Acting Your Wage

1 Timothy 6:6But godliness with contentment is great gain.

Hebrews 13:5Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you."

You've probably heard me talk about Dave Ramsey before. Don't worry, it's not hero worship or anything. It's just that he does a great job motivating people to do the smart thing with money. One of his phrases is 'Act your Wage'. Why do most of us have such a tough time doing that?

Who's Your Master?

Proverbs 22:7........... the borrower is servant to the lender.

If our driveway is full of new cars that we're making payments on, and we're making purchases on credit cards, we're not acting our wage. Acting your wage is buying what you can pay cash for. If I don't owe anyone anything, losing a job is going to be much less a calamity than it would be otherwise. If I don't have monthly payments on a car or a houseful of furniture, then there's nothing to get behind on should a serious illness take us by surprise. I do think a reasonable mortgage can be a very good exception, because it doesn't depreciate. In the event of financial catastrophe, the house can be sold.

Who's Your Provider?

Philippians 4:11-13 I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. 12I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. 13I can do everything through him* who gives me strength.
* him is not referring to the owner of CapitalOne

For christians, I think acting our wage is especially important. Do we believe that God will truly supply our needs? If we do, then why are we relying on CitiBank? Are we content with what God has given us? Then why are we buying a new tv on a credit card? Honestly, when we buy things on credit, I think it's like telling God, "Hey, I don't like what you've provided so I'm gonna go ahead and buy what I think you oughta give me". Then we wonder where God is when our financial house of cards comes toppling over. Then we ask him to supply our needs when what we really want is to have him shovel up our mess that was made either in defiance or neglect.

Are you doing things God's way financially or waiting until disaster strikes and then claiming his promise of provision over your life(even though you squandered his past provision?) Kind of like trying to blackmail God, isn't it? 'Hey God, how will it look to other people if you don't dig me out of this. You HAVE to. You Promised. Hey!!!'

Over three years ago, Jim and I set out determined to clean up our financial mess. It took us 17 months, but we cleaned up every dime of debt other than our house. Jim lost his job in May of 2007. Emotionally it was tough, brutal even, but financially, we didn't have to sweat. We didn't have to start begging God to please DO SOMETHING because we didn't have financial obligations other than our house payment. If that would have happened four years ago, we would have been sunk. We had two car payments, two credit card payments, and one of our lovely newer cars had an engine blow when it was about two years old (to the tune of about $6,000). I think Jim's job loss would have put me on the floor in the fetal position in a catatonic state had it not been for the Lord prompting us to get our financial house in order three years earlier.

This week is going to be $Money Week$ here at Rambling Ruminations. Tomorrow I'll talk a bit about our financial history(how Jim and I got in a mess) and budgeting(how we got out). Wednesday I'll talk about 'Rich People', Thursday will be "I've Been Stupid Day" (everybody can leave a comment telling about a time when they made a bonehead financial move - big or small- c'mon now, we've ALL done stupid things with money), and Friday.....well.....I guess I'll just have to come up with something now, won't I?

More tomorrow.....

Karen

Tribute to Total Money Makeover/Dave Ramsey

Today is my tribute to Dave Ramsey and his Total Money Makeover. If you are unfamiliar with him, just go to his website at Daveramsey.com, start listening to his show online or read the book. He practices the principles he teaches, he's very motivational, the program is fun, the whole thing is actually great fun to do with your spouse and will change the course of your financial future.

If you are in debt (most people are) spend a few minutes today and listen to his show. In 17 months we paid off both of our cars, some stupid credit card debt from years ago (yeah---and we knew better!), and started a pretty decent-sized emergency fund.

I feel that God is using this guy in a big way. I'm so glad my husband ran across his stuff a few years ago and we started implementing it. It is certainly nice to sleep at night knowing we don't owe anybody money except on our mortgage. That is next, of course.

God used him to help us get our finances in order which put us in an okay place when my dh was laid off today. It's much easier to trust when you know you've stopped being foolish with what you've been provided. THANKS Dave!