Shifting the Paradigm from "The Normal American Way"

(A Series on Finances – Part II)

Welcome to America, where your debt makes more sense! Immigrants to the USA never see such a sign, but our general culture suggests such sentiments would not be misplaced. From dawn to dusk, from billboards to television, citizens are educated to believe "I need this." Marketing gurus, operating as chefs, create insatiable hungers driving consumers to their smorgasbord of products and services. Within the restaurant “Consumer Is King”, the patron quickly learns what matters most are “my” whims and desires. Feeling in the mood for a particular type of TV program? Surf the delectable offerings on dozens, if not hundreds, of channels. Like any restaurant, as long as you keep paying the food keeps coming.
 

When such a highly developed consumer stumbles onto authentic Christianity, what will probably happen? His or her first question is likely to be, "What can Jesus do for me?" Starting with providing freedom from guilt and an eternal inheritance, answers come readily enough. Some such consumers will convert by scooping up a generous serving of Christ for their plate. After all, what could be better than both freedom from the past and insuring the future?

Churches can bloat with consumers. But  how  can  a  group  of  disparate  individuals, whose cultural commonality may be little more than they have mutually been inebriated with consumerism, be formed into the community of faith God desires, instead of merely being a collection of stomach-driven individuals? After all, true community goes beyond self-serving individualism to include such mindsets as shared identity, responsibility toward the group, and the behavior of mutual service.

Sadly, Christians tend to conform to American cultural trends more often than they transform those trends. If being a “normal” American means being “broke”, then we must do something differently. Practically speaking, 7 distinguishing characteristics should differentiate Christian personal finances from secular personal finances.

1. God is the Master of our money. Christians seek to be guided by and obedient to the Word of God. The Bible is chock-full of guidance, teachings, warnings, and rebukes about money. A Christian will seek to determine and submit to those guidelines.

2. Our motivation for interacting with finances differs. For the Christian, wealth is something we are entrusted with. Christians are motivated by a desire to use the resources that God has given for His glory. Most often this is called stewardship.

3. Our goals with money differ. All our dealings with and interactions with money are tempered with an understanding that there is an eternity beyond. Wealth is a blessing and is of some value, but the wise Christian knows the ultimate limitations of money.

4. Our use of money differs. Christians should be doing something differently with money called “giving”. The generous action is often labeled “tithing”. There are also lifestyle choices that Christians can make so the use of their money is not just self-serving.

5. Our mindset should be different. The natural tendency is to use finances to try to find contentment, and money tries to sink its talons deeply into all of us. But as Christians we are to free ourselves from that “rat race,” that pursuit of status or stuff, that quest to create a material utopia. Instead we want to be content with whatever we have. Our worth is not defined by what we own, but by our Owner.

6. Our management of money differs. Christian budgets ought to have different line items, like the tithe. Spending ought to progressively become less and less self-centered and seek more and more to bless others.

7. Our means of attaining money may differ. Christians have limits on what they will do for money. Boundaries must be in place to ensure that a person does not compromise his or her values just to gain a little more. Such boundaries protect virtues such as honesty andintegrity. These characteristics, which are of immense value, should never be sold for financial advantage.

In The Book of Revelation, Jesus extended the grace of a preemptive warning to the Ephesian church in hopes that corrective action would draw them out of complacency. He says: “ ‘I know your works and your labor ... I have this against you, that you have left your first love. Remember therefore from where you have fallen, and repent and do the works you did at first; or else I am coming to you and will remove your lampstand out of its place...’ ” (2:2-5) Jesus was not finished. As he looked at the Laodicean church they also needed the blessing of a wake up call: “ ‘I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish that you were cold or hot. So because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of My mouth. ... Those whom I love I reprove and discipline. So be earnest, and repent.’ ” (3:15,16,19)

Jesus’ words speak to a slow-creeping, lethargic Christian life. On the outside everyone knows they love Christ, and they probably even worship with the saints, but there can be an internal spiritual paralysis which, while conveniently out of sight, still causes noticeable results. Whatever overt actions were taken to serve Christ have been strangled by worries. The weeds Jesus warned about in the Parable of the Sower (Mark 4:1-20) had so dominated their agenda that there never was time to even think about reaching others for Christ or doing their part to help the church fulfill its various ministries. Furthermore, motivation to serve had been lulled to sleep by such common excuses as: “We've tried that before”, “What I do won't make any difference”, or, “I've put in my time.” American prosperity had fueled a Laodicean-style, satisfied consumerism while an Ephesian lethargy had overgrown their spiritual life.

How we live each day to serve Jesus, and whether we actively participate in supporting the efforts of the church to fulfill its role, are important because we are the church. We have a mission and purposes given to us by God. Christ knows what our physical limitations are. He is also aware of what we are capable of doing. But most importantly, Christ knows what we are doing. Those who will have chosen to show faithful service will one day hear the words, “ ‘Well done, good and faithful servant.’ ” (Matthew 25:21,23)

My prayer is that this series will provoke thought and will compel you to evaluate where you and your family are in the light of God’s Word so that we can have a conversation as a church – a conversation that will begin shifting the paradigm in your life, if need be. In my next article in this series on finances I intend to outline practical steps toward shifting the paradigm. I would like you to be praying specifically about this, and if you come to the realization that you need help, please call us. We are here to serve you, point you to Scriptures, and help you put a plan together for you and your family that will cause you to blossom where God has planted you.