Here’s an acid test for discovering your real priorities …
One of my “spiritual heroes” had a favorite saying I’ve never forgotten: “Show me your checkbook and I’ll show you your priorities.”
With many people conducting their banking online these days, that saying may need some tweaking, but there’s a great deal of truth in it.
Because of the value we give to money, how we spend our money tends to reflect the other things we value. The awkward truth about that is, most Christians do not tithe or give regularly to a local church.
When Christians open their checkbooks, it’s usually when they think they have enough stashed away for themselves to drop a little something into the offering plate.
Most giving comes out of a perceived margin of comfort, and reduces as that margin goes down. Yet many view their giving from that margin to be “sacrificial giving.”
Let me pose a new thought here: You likely have not truly given sacrificially until you’ve dipped into your savings.
Giving from savings?! Are you nuts?!
“Show me your checkbook and I’ll show you your priorities.”
When we insist that our dollars go to maintain a certain standard of living (interpretation: comfortable middle to upper-middle class), we direct our dollars to personal living expenses, savings and investments, entertainment/wants, then perhaps a little something will be given to the work of God’s kingdom once those personal priorities are met.
“Show me your checkbook and I’ll show you your priorities.”
What we really believe about the essential need to proclaim the Gospel, to serve one another, and to be the body of Christ loving people into the kingdom of God is directly reflected in our individual checkbooks … and rarely from a savings passbook.
Have you ever sat down with your Bible and your checkbook and taken the time to go through your spending habits? What values does your spending reflect? What kind of contribution are you making to building God’s kingdom? To the proclamation of the Gospel? To serving your brothers and sisters in Christ? To helping those truly in need of help? To caring for the less fortunate in the name of Christ? How does your checkbook substantiate your theology?
Where is the Christlikeness reflected in your checkbook?
“Show me your checkbook and I’ll show you your priorities.”
Scotty
February 17, 2011 at 2:53 pm
I love this and God drew me into it randomly this morning. He is SO dealing with my heart on this issue. My pastor recently preached on "going past the GULP," when you give. If it's easy to write that check, then you aren't sacrificing. I've been pushing myself in this area during a time when things are scary tight. I will keep you updated on that process. I can definately say that if you looked at my check book in the past several weeks — you'd see a change of priority. I like that but it's still a scary place to "live." Most people just like to "visit" the concept of true giving. I'm trying so hard not to give in "spurts" but to make it part of my communion with God. Thanks for the great post, Scotty!
February 17, 2011 at 3:19 pm
Thanks Toni, and especially thank you for being sensitive to and RESPONDING to the Holy Spirit working with you on this subject. Scripture is fascinating on this subject! Additionally, you may enjoy "Radical" by David Platt (if you haven't read it already) … it does a decent job of drawing a bigger picture. I look forward to the updates!