A ri$ky topic to ignore

March 26, 2014 | Viewpoints
Sherri Grosz |

“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matthew 6:19-21).

She waited patiently for others to finish before approaching me. We’d spent the previous two hours talking about personal finances from a Christian perspective. How should Christians in Canada think about sharing, saving and spending? What should they know about debt, retirement and estate planning?

There are often questions and comments shared during and after the presentation, and this one had been no exception. A single parent, a retired civil servant and a self-supporting university student had all offered comments about living in their particular financial situations, as well as their doubts, their mistakes and their successes.

This woman, however, had remained silent through the presentation, taking few notes but listening intently. I was curious what she would say.

She began by explaining that she’d grown up in a Christian home and had been an employee for 10 years, quickly moving up the ranks from entry-level employee to mid-level management. She’d begun a business on the side that flowed out of a personal interest. Five years prior, she’d quit her job to work full-time in her business and now had a few full-time employees.

I’d apparently shared all the things she was expecting to hear: spend less than you earn, share some, save some and enjoy some money. Then she said this, “I have done a lot of reading and research, and have been managing my money according to those common principles. Tonight, you reminded me that everything I have is God’s and that God is generous. I know that I have homework to do. I need to change some things about how I am managing my money and my business, including being more generous with my charitable giving. Thank you for reminding me of what is really important.”

Her comments have stayed with me for the last few years. I appreciated her honesty and her urgency. Money is an important topic for Christians, and one that churches too often choose to ignore, fearing it will cause discomfort or anxiety.

Research and my own experience at the Mennonite Foundation of Canada say the opposite. Churches that speak openly and frequently about all aspects of money tend to have congregants who feel confident with their day-to-day money management. Money is an important topic for Christians, one that is risky to ignore. If I believe everything I have belongs to God, and God is generous, it changes my perspective. The challenge then becomes how to faithfully use this money that God has entrusted to my care.

More importantly, our attitude and relationship to money is a key discipleship issue. Money can be the rival god and a barrier to spiritual growth and development. So I continue to teach about personal finance and include the biblical principles . . . and I think of her every time I do.

Sherri Grosz is a stewardship consultant in the Kitchener, Ont., office of Mennonite Foundation of Canada (MFC). For more information on impulsive generosity, stewardship education, and estate and charitable gift planning, contact your nearest MFC office or visit MennoFoundation.ca.

--Posted March 26, 2014

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