The Tension

Do you want to save and give more?

If you feel a tension between the desire to save and give more, I can help. Those goals can both be accomplished at the same time! The Bible clearly instructs us to make giving our top financial priority. Proverbs 3:9-10 says, “Honor the Lord with your possessions, and with the first fruits of all your increase; So your barns will be filled with plenty, and your vats will overflow with new wine.” We honor the Lord by putting Him first in our giving. It’s not because He needs our money. It’s because we need to be conformed into His image. He’s the greatest giver of all. Giving demonstrates that we love Him, care about His kingdom, and want to do good for others. The verse is very clear that the way we do this is to make an automatic action off the top of everything we earn. This habit helps break the grip of materialism on our lives. It puts us in greater dependency on the Lord.

Now the verse does not promise wealth and prosperity. It assures us that we serve a God of abundance and that we don’t have to fear when we give. He promises to provide for all of our needs, but the Bible also teaches us to be like the ant and to save. This discipline should come after we’ve established the habit of giving off the top. Now if you have any consumer debt, make a plan to eliminate it. Just remember that giving is your first priority when choosing to honor the Lord.

And if you’re struggling with credit card debt, let Christian Credit Counselors help you. You can start the New Year off right. They can create a debt management plan specifically for you. This time next year can be a happier New Year! For more information visit online at crown.org/ccc.