Is charitable giving on option for Christians? What financial strategies should I know? And what does the way we use our money reflect?
These questions and more are answered in this week's 5 for Friday.
1. Charitable Giving Isn’t Optional. Do it Well. By Paul Rezkalla. Scripture has strong language to describe our obligation to the poor. In the affluent West, we shouldn’t ask “how much should I give?” but instead, “how much should I keep?” Not all charities are equal, but $100 can do more good for the poor than most of us realize. We must realize God’s blessings are never just for us.
2. Bogleheads, Baby Steps, and Other Personal Financial Strategies You Should Know by Sarah Showfety. Sarah Showfety lists and summarizes a handful of personal finance philosophies. John Bogle, Dave Ramsey, Warren Buffet and Senator Elizabeth Warren (among others) are all listed as representatives of different strategies for personal finance. The article is a helpful resource to consider any of these strategies.
3. The Widow’s Might by Kim Henderson. Teary-eyed, Kim Henderson reflects on a meeting with a close friend who just became a widow. Bereaved at 46, she faces the challenge of adjusting to life without her husband. The sum of the article is this: make time to enjoy the ones you love, while you have the time.
4. Jesus Wants Your Wallet by Douglas A. Sweeny. The total income of Christians worldwide is $53 trillion per year, with $896 billion (merely 2%) spent on Christian causes each year. And surprisingly, evangelical Christians are reported to give no more of their income to church or charity than America as a whole, across all demographics. Going back to the Bible will correct our fiving.
5. The Character of the Christian: Generous by Tim Challies. The calling of an elder in the New Testament to be generous is a calling for all Christians as well. The way we use our money reflects something of our relationship with God. Elders are to be godly stewards of the money given to them by God, and the same goes for all Christians.
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