Last week I was watching a BBC documentary about a place in Wales where people spent a lot of money to get pretty. The program studied men and women who spent everything they had (and didn’t have) to look good. personal trainers, hair stretching, tanning, teeth whitening sessions and a man spent 1000 euros [?R $4,180. 00] for a tattoo! I couldn’t imagine that. These people broke their credit cards and borrowed their relatives just to get a “beautiful body. “
In addition, almost every second of television advertising included payday loans. Easy money? No endorsement required. We promised that in 15 minutes, the money would fall directly into our bank accounts. Of course, a (extremely) small ad informed us of 3059% interest rates!Why would anyone think of doing that? However, many people do. In fact, more and more people are asking for more and more money to get out of more and more debts.
- I was recently struck by how much our culture is regulated by money and damaged by debt.
- I read Paul Tripp’s book.
- “Sex.
Of course, money is simply inevitable. We can’t do without him. Invoices must always be paid. But are we using it wisely or are we spending it like there’s an infinite pot of money?The same TV that promotes easy-to-pay loans also promotes companies that promise to help us in the event of bankruptcy as a solution to our debt problems. No real sense!
House plans are no different than anywhere else in the western world. In fact, sometimes they are worse. Many of those with low incomes may have disproportionate levels of debt. Why do we spend money that we don’t have? Are we concerned with how they see us? “I don’t want anyone to think badly of my children and call them ragged”, or “I just need them. ” The latest 70-inch smart TV is becoming a must-have. Why? “Because the 36-inch is not that good. ” The latest smartphone is needed because the old one we have is embarrassing. Take home 33 pairs of the new model of training shoes. Then there is the drug debt. Hundreds and thousands due to different dealers spread across the city. People are without food or electricity, and they survive with very little to pay their debts or wait for the next loan. That thought: buy now, never pay? it is deeply ingrained in our culture. No wonder the schemes are a happy hunting ground for cheaters who work with loans and charge outrageous interest rates that they know people can’t afford. It is beneficial to keep people in debt. In fact, it is a very profitable business. This is a big reason why many turn to crime to make a quick buck. Getting into debt is the new addiction in town.
Ecclesiastes 5. 10: “He who loves money never gets tired of it; and he who loves abundance will never tire of income; Is it also a vanity?”
As Christians, do we do better or do we think our money belongs to us?Are we good administrators? This has challenged me over the years in different ways. As a young Christian, decimating seemed like a huge task. I have faced an almost endless battle between what I consider my needs and what I need. Are we separated from the world in terms of how do we manage money?Are we good caregivers of what the Lord gives us?I love the word “take care” just because it reminds me that I’m dealing with something that belongs to someone else. It’s easy to confuse what we’ve earned with ours, rather than remembering that God has given us everything we have, including our salary, payments, and/or maternity leave benefits.
This is something we must set an example for new believers. Over the years, many of our young Christians have had serious debt problems because of their bad spending habits. They have been stuck in bad spending cycles for many years. Wounded us are coming. Many of them have borrowed so much money from so many different sources that they are afraid to make real accounts for fear of knowing how serious their problems really are. An important component of our discipleship is to help them honestly assess their finances and spending habits. We know that if they are not controlled, they will be doomed to get caught up in an endless and depressing cycle. Part of being a Christian in plans is to do divine stewardship in the best possible way. possible way.
Of course, we have struggled with different aspects of this while advising new believers. For example, should we lend money to people?Are we really helping? These are not easy questions to answer and, to be honest, we’ve been thinking of them as a team for years. Obviously, we must help our young Christians (and many of our elders too) see their expenses with an evangelical perspective. in mind.
A complete mental change is needed
There is help if you are concerned about organizing your debts and expenses. YNAB (www. youneedabudget. com), for example, is a great tool. There is also the C. A. P (www. capuk. org), as well as the Citizens Advice Bureau (www. citizensadvice. org. uk). These are useful tools that will help those who are starting to deal with their debt and expense problems. However, unless these are combined with real change of heart and there is a total mental transformation according to biblical principles, any lasting change will be difficult to achieve.
Two little things had a big impact
Say no! This has been one of the hardest words to say, especially when it comes to someone you have a good relationship with. There were times when people borrowed money from me, or to be the guarantor of a loan and I said NO!It was very difficult to say what the other could hear. It’s hard to love properly when you see someone you care about gets hurt. But we must help him wisely, help him trust in God, and seize the opportunity, with compassion, to tell the biblical truth in the situation.
Responsibility. A very good responsibility has been of great help as we move towards a biblical perspective on money management. If someone really wants to organize their finances with God’s help, then responsibility will give us the opportunity to ask the difficult questions. people to the Bible.
Matthew 6. 21: “Where is your treasure, there will also be your heart?”
By: Sharon Dickens. © 2015 20Seemas. Original: Show me the money!Dealing with debts?
Translation: Camila Rebeca Teixeira Review: William Teixeira © 2016 Faithful Ministério All rights reserved. Website: MinisterioFiel. com. br Original: Debt Management
Authorizations: You are authorized and encouraged to reproduce and distribute this material in any format, provided that the author, his ministry and translator are no longer no longer modified and not used for commercial purposes.