In the Gospel of Jesus, death is described as a friend, an assistant in our approach to entering a deepened relationship with God. No longer held back by the weaknesses and limitations of our humanity, upon death we will enter the never before seen world of endless life, light, and all-consuming immortality. Between now and then, the Gospel of Jesus is to help us understand faith, hope, and love, and to awaken us to a life that puts these three valuables into practice—into practice on our financial pilgrimages. In light of faith, hope, love, and inevitable death, what important financial decisions are we all to make for the goal of consummating our financial purpose on this planet?
Here is a recommended list of financial decisions to make before you die:
Give out of poverty, not wealth. Jesus once told the story of a woman who gave very little, but all that she had. To Jesus, her giving equaled more than the much larger, token gifts given by others. She gave not from a perspective of financial planning, but from a ruthless trust in God and His call to give all of our selves to the Gospel of Jesus. She held nothing of herself back, not one penny to her name. In other words, before we die we should give in such a way that both produces an inner cheerfulness and stretches us beyond our comfort zones
Read a book on the topic of investing. Jesus clearly advocated investing over saving. Jesus doesn’t want us to stuff our gifts under the mattress and protect it from the world. He wants us to be wise and shrewd stewards of our financial blessings from God. Purposeful investing allows our blessings from God to multiply, and increases our financial capacity to feed and clothe the poor and support our local and global Christian communities.
Support the growth and maturing of a child. Everyone, single or married, should become financially involved in the development of a child. Besides biological offspring, there are plenty of children available for adoption, as well as children growing up in families stunted by the poverty of a third world country. Growing up, I observed my parents support a child that lived in India. They did this for many years, and year after year the girl they supported sent them letters describing how much their charity meant to her and her family. We all enjoyed the long distance relationship and were amazed at how much 20 dollars a month could do to improve their living situation.
Ask for money. There is something very spiritual about asking someone else to give money towards something in which he or she believes. By asking, we are encouraging stewardship in others. Church capital campaigns, fundraising for mission trips, campaigns to alleviate world hunger, are only a few of the many worthwhile opportunities awaiting us to become the next volunteer.
Acquire a Bargain: At least once or twice, shop for and seize a bargain. Whether buying a car or a book, figure out a way to cut down your expenses and use the leftover money for giving or investing. For example, before buying a brand new book at your local mass retailer, make sure it isn’t available on www.half.com, or a similar website, for a much cheaper price.
Keep a journal. Obviously, those who don’t like to write or like the way they sound when they write, won’t be the first to open the notepad. However, journal writing is a great spiritual and emotional discipline in helping us articulate our financial thoughts, worries, and hopes to God. Many have found fresh trust by communicating with God through this medium. In addition, a journal captures our present thoughts in which to later look back on and measure our spiritual growth.
Observe an animal in the great outdoors. On one occasion, Jesus pointed to the birds of the air as a model for living. They don’t have to sow or reap to get their food; neither do we. God’s love and provision are free, not based on what we do, but on who He is. He is our Father and will provide everything we need to live as His children. Therefore, take a half an hour to engage in bird or squirrel watching, all the while asking God to renew your financial soul.
Copyright Sean K. Mitchell
Sean K. Mitchell is a creative writer and author of The Financial Pilgrimage, a book that doesn’t just talk about money management, but communicates a fresh, financial approach to discipleship that mixes discipline with spontaneity. For more information on the book or to contact Sean, visit www.thefinancialpilgrimage.com.
