Trusting God with Wealth - Part Two

HOW WEALTH HAS BLESSED US

Undoubtedly the most significant blessing of wealth has been the privilege of partnering with our church, as well as various missionaries and ministry organizations to carry out God's work in the world. Over the past 10 years, we've helped to develop the first written language and Scripture translation for a tribe in Papua, New Guinea; purchased beds for an orphanage in Romania; sent inner-city teens to Christian summer camps; funded a ministry that evangelizes Muslim clerics; paid for the training of pastors in the Democratic Republic of Congo; and helped share the gospel on college campuses.

This is just a small sample of the many excellent ministries and mission efforts in the world today. My husband and I feel that our job is relatively easy—we simply write checks and pray. But our prayers and checks are an essential support for those who lay down their lives in the work of God's kingdom.

Another blessing of wealth is having the ability to respond to needs that are presented to us. For example, when there is a major natural disaster, such as the tsunami in Asia, hurricane Katrina, or the earthquake in Pakistan, we are able to give generously to relief efforts. When a ministry or missionary we support has a special need or launches a new project, we can help provide the financial resources.

We've also been able to help missionaries and other individuals with extraordinary personal needs, such as medical expenses, education fees, or moving costs. Occasionally, we've felt led to help a friend or acquaintance in reduced circumstances or facing a financial crisis (more on this in a moment).

Finally, having wealth has blessed us by providing a cushion against those unexpected financial hits that everyone faces — a major car repair, water damage in the house, expensive vet bills, and so forth. When these unforeseen expenses occur, we are able to handle them without alarm and without having to cut back on other spending.

HOW WEALTH HAS CHALLENGED US

One challenge of having wealth is the ongoing need for wisdom and discernment in whether and how to address needs that we become aware of. This is particularly challenging when an individual or a family is experiencing financial distress. I have the gift of mercy and my first impulse is to give help to anyone who asks. This is not always wise.

I've learned that God has a purpose for every set of circumstances that He allows, and I need to seek His purposes and work along with them. As Christians, our hearts' desire is to help others. When someone has a problem, we immediately hone in on how to "fix" it, whether by giving money, recommending a counselor or a good book, or prescribing a particular course of action. But when we rush in to "fix" someone's problem, we may not be allowing time and space for God to work in that situation.

My husband and I pray for wisdom and guidance, but even after praying, we often wrestle with what God might have us do in a given situation. We do know that the Bible has many, many commands about helping the poor, so we tend to err on the side of generosity rather than caution.

I John 3:17-18 says, "If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him? Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth."

We also know that God has been incredibly gracious to us, and He wants us to extend grace to others. Our decision to help another should not necessarily be based on whether they "deserve" help (however we might judge that) because we know that He has not treated us as our sins deserve (Psalm 103:10).

As we've given over the years, one thing has become extremely clear: The problems of this world are God-sized problems. Although money can alleviate some circumstances and money is absolutely necessary for ministries to function, the most significant problems of the world cannot be solved with money alone. In fact, many financial problems, both for individuals and nations, are really symptoms of deeper spiritual problems. Our giving, no matter how generous, is just a small part of the solution.

When some people come to grips with this fact, they might become cynical, thinking, "If my giving makes so little difference, why bother?" But this question could be asked about any other work in the kingdom of God. Sometimes it seems that we labor very hard for minimal results.

But I believe that God wants us to be faithful and obedient and to trust Him with the results. He has arranged His kingdom in such a way that it's rare for one individual to have a huge, visible impact. Rather, His purposes advance through the combined efforts of countless individuals who, by faith, give, pray, teach, encourage, plan, organize, and do whatever task God assigns them.

So, by faith, we give to the needs God shows us, and we trust that He will accomplish His purposes as He has promised in His word.

THE MOST SIGNIFICANT CHALLENGE

The most significant challenge of wealth is not pondering where and how to give, or wondering whether our giving makes a difference in God's eternal scheme. Undoubtedly, the most significant challenge is the ongoing temptation to look to our wealth for security and significance. It's easy to rely on our wealth for assurance that we will always have our material needs met.

Wealth does provide a cushion against those day-to-day financial crises. But God's word tells us that money can never be a source of true security. For example, we read in I Timothy 6:17, "Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment."

A more subtle temptation than relying on wealth for security is that of looking to wealth as a source of significance. Although we don't flaunt what we have, we do feel a certain satisfaction in knowing that we've been successful in business, that we live in an affluent community, that we can afford certain things (even if we don't buy them). We must constantly battle the belief that what we have achieved and attained is what makes us important.

True significance is not found in wealth, power, status or accomplishment, but in the fact that God loves us and has called us into His kingdom and glory (I Thessalonians 2:12). In fact, He was willing to pay the highest imaginable price — the life of His son — to purchase us for Himself. If God — the creator and divine judge of the universe — has chosen us, adopted us, and made us His heirs, what could possibly add to the significance we already have?

This temptation to find significance in wealth is something we battle not only in ourselves, but also in our children. Our two teenagers, like most teens, notice all the "stuff" their friends have, and want the same for themselves. They know we could afford to buy them a trendy new car or SUV as nice as any that their friends drive. Our daughter knows that we could afford to buy her a new designer purse every season or new clothes every week (as she claims some of her friends enjoy).

Of course, we explain to our children that we limit our spending in order to be able to give as generously as possible. We've tried to teach them the idea of "treasure in heaven" and show them what the Bible says about the danger and foolishness of materialism. Our hope is that, as they mature, they won't resent the money we give away, but rather come to understand, respect, and even emulate our decisions with regard to money and giving.

A TEMPTATION

I mentioned in the original article that we realized how easily we could escalate our lifestyle when we had the means to do so. We resisted this by giving generously and thus limiting the amount we had to spend on ourselves. Nevertheless, for many years, we were not very disciplined in our spending. We wanted to enjoy the freedom of living without a budget, and although we would make a budget, we didn't concern ourselves too much with whether our spending matched our plan. Fortunately, neither of us is enamored by designer clothes, jewelry, luxury cars and such, but we could always find plenty of ways to spend money in smaller increments.

In other words, we tended to be careless with money because we had so much. Yes, we were giving very generously, but we were not being truly faithful servants of all that God had entrusted to us.

If we believe that all we have belongs to God and that we are His servants, charged with using wealth for His glory, then we must handle that wealth carefully. This does not mean we cannot enjoy our blessings from God, for enjoying what He has given is part of His plan (I Timothy 6:17). It does mean, I believe, that we are to handle the wealth in such a way that we can be as generous as possible in supporting God's purposes.

A SETBACK

God, in His Fatherly love, brought circumstances into our lives to train us to be better servants of the wealth He had entrusted to us. In the year 2000, we had a significant financial setback. We had made a large investment in a fast-growing private company, and were on the verge of harvesting a huge return through an initial public stock offering. Within a week of filing the papers for the IPO, the stock market began an enormous correction –the "dotcom crash." The IPO we anticipated immediately became unfeasible. Because the company we had invested in was growing rapidly and consuming quite a bit of cash, we needed an exit. But with the public market in freefall, private-equity investors were jittery. We eventually sold our stock in the company, but instead of making a huge return, we were dealt a significant loss.

By itself, this would have been a major setback. At the same time however, my husband had taken over as CEO of another small business in which we had invested quite a lot of money. As he began running the business day-to-day, he realized how serious its problems had become. Many evenings, he would come home and say, "This thing is so broken I don't know if I can fix it." To help the company get on a sounder footing, he did not take a salary for almost a year.

OUR RESPONSE

We realized immediately that we needed to conserve our personal financial resources, so we analyzed our spending and found areas where we could cut back or cut out altogether. We streamlined our budget, cutting out many "extras," and we sought ways to reduce expenses in small but ongoing ways, such as installing energy-saving thermostats and changing to a cheaper phone service.

I don't want to give the impression that we suffered in any major way. Compared to what many people go through, this was mild. We still had significant assets, including a very nice house that was paid in full. But we realized that we could not afford to be careless in the amount we spent.

The setback we experienced was truly a test of faith. Shortly before it happened, we had attended the annual Generous Giving Conference in Atlanta, Georgia. My husband was tremendously inspired by Bruce Wilkinson's talk on eternal rewards. Bruce (author of The Prayer of Jabez) had challenged us to enlarge our vision of what God could do through us. I don't remember his exact words, but his challenge was along these lines: "If you believe God has given you the gift of giving, are you praying and fasting and asking Him to do more through you? Are you asking God to do more than you know you are capable of right now?"

This inspired my husband to begin fasting one day each week and setting aside time to pray on that morning specifically for his businesses' success. Losing money seemed a strange way for God to answer this heartfelt prayer and our sincere desire to do more for Him. We wondered why God would take away wealth from people who had been faithful in giving generously. We also wondered why God chose to discipline us instead of other Christians we knew, who lived much more extravagant lifestyles and didn't give as generously. (And, of course, Jesus whispers, "What is that to you?" – John 21:22) In general, we struggled with feelings of anger, abandonment, perplexity and fear.

Nevertheless, we knew God was sovereign and we knew He had a purpose in this, even though it was hidden to us at the time. Sometimes we were tempted to wish that we had not given away so much money. Perhaps we would feel more secure if we still had some of it. My husband had an amazing insight about this: He reminded me that the money we had given was treasure stored in heaven, safe for eternity and earning kingdom rates of return. If we had not given it away, we might have lost all or part of it in the stock market crash!

So we moved ahead, limiting our spending on such nonessentials as home decorating, clothing, entertainment, and so forth. Again, we didn't suffer the stringent budget limitations that many people live with, and our basic financial picture was sound. But we were making adjustments compared to how we had lived for several years. I knew at the time that all of this was for our good. But now I can look back on this situation and see many blessings.

WHAT WE HAVE GAINED

• We have been reminded of the financial challenges that most people face. Although we have been spared much of the financial anxiety that many families live with, living on a budget has made us aware of and sensitive to the financial concerns of the typical family. Sometimes when we plan our budget, we are amazed at what it costs to support a family! We have tremendous admiration for those who raise a family and give faithfully on a middle-class income.

It's also been good for our children to know that there are limits on what they can spend. In just a few years, they will be out on their own and they will need to be able to manage their own finances. This will only be possible if they learn from experience that it's not possible to acquire everything they want.

• We have made better buying decisions. As we have become more careful in how we spend money, we have made better buying decisions. We are better able to discern needs from wants, and we are more rational in deciding about major purchases. For example, when I needed a new dishwasher, I chose a moderately priced model that had a high rating from Consumer Reports, rather than a top-of-the-line stainless-steel model that may not have been worth three times the price. Of course, there's nothing like having a limited amount to spend to help one appreciate a good buy. I've rediscovered the fun of bargain hunting!

We are also less likely to make impulse purchases. I've found that waiting a day or two before buying something will often cause me not to purchase it at all or to think about the purchase decision and make a smarter buy. Sometimes the item will go on sale if I just wait a while. When I think about how I spent money 10 years ago, what I regret most are my impulse purchases. Doubtless, I wasted a lot of money on things that I never would have missed if I hadn't bought them at all.

• We have experienced a new level of sacrificial giving. Before our setback, I would sometimes feel convicted by the words of David in II Samuel 24:24, "I will not sacrifice to the Lord burnt offerings that cost me nothing." Although my husband and I had given away a lot of money, it seemed that we were giving only out of our excess. When we chose to continue to give, even during the time my husband was not receiving a salary, it was no longer skimming off the excess, but giving sacrificially.

• We have engaged in the struggle against sin. Living within certain financial limits has exposed some of my sin. I have plenty of money for both needs and wants, yet I find myself often wanting "just a little more." I believe God uses the circumstances in our lives to expose the sin in our hearts – not to condemn us, but to lead us to repentance and gratitude for His grace. I don't think of myself as a selfish or greedy person, but why do I continue to want more when I already have sufficient wealth?

Thankfully, giving continues to be an effective antidote for my selfishness. I explained in Part One how generous giving restricts what we can spend on ourselves and helps us to have an eternal perspective on wealth. Giving also puts us in touch with people who have far less than we do. The family in financial crisis, the single mother who struggles to pay a utility bill, the missionary who can't afford school tuition, people all over the world who are hungry or homeless – all these situations serve to remind me of how blessed I am. In fact, giving to those in need is, I believe, vital to my spiritual health; it benefits me spiritually just as much or more than the money benefits those to receive it.

• We are content. I believe that my husband and I are just as content living on a budget (granted, it's a generous budget) as we were when we spent freely. We are content because we know God and "His very great and precious promises." I've observed unbelievers who are very wealthy, and who seem to search out ways to spend money on themselves – a stream of new cars, house projects, vacation property, and so forth. They appear to have an unfulfilled longing for something, which they hope more possessions will satisfy. How I wish they would find the only One who can give them the contentment and delight their souls long for!

LOOKING AHEAD

As I write this article in 2007, my husband is on the verge of closing a business deal that will significantly increase our wealth. We've already begun to make plans and arrangements to give away at least half of the gain, and we haven't focused much on how we might spend it on ourselves. (It would be dishonest to say we haven't thought about it at all!)

We know from experience that the deal could fall through, and we know from experience that if the deal succeeds, the increased wealth will mean increased responsibility. It also will mean increased opportunities to join in the work of God throughout the world. My prayer is that we will make the most of these opportunities and that we will "live a life worthy of the Lord, and please Him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, and growing in the knowledge of God" (Colossians 1:10).

• Trusting God with Wealth - Part One
• God's Will for Your Finances 
• How Much Is Enough? 
• The Eternity Portfolio 

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