Sunday Sermons
Teaching Financial Responsibility
“Our children are born into a financial world of income, taxes, loans, creditors, investments—and even church contributions. Sadly, few are prepared to take the challenges of managing their finances at all, much less according to biblical principles. Note some staggering statistics: Eighty-five percent of divorced couples indicate financial problems were a contributing factor to the erosion of the marriage. The average score for a financial IQ test administered to high school students was 42%. Last year there were no less than one million personal bankruptcies” (Christian Courier). Added to this, the Bible has a lot to say about money, and reveals that money is one more area where the devil tries to bring about our downfall and cause unnecessary problems (1 Timothy 6:10 “For the love of money is a root of all sorts of evil, and some by longing for it have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs”; Luke 8:14 “As they go on their way they are choked with worries and riches and pleasures of this life”; “Beware, and be on your guard against every form of greed” (Luke 12:15).
The right disposition
Our children need to learn that money, and the things it can buy, are a means to an end. They help us live, so that we can serve God. Money and material possessions are not an end in themselves. Money and things will not bring happiness “He who loves money will not be satisfied with money, nor he who loves abundance with its income” (Ecclesiastes 5:10). Instead, loving money, and being materialistic or greedy will only bring frustration and unhappiness, “pierced themselves with many griefs” (1 Timothy 6:10). By contrast, money exists so we can help those in need and be involved in many good works(Ephesians 4:28; 1 Timothy 6:17). Having nice things, being comfortable and having more free time, exists for the purpose of getting more done for God (1 Timothy 2:2). I like the way someone put it, “Make all the money you can, save all the money you can, and give all the money you can”.
Education about real life
“It is time for the cloak of secrecy to come off in our homes. We cannot expect our children to live in a financial bubble, detached from the real world, and then be able to become an adult almost miraculously, at the age of eighteen, navigating through the financial maze. It is our job—not the school’s nor any other’s to ensure that our children have proper training in this area of life” (Christian Courier). On a practical level this means that children need to be educated about how much it takes to live these days, including the cost of monthly bills, insurance, auto expenses, and what various jobs pay. This is what Solomon did in the Proverbs so let’s further explore the instruction he gave to his son:
Sweating
Adam was told, “By the sweat of your face you will eat bread” (Genesis 3:19). God expects Christians to provide for their families (1 Timothy 5:8), and has no use for those who will not work (2 Thessalonians 3:10). One important lesson to learn in life is that earning a living will take work and effort, one way or another, money is only earned by physical or mental “sweat”.
Principles of good stewardship
· Work hard even when no one is watching:
“Not by way of eyeservice, as men pleasers, but as slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart” (Ephesians 6:6). “Go to the ant, O sluggard, observe her ways and be wise, which, having no chief, officer or ruler, prepares her food in the summer” (Proverbs 6:6-7). “The ants are models of diligence in that they work tirelessly in spite of having no taskmaster to goad them on, and they prepare for winter in spite of having no administration to lay out economic plans” (Garrett p. 96). The ant shames the lazy person. First, they do not need a supervisor, whereas the sluggard will not work unless he or she is prodded, threatened, or constantly watched. The ant “knows the time”, whereas to the lazy person, all time is alike. Lest we are quick to think that we don’t fit into this category, ask yourself this question, “Do you work as hard as an ant?” Do we have to be prodded to get certain things done? Do we tend to relax or goof off when the boss is not looking? What this means is that the godly person should not need to be supervised, rather they realize that God is always watching them, and they work diligently because they are always working for the Lord.
· Avoid excuses:
“The sluggard says, ‘There is a lion in the road! A lion in the open square!’” (Proverbs 26:13). Be impressed with God’s view of the sluggard. In secular society such a man or woman is at times viewed as misunderstood. They are either “too talented” and “gifted”, and that’s why they cannot hold a job. Or they somehow have seen a “clearer picture of reality”, which makes work such a useless thing. The sluggard does not view himself as being lazy. “Admiration for the wit of this portraiture has to be tempered with disquiet, on reflection that the sluggard will be the last to see his own features here, for he has no idea that he is lazy: he is not a shirker but a ‘realist’ (13); not self-indulgent but ‘below his best in the morning’ (14)” (Kidner p. 163). The verse does remind us that lazy people can come up with outrageous excuses to avoid work. In light of this verse, none of us should be surprised to find that a good number of people are really not as “disabled” as they claim. There might not be any lions on the road or in the square in 20th century America, but there are a host of mysterious aches and pains, and strange diseases that only strike on sunny days, Fridays, and the day before a three-day weekend. The Christian cannot be someone who quits when the job becomes difficult, rather he or she must be willing to work through difficult mental and physical tasks. Young people need to realize that every job will have difficult aspects, and every job will have certain features that will not be enjoyable at the moment.
· Be humble:
“The sluggard is wiser in his own eyes than seven men who can give a discreet answer” (Proverbs 26:16). The lazy man’s problem is not a low IQ, for he considers himself a very smart fellow. “He thinks that he has life all figured out and has chosen the wise course of action” (Gaebelein p. 1091). He thinks that avoiding work is the surest proof of his wisdom. Here is the person who is not bothered in the slightest by their unwillingness to help, lend a hand, assist others, or do something productive. Getting out of working, having somebody else do it—now, that’s being smart! To this person, getting out of work is viewed as outwitting everybody else.
· Beware of loving sleep:
“As the door turns on its hinges, so does the sluggard on his bed” (Proverbs 26:14). “The humor in this verse is based on the analogy with a door—it moves but goes nowhere. Likewise the sluggard is hinged to his bed…the turning in his bed is the greatest degree of movement to which he aspires” (Gaebelein p. 1090). “Just as a gate turns upon its hinges, so does the sluggard when aroused turns over (roll over onto his other side) for more sleep” (Hunt p. 352). “He looks as if he might be getting up to do something productive, but then he falls back on the pillows” (Alden p. 188).
· Being tired in not an excuse to quit:
“The sluggard buries his hand in the dish; he is weary of bringing it to his mouth again” (Proverbs 26:15). Now, at this point such a man might argue, “I don’t like to be pushed”, “I’m a laid-back type of guy”. If we are tempted to think that this verse might be an exaggeration, “Someone too lazy to eat?” Experience teaches one not to be too surprised at anything. In addition, the sluggard is the healthy person who is always complaining that they are so tired. I personally get tired of young people whining about being tired, in fact, one of the surest ways of getting tired is to do nothing. One sure way of getting un-tired is to get out and work.
Saving
“There is precious treasure and oil in the dwelling of the wise; but a foolish man swalloweth it up” (Proverbs 21:20). Solomon noted that the ant “prepares her food in the summer and gathers her provision in the harvest” (6:8). We also have financial summers and winters. We need to save because in the future there will be unexpected expenses. If we do not save, if we are careless in this area, then we will be completely unprepared when unexpected expenses arrive. It is easy to convince ourselves that we will start saving next year, yet the sluggard does the same thing. “A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest---your poverty will come in like a vagabond and your need like an armed man” (Proverbs 6:10-11). Kidner notes, “He does not commit himself to a refusal, but deceives himself by the smallness of his surrenders. So, by inches and minutes, his opportunity slips away” (p. 42). “This lesson comes too late. He will suddenly wake to find that poverty has arrived--and there is no arguing with it” (Kidner p. 43). There does come a time in life when you cannot recover from wasted opportunities. There will come a time when you cannot work as long or hard as you used to. There will come a time when your age or lack of experience will prevent you from making a wage that you can live on. “Poverty and indebtedness cling to the slothful like incorrigible beggars who always linger about the house and always want more. Laziness will siphon off resources until the indolent have nothing left” (Garrett p. 97). “The soul of the sluggard craves and gets nothing, but the soul of the diligent is made fat” (Proverbs 13:4). Wishful thinking can never replace hard work, if you want something, then you must work for it. The fulfillment of our dreams will demand diligence. Which means that happiness is not found in doing nothing or getting out of work, rather, happiness is the result of working hard. The verse also suggests that we have a good deal of say whether our dreams will be realized or not. Often the difference between craving—very much wanting something, but never being able to have it, and having it, is diligence. “The desire of the sluggard puts him to death, for his hands refuse to work; all day long he is craving” (Proverbs 21:25). The expression “puts him to death” means “The lazy come to ruin because they desire the easy way out” (Gaebelein p. 1057). The sluggard’s desire is linked with the expression, “his hands refuse to work”—this is his desire! “Living in a world of wishful thinking and not working will bring ruin” (p. 1057). While the sluggard is wishing, the righteous man is doing. How many people spend so much energy trying to get out of working? Truly, a life spent trying to get around the truths that govern this world will only end in a life of want. The person, who is addicted to desiring the easy life, will never find it. “For he can neither command himself nor escape himself. Contrast with this the out-flowing interest and energy of the righteous man” (Kidner p. 145). Notice the happiness associated with the diligent person and the frustration, want and tyranny that desire has over the sluggard.
