Besides being an oxymoron, is financial security an asset or a hindrance to doing God’s work?
All financial advice in America today centers around two words:
portfolio—–what you’re doing with the money you’re stashing for the future?
retirement—–the future when you can take it easy, eat, drink, and be merry
Most people’s budgets are maxed out paying into their retirement accounts and insurance, and they have little or nothing left to help people in need. Instead of face-to-face sharing with those less fortunate, most giving and doing God’s work is relegated to church and charity budgets and taxes. Others do it for us.
The Bible on portfolios—–
“Seek the kingdom of God, and all these things will be added to you.”
“Sell what you have, and give alms; provide yourselves bags which do not grow old, a treasure in the heavens that does not fail, where no thief approaches, and moths do not corrupt.”
“Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”
The Bible on retirement—–
“I will say to my soul, ‘Soul, you have much goods laid up for many years; take your ease, eat, drink, and be merry.’
But God said to him, ‘You fool, this night your soul will be required of you; then whose shall all these things be, which you have provided?’
So is he that lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.”
Rebuttal—–
But I can have both. If I get set financially, then I can help others more.
Really?
How many people do you know who are generous when they have little, while they are focused on investing for retirement?
The Bible on rebuttal—–
“No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. You cannot serve God and Mammon.”
Mammon – the personification of riches, greed, and worldly gain.