Financial advice
One of the things in being debt free is that as followers of Christ we need to be “getting in position to be available to do God’s work.” This is a statement made by Chris Seidman a pastor at The Branch near Dallas, Texas. Debt is bondage and keeps us from doing God’s will more often than not. The sermon is one that the pastor gave in relationship to what the Bible says about addictions and how it all relates to anger, depression and fears. Seidman remarks that the three feed off of each other and are also closely related to addiction which is also related to consumer debt. The series is about getting rid of our “excess baggage.”
Good-Better-Best
A principle reaction that I had to this sermon was at the very top of Pastor Siedman’s remarks when he says that “debt is the American way of life- and unfortunately it is the American way of death as well. The pastor rattled off alarming figures and compared them to the federal government’s debt. “As hard as we are on Wall Street, we are hypocritical, because most of us are in debt.” Debt is something that keeps us from giving as much to God’s work as we should or could!” I liked the fact that as Pastor Seidman reached a major point he returned to the major thesis that “debt may be keeping us from being a follower of Christ.” And anything that prevents us from being an all out follower of Jesus has to be addressed. God gives us free will choices and it is like going into a tire shop when you read the little signs that say “Good, better, best.” Too many times our debt prohibits us from seeking what God’s best is for us. Coincidently we can’t always buy the best and safest tires either though God is aware of our struggles.
A little like war and divorce
“Debt is like war. It is never God’s preference,” Siedman says, “but in a fallen world, God allows it.” And yet God does allow and uses debt for his purposes such as our own college tuition. “Debt isn’t evil” says Siedman,” it is the debtor who refuses to pay back that is evil.” Siedman points out that his church received a loan to expand and to buy more land. He also made a point that sometimes “debt is the way God provides.” In the event of mortgage, college loans, medical bills, and some projects, our attitude must be to pay back these loans diligently and to ask the right questions before taking on a debt.
1. Is it God’s will that I take on this debt?
2. Is there evidence that I’m not content by what I have?
3. Is this God’s will in providing?
4. Am I putting the lender in God’s position by taking the loan and not waiting on God?
5. Will this prevent me from responding to God’s calling when opportunities arise in my life?
More Thanksgiving, less debt
“Our thanksgiving list needs to be longer than our wish list,” says the pastor. He goes on to say that there was once a visitor to a monastery and the monks asked him “If there’s anything you need, please tell us and we’ll teach you how to live without it.” Our contentment is perhaps our indicator of how satisfied we are with God’s provisions. Pastor Siedman ends his sermon with a 4 point list that is alphabetized so we can remember how to “live it out” in our homes, at work and in our community. The first is to
A. Access God’s Word – and then pray for understanding of scripture
B. Beware of easy credit- there’s always a catch!
C. Cultivate contentment
Epilogue- January 2, 2010
I’d like to end this reaction with something I read from Genesis Chapter 12. In it there is a character study of sorts. Trusting God for Abram was something that was both easy and not so easy for Abram and that is something we need to contemplate. As we are introduced to Abram, God is showing him that his descendants will be as numerous as the stars. Abram believed God and as God called him out of his homeland he obeyed God. God promised Abram that He would protect him and to not be afraid. It worked until Abram arrives with Sarai his wife and is afraid that if he tells the truth that he is her husband they would “take her and kill him.” This is an interesting point about our “trust in God.” Are we relying on our own reactions or trusting God in what He promises us? This points out a character flaw in all of us. When we do rely on God and follow His will, we are fine, but when human nature, fear and self reliance show up we unravel, we give into debt, addictions and the old way of doing business. It seems that is what Chris Seidman was trying to tell us in this wonderful lesson on debt and our “excess baggage.”
Posted in Town Hall.
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