Everything we own belongs to God (I Chronicles 29:14; Psalm 24:1). God expects us to be good stewards of these blessings, which requires our diligent attention to financial matters (Proverbs 27:23-27). However, there is an obvious risk that we, as children of God, may overemphasize material concerns (Luke 12:20-21). Therefore, we must walk a fine line between paying enough attention to our financial situation to be diligent stewards for God, without becoming consumed or absorbed with our financial concerns.

 

The fundamental equation of accounting says that net worth is equal to the value of all your assets, minus the value of all your liabilities. Companies must routinely calculate net worth and, in the case of public firms, are required to publish the details of this equation in their balance sheets every quarter. As a company’s asset values and debt levels change over time, the changes in the balance sheet provide a type of “motion picture” of the firm’s financial health.

 

Individuals and families can calculate their net worth, also. Simply write down the total value of everything you own; then subtract the total value of everything you owe. I believe this is a good practice to help a family track its progress in meeting goals related to diligent financial stewardship, such as saving for retirement or college, or getting out of debt. It also serves as an excellent motivational tool, particularly for a family that is trying to change bad financial habits. If I have accumulated large debts, for example, and have set a goal of being debt-free, it helps me keep going if I can clearly measure my progress as the liability side of my net worth equation steadily goes down, while (hopefully) the asset side steadily goes up. Computing your net worth every six months or so can serve as an excellent gauge of how well you are managing the blessings God has given you.

 

Like many good ideas, calculating your net worth comes with some possible pitfalls. For example, if I become consumed with a specific financial goal (say, becoming debt-free by the end of the year), what happens when I am faced with an opportunity to help someone in need? Will I pause to consider the effect that helping someone will have on my net worth? I must never do that, but must always remember I John 3:17:

 

 

Not only do some fail to help the needy, some even stoop so low as to try to take advantage of them. The Scriptures are filled with condemnations of those who would engage in such despicable acts, and Solomon tells us that they “will surely come to poverty” (Proverbs 22:16).

 

An unhealthy concern for my net worth might also lead me to take shortcuts to wealth by pursuing get-rich-quick schemes or dishonest practices. Christians must never be caught up in these traps (see Proverbs 21:5-6; Proverbs 28:20; Proverbs 16:11).

 

Another potential danger of examining our financial situation is discouragement that can lead to despair. Many Christians find themselves in financial holes that can be so daunting as to seem overwhelming. Some lose hope, perhaps even contemplating or resorting to suicide. This indicates one of the problems with using the term “net worth.” When the world uses the term, they often mean it quite literally. Many people assume that a person’s worth, or value, is measured by his or her net worth or annual income. If their financial situation becomes “hopeless,” they may decide they are worthless as individuals.

 

I would recommend that we get in the habit of using the term “financial net worth” for the number the accountants calculate. Using this calculation is a useful tool for diligently managing our finances. However, we must never forget that this number does not reflect our “true net worth.” My true net worth is much greater than all the material assets in the world (Matthew 16:26). No matter what my financial circumstances may be, I was purchased by the precious blood of my Savior (I Peter 1:18-19). That is the measure of my true net worth.

 

 

Stan Bullington, Ph.D., has taught economic analysis for engineers for over twenty years. He is the author of Solomon on Wealth.

I wish I didn’t have to go to court all the time. Food court, that is. We all thought it was a great idea in the eighties. It mooted all the commercials where the family sits in the car and tries to pick a restaurant. It ruined all the preachers’ and motivational speakers’ number one illustration about how to come to an agreement as a family.

            And we thought it was cheap. That was the main thing. Everyone could get what they wanted, and four dollars here and five-fifty there sounded a whole lot better than thirty-nine. Not to mention we could save time by everyone ordering at once.

            But the choosing part became more grueling than ever. Now, instead of sitting in a car in front of the dry cleaners because your husband has pulled over and said, “I am not driving one more centimeter until someone in this vehicle decides,” we can actually hold the argument in the most public place in town. At this point, people actually try to step in and help the family decide. “Free sample?” they call. Syrupy meat pieces shaped incredibly like Paraguay dangle from toothpicks. We take them because they’re free and keep moving while the band plays, “White rice and a side for $3.99.”

            Then at the end of the circuit, I say, “You know what? I’ve eaten all this Paraguay-shaped chicken. I’m not really hungry anymore. I think I’m good.” This is precisely why I’m not a vegetarian.

            But no one else seems to feel this way—full. So we have one that wants pizza, one that wants a steak sandwich, one that wants chili-cheese chips, one for Paraguay pieces, and one that says, “Can I just get an egg roll here and cheese fries way over there and macaroni two blocks down?” This is when we realize, between the six of us, we have one debit card and sixty-two cents. So we begin an ordering marathon. “Take the debit card to the sub place; bring me the receipt. Then Abram can go to the pizza line (which currently wraps around the equator twice), and then the rest of us can order next January. Doesn’t anybody want regular American chicken nuggets? Anyone? Anyone?”

            I ask in pleading tones because we know now the established fact that the drinks at the American chicken nugget place are a full thirty cents lower than anywhere else in this phenomenally expensive mall food market. But no one goes for this, so we will now send the debit card to the ninth line to get the drinks.

            Wasn’t Watergate faster than this? Did the Thirty Years War even take this long?

            Watch out for the clean-up crew! They’re serious, circulating through the tables in matching shirts with dustpans and trying to catch you off guard. One trip to the bathroom, one sprint to the napkin dispenser, one turn to see if the equator has shortened, and it’s gone. They can wipe out six drinks and all of Paraguay in the blink of an eye. And you yell, “Don’t! That drink is two dollars and sixteen cents!” And they smile and say, “Limpie las tablas,” which must be translated, “Ha ha, you save time and money at the Cracker Barrel.”

            But there is one more ludicrous touch to this entire scenario that I would like to address. There, in the middle of this overpriced chaos, there is a seemingly serene attraction. Someone has moved a carousel inside. . . in here. . . in the mall. I must admit it’s inviting, with its white lights and ornate nineteenth-century horses. I also must admit it’s three dollars a kid. The sign says it doesn’t take debit cards, so I count the sixty-two cents again.

            I know, I know, there’s that nearby anytime machine that gives you cash for a small transaction fee. Small is a relative word that can sometimes mean big, such as “I have a small swimming pool,” “We are at war with a small country,” or “I am having a small bankruptcy problem.”

            “A horse, a horse. . . My kingdom for a horse.” Or at least my would-be new couch pillows. I wave sixty-four times at the four of them, which, of course, works up an appetite.

            Anybody sell dessert for sixty-two cents?

 

 

As we seek to walk with God, it is important that we routinely practice self analysis. If we are facing difficulties in some aspect of our life – marriage, job, getting along with others – we need to ask ourselves how our own behavior may be contributing to these problems. Debt is often one of the most serious symptoms of the financial difficulties that Christians experience. Asking ourselves why we are in debt can be a vital step in making the changes we need to make to get our financial house in order.

 

Note that I referred to debt as a symptom. Debt is generally a result of financial problems such as greed, a failure to plan for the future, careless financial management, or an unforeseeable financial catastrophe. The first three of these problems, in turn, often result from a more fundamental cause – immaturity. Understanding Solomon’s counsel will produce wisdom, which will lead us to spiritual – and financial – maturity. In this article, we will look at two debt-related ideas from the wisdom of Solomon – the fact that debt is bondage and the dangers of guaranteeing someone else’s debt. Seeing God’s perspective on debt more clearly will enable us to make a more informed self analysis regarding any debt we may have.

 

Debt is bondage. In Proverbs 22:7, Solomon tells us that “[t]he rich rules over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender.” Some translations have the word “slave,” rather than “servant,” and the idea of bondage is definitely included in this word in the original language. God is trying to let us know that a person who borrows places himself in bondage to the lender. Yet so many of us rush to the lenders, begging to become their slaves!

 

Debt robs us of financial freedom. How many of us sit down to review our budget and realize that debt obligations have removed most, or all, of the slack in our budgets? We do not have the freedom to save for the future, to give as we would like to God or the needy, or to simply cover unexpected events. Debt is like a strait jacket, which will not allow us to use our financial resources as God would want.

 

God wants His people to be free. Freedom from sin should be our foremost concern, of course, but the Scriptures plainly teach that God also wants us to be free from the stress, worry, and limitations that financial problems such as debt bring to our lives (see Matthew 6:25-34). Understanding the root cause of our debt can help us begin to escape this bondage.

 

The dangers of surety. Solomon discusses at length the dangers of serving as surety (or, guaranty) for someone else’s debt (see Proverbs 6:1-5; 11:15; 17:18; 20:16; 22:26-27; 27:13). The most common type of surety in our time is co-signing a loan. According to Solomon, guaranteeing someone else’s debt is foolishness, whether the other person is a stranger or a friend. Notice especially Solomon’s instructions, in Proverbs 6:1-5, to those who have agreed to act as surety for someone else. They should do everything they can to be released from this obligation. They should seek to deliver themselves from it “like a gazelle from the hand of the hunter, and like a bird from the hand of the fowler.” A wise person will simply avoid serving as a guaranty for someone else’s debt.

 

Consider another important implication of the instructions regarding surety. God’s people are to serve others. If a brother or sister in Christ cannot get a loan, shouldn’t I serve them by agreeing to co-sign? Solomon says “no!” If someone needs my financial help, co-signing a loan for them is not the kind of help God wants me to give them. In fact, it is not really “help,” at all. If they really need this money, and we are able to help them, we should give them money, rather than trying to help them by increasing their debt.

 

Since the Scriptures consistently present debt as undesirable, Christians should be very reluctant to incur debt, and should make every effort to pay debts as soon as possible. To use debt routinely to feed the impulses of greed, or because of careless financial planning or management, is foolishness, according to Solomon. Which pattern do we want to follow – the “American way,” or God’s way?

 

Stan Bullington, Ph.D., has taught economic analysis for engineers for over twenty years. He is the author of Solomon on Wealth.

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George and his wife Sharon just refinanced their home mortgage, bought their 16-year-old daughter a new car, and sent their 18-year-old son off to college. Things were going to settle down now.  And then it happened….George got the news from his boss at work that the store he had managed for the last 14 years was closing. As of the first of the month, George would be out of a job. Devastated by the news, George immediately called Marie to tell her about the bad news. “I’ve worked for this company for 21 years—straight out of college. I started in the warehouse, moved to the floor, and was promoted to store manager. Our store was number one in sales for six years in a row, and this is the thanks I get. I can’t believe this has happened to me. What am I going to do now?”

Realizing that God is in control and that one can draw from His wisdom, a person can  begin to deal with the problem at hand—how to get another job. The technical aspects of getting a job can be quite complicated when looking at the big picture; therefore, one must break the problem down into small segments. The old adage is “How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time.” The same logic should be applied to searching for that next job—one step at a time. One must develop a plan and then execute that plan to fruition. The following are some logical steps that should be taken when developing a job search plan:

1.      Make a list of people (at least 25-50) that you know who may have access to job opportunities. Make contact with them, either by phone or in person (not by text or email), and let them know you are looking for a job. Studies have shown that 80-85% of positions are filled through referrals and not by applying to advertised jobs. Build your network and work that network for job leads and referrals. Find out who will be willing to be a personal reference for you during your job search.

2.      Revise your resume. Most employers have a “yes” pile and a “no” pile when it comes to sorting resumes or job applications. The purpose of your resume is to get an interview, so build it with that end in mind. Countless resources are available on the Internet to assist with that task. Highlight your strengths, quantify your results, and be professional in your presentation. An important point is to make sure your resume shows how your skills can contribute to the profitability of a potential employer. Also note that resumes are not “one size fits all.” Resumes should be tailored to the specific job for which you are applying.

3.      Practice answering questions about yourself and your strengths and weaknesses. Develop what many professionals call your “elevator speech” – a 30-second summary describing who you are and what benefits you can provide to a prospective employer. Search Internet sites that provide a list of probable interview questions and practice your answers to those. Remember the 5 p’s: proper preparation prevents poor performance.

4.      Be careful developing a resume and posting it on any and every job board that exists. You are in control of your job search, not some job board. Be selective and protective when it comes to distributing your personal information.

5.      Execute your job plan during business hours. Reaching out to your network during the day presents a more professional image than contacting them when they are away from the office. Use the evening hours to summarize your progress and plan for the next day. If you search online job boards, make good use of your time by doing this during evening or non-business hours.

6.      Follow up, both on resumes that you have submitted and with members of your network. Be professional without being a nuisance. This can be done by phone or by email, but it should be done.

7.      After your interview, follow up with that person through a handwritten card or note. This leaves a lasting impression in the mind of the interviewer and helps you stand out (and it’s also a nice thing to do).

8.      Jobs will not fall out of the sky. You will have to work for them. You may not have control over the hiring process, but you do have control over the search process. Maintain a positive attitude and professional approach to your search. It will pay off.

9.      Look toward the future. Plan for improving your position in the job world. You may find your next job is better than your last one. But, on the other hand, prepare yourself that you may be forced into taking a position that is less than anticipated should your time of unemployment extend beyond a few months. How will you know which job is right for you? The answer is you won’t for sure until you try it.

10. Be diligent in your prayer life. Ask God for wisdom in making your decisions and you will be rewarded (Philippians 4:6-7).

Job searching is a tedious process with unpredictable results. Sometimes the search can last for several days, sometimes weeks or months. Anxiety and fear can accumulate as time passes. It is important for a person to not lose confidence in his or her abilities. Also, one must realize that he or she will need help in the process, either through the networking process or in tweaking the job search plan. Use friends and family to help. More importantly, it is critical to realize that God is still in control, and as a child of His, things will work out (Romans 8:28). The key to finding that next opportunity lies in developing a plan, working that plan, and trusting God and His promises. “Consider the lilies of the field….” 

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