Financial Honesty

What role does honesty play in our finances? How important is it to be truthful or is a “small lie” here or there not too significant? According to God’s Word, it is paramount.

In the book of Exodus, Moses was overwhelmed with complaints from the people of Israel. He was handling every complaint as they sought him for God’s guidance. Jethro, his father-in-law gave him wise advice and instructed him to “select out of all the people able men who fear God, men of truth, those who hate dishonest gain; and you shall place these over them, as leaders…” (Exodus 18:21) God wanted men who could be trusted, he placed significance on the fact that if he can trust them in financial issues, he can trust them to be leaders and guide his people according to his instruction.

Do you make unlawful “minor adjustments” to your taxes? Are you a saleman that willingly withholds pertinent information to close the sale? Are you getting paid for a 40 hour work week but only working 30 hours, stealing 10 hours of your employers time and money? Are you refusing to pay your tithe? Are you curtailing your financial legal obligations (debt) to take weekend vacations, buy a new wardrobe or go out with friends?

Do your actions show that you sacrifice your integrity for financial gain? When we strive to maintain a relationship with God we realize “better is the poor who walks in his integrity, than he who is crooked though he be rich.” (Proverbs 28:6) This does not mean that we should take a vow of poverty but it does relay the fact that our relationship with Christ should be placed higher than our financial status. I believe we should always seek to increase financially but only with honesty and integrity.

This is a life that pleases God. There is a promise in Isaiah 33:16 that those who practice financial honesty “are the ones who will dwell on high. The rocks of the mountain will be their fortress of safety. Food will be supplied to them and they will have water in abundance.”

From dishonest personal taxes to a Bernie Madoff style ponzi scheme in which $65 billion were stolen from clients, our finances should be approached and handled with complete honesty. It may mean our wealth will grow a little slower but God will be pleased and in the end that is all that matters.

The Faithfulness of God

Unemployment is setting record numbers and the ones who are employed are nervous about lay-offs. I believe if there was ever time that we should trust and seek the Faithfulness of God, that time is now. It takes courage to believe in God’s Faithfulness. The local and national news stations are reporting everything that would produce thoughts of doubt that may cause you to doubt God’s Faithfulness.

What do we know about God’s Faithfulness?

We know that he told Jacob in Genesis 28:15 that “What’s more, I will be with you and I will protect you wherever you will go. I will someday bring you safely back to this land. I will be with you constantly until I have finished giving you everything I promised.” We also have to believe this promise because facing the unknown makes life uncomfortable but the Faithfulness of God promises “I will be with you!”

We know that “The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness.” (2 Peter 3:9) He will not disappoint us when it comes to Him taking care of us and providing for us. It’s not in His character to back out on a promise.

We know that “the Lord is faithful and he will strengthen and protect you…” (2 Thessalonians 3:3) I take this promise personally because it’s not that I don’t trust God but many times I’m weak and not sure about the direction of my life. It’s good to know that God will not only be my strength and make me strong but He will also protect and cover me from constant doubts of uncertainty.

We also know that “It is because of the Lord’s mercy and loving-kindness that we are not consumed, because His [tender] compassions fail not. They are new every morning; great and abundant is your stability and faithfulness.” (Lamentations 3:22-23) It’s good to know that everyday God willingly responds with help when we ask. It’s easy to forget but trusting in God’s faithfulness day by day makes us confident in His promises for the future.

God’s Faithfulness and my situation

If we would be honest with ourselves, something hard to do at times, we would admit that sometimes when we have a problem we don’t want to be fed a bunch of scriptures. It’s understandable because I get that way but I have to realize that they aren’t just words on a paper or words to fill up space in a book. God’s word gives life; “it’s a lamp for my feet and a light for my path.” (Psalm 119:105) The Faithfulness of God isn’t contingent upon the adversity of my situation but the level of trust I have in him.

Knowing He is Faithful we can place our trust and confidence in Him and humbly expect our requests. Our situation does not cause God to change his mind and He will never doubt His own authority but just as much as He is Faithful to us we have a duty to seek a closer relationship with Him. Why? Hebrews 11:6 tells us “..that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him.”

His Faithfulness is our Hope

The encouragement we have to depend upon God to carry us through uncertain times is the truth that He is Faithful! This is our foundation of confidence and our justification for hope because “…He remains Faithful for He cannot deny himself!” (2 Timothy 2:13)

Contentment is Necessary

One of the best definitions I have heard for contentment is “being at rest with what you have until God gives you more.” Contentment is not something embedded in us when we are born. When babies reach the age that they can play with toys, it isn’t long before they are bored with the ones in front of them and they desire to play with something else that’s not within their reach. So they begin to reach and grab for other things because what they have does not interest them any longer. Adults aren’t to different because we quickly become dissatisfied and lose interest with what we have and many times begin an unhealthy desire for more. This brings me to a significant point that people with an unhealthy craving of greater riches can get caught in an endless cycle that will ultimately end in ruin.

Most people still believe money brings happiness. This is the reason there are so many disgruntled employees on various jobs. We should remind ourselves that the bible tells us in Luke 3:14 “…and be content with your pay.” So we must be content with our wages; furthermore, we have what we agreed to be paid so we now shouldn’t complain about it being more. When we indulge ourselves in discontent we open up ourselves to many temptations but wisdom is making the best of what we have.

1 Timothy 6:6 tells us “godliness with contentment is great gain.” All godly people should be content with what God has provided for them knowing that it’s what’s best. It doesn’t mean there will never be increase but we must learn to be satisfied with the present because the past can not be recalled and the future is in God’s hands. How many people have damaged their future because they didn’t have an attitude of contentment for the present? The hard truth is that some foreclosures, repossessions, bankruptcies and financial trouble today is because someone was not content with what they had yesterday. Discontentment opened up the temptation of purchasing a house that was unaffordable; investing in a stock without much thought and consideration; purchasing a car without prayer or counting the cost.

You can be rich and not be content; you can be poor and not be content. Adam was in a perfect paradise but was not content. The angels were in the ultimate perfection of heaven and were not content. Money without contentment is an empty life and those who are determined to get rich careless of any principles, their intent only on money will drown themselves in destruction. We have to be humble enough not to increase our wealth in ways that are dishonorable to God and harmful to our loved ones, friends or strangers.

Paul in Philippians 4:10-13 speaks on contentment. He says “for I have learned to be content” and we learn to be content by bringing our mind to our condition and making the best of it. He said he has learned to be content with lack.We learn to be content with lack when we don’t lose our comfort in God or distrust his provision. He said he has learned to be content with abundance. We learn to be content with abundance when we don’t become proud or full of ourselves. Believe it or not, this is a hard lesson to learn also because the temptations of prosperity are no less than those of lack. We can not learn to be content through our own strength but we realize we “can do all things through Christ who strengthens us.”

This is a long post but to advance in our personal finances we must learn to be content in every stage of the process. It’s not easy sometimes but it is necessary. It all comes down to just being grateful for what we have. As Hebrews 13:5 tells us “Stay away from the love of money and be content with what you have. For God has said I will never fail you and I will never forsake you.”

Be encouraged through contentment!