Where Does the Buck Stop?

If God owns the earth on a thousand hills, why do so many Christians have unpaid bills?

If God loves a cheerful giver, why don't more people smile during the offering? If the love of money is the root of all evil, why don't we try harder to chop away the weed of greed?

If God promises to meet our needs, why do we worry so much about tomorrow? If Christ is Lord of all and God's Word rules every area of life, why don't our checkbooks balance with the Good Book?

We haven't learned where the buck stops.

We need to stop spending what we don't have. Christian Financial Concepts' Larry Burkett points out that the typical American spends $1.10 for every dollar earned. Chronic overspending carries a high price tag. According to Harper's magazine, one out of every 225 Americans went bankrupt in 1995—a rate nearly as high as the one American out of every 215 who declared bankruptcy during the Great Depression.

We need to stop wasting what we do have. According to the New York Times, in 1996 Americans placed $500 billion in bets—remarkably, that's more spent on gambling than on cars and houses combined. Others throw large sums into unnecessary purchases. Maybe it's time for some "plastic surgery" to cut those high-interest credit cards that tempt us to overspend. The good news? A growing number of credit card users (42 percent) pay off the balance each month and generate no interest charges (U.S. News & World Report, April 27, 1998).

We also need to stop hoarding what we can't keep. We're simply caretakers or stewards—temporary custodians of possessions that really belong to our Father. "Do not wear yourself out to get rich; have the wisdom to show restraint. Cast but a glance at riches, and they are gone, for they will surely sprout wings and fly off to the sky like an eagle" (Proverbs 23:4, 5).

Here are some better alternatives. Start planning more carefully. "Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and your plans will succeed" (Proverbs 16:3). When faithfully planned and carefully followed, personal budgets demonstrate wise stewardship. Churches need to plan carefully, too. According to the Pastor's Weekly Briefing (November 14, 1997), the median annual operating budget of a local church in the United States is $123,000—a 78 percent increase since 10 years ago.

Start praying more diligently. Are we proud to seek God's guidance about purchases, donations, and business decisions? We need wisdom when handling finances, so we should ask God for it (James 1:5). Prayer shows we rely on God for our "daily bread."

Start giving more generously. Second Corinthians chapters 8 and 9 offer a wealth of practical money management principles—like sincerity, fairness, accountability, cheerfulness, and gratitude—that can help us excel in giving.

Start teaching good stewardship to our children and in our churches. It's wrong to give the impression that "The church only cares about money." But it's equally misguided if churches don't address this important topic, which so many people think about every day.

Jesus said a lot about it, including, "You cannot serve both God and Money" (Matthew 6:24). Money is a useful tool, but it makes a terrible master.

And when it begins to rival the Lord's rightful place, that's where the buck must stop.