. That they spend within their means. That they have saved up something through superannuation for their retirement.
How do you think Christians living in this culture ought to live between the extremes of this tension? How do they "give away everything" to follow the Lord as well as to be responsible under the value system of the society? By tithing? But tithing is only 10% and is not "everything"?
How do we put God first, and let God rule our lives if we hold back?
What do you think? What do you believe?
24 January 2014
Wealth discrimination
Often, people admire the rich, and shun the poor. This is a form of discrimination that happens in society. To avoid this discrimination, most appear middle-class.
Even so, there are struggles. Some of the poor end up poorer as they take up debts to act middle class.
Barbara Ehrenreich wrote that "it is expensive to be poor". She notes that in the USA, President Johnson started a war against poverty 50 years ago. “Better schools, and better health, and better homes, and better training, and better job opportunities” would be the ways the nation accomplishes this.
However, the ideal was not easy to accomplish. A war in Vietnam took the USA's attention away from this project. People were prone to addiction. People have children, and single mothers were an economic drain. People who stayed home and collecting benefits for their children made the poverty cycle worse, when their children lacked the motivation to work from seeing the examples of their parents. That caused society to label these people negatively. But, as Ehrenreich points out, "poverty is not a character failing or a lack of motivation. Poverty is a shortage of money.".
Ehrenreich points out that some entry level jobs that women in poverty find are really a trap. They cannot advance from these jobs, the pay is abysmal, and the jobs do not allow you the freedom to run your schedule. I know some garment factory workers in Cambodia who can attest to this.
Another one from Ehrenreich relates to accommodation. One needs to live somewhere where one can access one's workplace within a reasonable amount of time. Many move to the city for this reason. This makes rent in the city expensive. Those who do not earn enough to rent in the city are forced to stay in motels, which cost more money. It doesn't make sense.
So generally, unless some help is given, the poor end up getting poorer, while the rich live on, unaware of their circumstances. Do you think so?
A recent discussion on Australian radio relates to the present unemployment situation. Apparently, the government needs to review the budget, as the trend is towards higher unemployment. As people demand higher wages, employers find it hard to pay. Inflation pushes up the wages. But as business looks for off-shore resources to outsource to, and because of an aging population, this causes fewer employed people to support an increasing number of retirees and unsuccessful job seekers. How will the economy survive?
What do you think? Is there a way out of this problem? How does one escape poverty? Can the rich help? How? Do they want to? How are governments to create sustainable employment?
Even so, there are struggles. Some of the poor end up poorer as they take up debts to act middle class.
Barbara Ehrenreich wrote that "it is expensive to be poor". She notes that in the USA, President Johnson started a war against poverty 50 years ago. “Better schools, and better health, and better homes, and better training, and better job opportunities” would be the ways the nation accomplishes this.
However, the ideal was not easy to accomplish. A war in Vietnam took the USA's attention away from this project. People were prone to addiction. People have children, and single mothers were an economic drain. People who stayed home and collecting benefits for their children made the poverty cycle worse, when their children lacked the motivation to work from seeing the examples of their parents. That caused society to label these people negatively. But, as Ehrenreich points out, "poverty is not a character failing or a lack of motivation. Poverty is a shortage of money.".
Ehrenreich points out that some entry level jobs that women in poverty find are really a trap. They cannot advance from these jobs, the pay is abysmal, and the jobs do not allow you the freedom to run your schedule. I know some garment factory workers in Cambodia who can attest to this.
Another one from Ehrenreich relates to accommodation. One needs to live somewhere where one can access one's workplace within a reasonable amount of time. Many move to the city for this reason. This makes rent in the city expensive. Those who do not earn enough to rent in the city are forced to stay in motels, which cost more money. It doesn't make sense.
So generally, unless some help is given, the poor end up getting poorer, while the rich live on, unaware of their circumstances. Do you think so?
A recent discussion on Australian radio relates to the present unemployment situation. Apparently, the government needs to review the budget, as the trend is towards higher unemployment. As people demand higher wages, employers find it hard to pay. Inflation pushes up the wages. But as business looks for off-shore resources to outsource to, and because of an aging population, this causes fewer employed people to support an increasing number of retirees and unsuccessful job seekers. How will the economy survive?
What do you think? Is there a way out of this problem? How does one escape poverty? Can the rich help? How? Do they want to? How are governments to create sustainable employment?
11 January 2014
Ten percent
We read in the Old Testament about the practice of giving a tenth back to God. This practice is often called "tithing". We see examples and commands about tithing in Leviticus 27:30-32 and in other parts of Scripture.
What do you understand about the practice of "tithing"? Is it something in the Old Testament that does not carry into the Church's practice today? Or should the Church still continue to practice tithing? If not a tenth, then how much should one put into one's offering?
Some people believe that churches should not teach about tithing as a current day practice. A summary was put together by Russ Kelly which said that:
A criticism of tithing was found in Steve West's write-up about the practice of Hillsong. Apparently, Hillsong is a church that teaches and practices tithing. The church's leaders and the church consequently rakes in a lot of money, and even then, asks that tax-free concessions that are intended for poorer, struggling churches be applied to them.
But is that church not prosperous because of God's blessing to them? Is the criticism warranted? Or is it an abuse that has been exposed? Is it wrong for church ministers to be financially well-to-do?
What do you think? What do you believe? How much are we giving to the Lord through the churches? Is it 10%? More? Less? How do we be generous back to God, who has blessed us with everything we have and so much more?
What do you understand about the practice of "tithing"? Is it something in the Old Testament that does not carry into the Church's practice today? Or should the Church still continue to practice tithing? If not a tenth, then how much should one put into one's offering?
Some people believe that churches should not teach about tithing as a current day practice. A summary was put together by Russ Kelly which said that:
- The New Testament teaches that we should give generously, and not be bound by 10% rules;
- Old Testament practice of tithing was in relation to food within Israel only;
- Other offerings were given to God, eg. first fruits, not just tithes;
- No minimum amount was set in giving;
- Levites received tithes but were not allowed to own land;
- There were four tithes - religious/Levitical tithe, feast tithe, poor tithe, and tithe to the ruler;
- The poor did not tithe;
- Tithes were a form of political taxes;
- New Testament did not teach tithing but generosity;
- Church growth happened as church shared everything;
- New Testament teaches cheerful giving, not unwilling calculated giving.
A criticism of tithing was found in Steve West's write-up about the practice of Hillsong. Apparently, Hillsong is a church that teaches and practices tithing. The church's leaders and the church consequently rakes in a lot of money, and even then, asks that tax-free concessions that are intended for poorer, struggling churches be applied to them.
But is that church not prosperous because of God's blessing to them? Is the criticism warranted? Or is it an abuse that has been exposed? Is it wrong for church ministers to be financially well-to-do?
What do you think? What do you believe? How much are we giving to the Lord through the churches? Is it 10%? More? Less? How do we be generous back to God, who has blessed us with everything we have and so much more?
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