Accountable Charitable Extravagant Foolish
Giver Good
steward Greedy Hoarder
Impulse spender Irresponsible Miser Open handed
Penny pincher Philanthropist
Reckless Saver
Spendthrift Squanderer Stingy Tightwad
Wastrel (waster)
Let’s look at some negative ways of relating to money;
Extravagant, Squanderer, Greedy, Hoarder, Impulse
spender, Irresponsible, Miser, Tightwad, Penny Pincher, Reckless, Spendthrift,
Wastrel, Stingy.
Notice that these negative attitudes are not all about
greed. There are as many frivolous
attitudes as there are selfish ones. So
if greed is not the motivator here, what is the common denominator?
The answer is that each of these negative relationships
with money is led by an emotion. Each unhealthy attitude indicates an emotional
response to a financial decision; not thought out, not preplanned, and without
any commitment to a consistent course of action. These “off the cuff” or “knee
jerk” responses to a spending decision are very common. There is an entire
market strategy aimed at capturing the dollars of the impulse or emotional
buyer.
In contrast, the more positive relationships with money
listed below are well thought out. They
are practiced as the result of a “pre- event” decision made by a good steward
to control finances in a healthy, responsible, rational way. Some healthy
financial attitudes are;
Accountable, Charitable, Open handed, Good Steward,
Philanthropist, Saver, Giver.
Scripture tells us that a person’s relationship with
money is an indicator of where their heart is.
For where your treasure is, there will your heart be
also. Matthew 6:21 KJV, Luke 12:34 KJV
A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth
forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil
things. Matthew 12:35 KJV, Luke 6:45 KJV
A person’s relationship with their money might be a good
indicator of how they relate to life in general. How a person treats their
money might be the same way they treat their time, other belongings, things
they might borrow, perhaps even their friends.
Are you allowing your emotions to dictate your response
and relationship with money? Are you in charge of your finances? Are there
areas that you’d like to have better control over? Identify the behavior that
you wish to change, pray for strength and guidance, and then take control of
your responses and your actions.
During October, Stewardship month, I challenge each of us
to examine our own relationship with our ‘good treasure’. Could we be allowing
our emotions to dictate our response and relationship with money? Are the areas
of spending, saving, and giving in healthy proportion? Let’s take a close look
at our position as director, controller and manager for each of our stewardship
decisions.
Once you have made a decision to behave a certain way you
need only to exercise that behavior. Do what you’ve set your mind to do. After
the first experience in walking in this new path I assure you the Lord will
bless you in ways you can only imagine. I’m not saying that making the right
financial decision will always be easy.
As with any new behavior it may take a little time to get it
consistently right. But you have the power in the promise of the Lord that once
He has begun a good work in you He will be faithful to complete it!
May God continue to richly bless you as we turn to Him
for insight and guidance.
Carol Dillard
Stewardship Ministries Director
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