Last night after the boys went to bed and while Jessica was updating our other blog, I was reflecting on the trip that we're taking. Initially, I was completely against taking a trip because:
1. I couldn't earn money while on this trip.
2. I couldn't look for a job while on this trip.
3. I knew we'd spend MORE of our savings on this trip than we would if we just stayed home.
Yet, as I thought and prayed more about this possibility, I realized that taking this trip is a way for me to tangibly demonstrate something I've felt and talked about concerning money for several years now. It does not own me -- it is a tool for me to use to advance the Kingdom.
In our culture we really don't talk much about personal finances, and I encourage you to take a moment and think about why we find it so hard to talk about our personal finances with one another. I wonder if it is because finances are so closely tied to our identities in America. I have a hunch that to talk about how much I make (or don't make) is a deeply personal statement about who I am in the minds of most Americans. What do you think? If you have other ideas, I'd love to hear them.
My goal is not to violate that taboo, but I think many people (especially in American evangelicalism) have missed the boat on handling finances with a Kingdom perspective. I really resonate with Shane Claiborne's comment that we need to have a gospel of abundance -- Jesus really blesses us tremendously (spiritually obviously, but also relationally and materially). Yet to balance this gospel of abundance with a theology of enough (my material blessings are not simply intended to raise my standard of living).
I'm not sure any book has impacted my thinking on finances more than Randy Alcorn's, The Treasure Principle. I highly recommend you check out his web site and especially consider reading that book (http://www.epm.org/books/the-treasure-principle.htm)
What is the bottom line on this? There are actually a few things I'd like to share, but the one that is most germane is that I feel that spending money on this trip is a way for me to use the tool of money to impact the lives of my family. As I love them and prioritize them, they see the truth of God's love through me I believe.
Last night Clay, out of the blue, said, "Dad -- do you remember when mom took that picture of us today?" I look at the picture above and think, "Yes, this is investment in the Kingdom."
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