Matthew 6 will be the focus for a couple of upcoming blogs. There is a life principle found in this
passage that can literally change your home.
It is one of those principles that can be life-altering if you will
apply it correctly and consistently.
The principle comes from the reality that we can only have
one master…we can only serve God or money…but not both. The reality that we must choose first to
serve the Kingdom of God and that choosing second to do that is choosing not to
do it at all. The fact that we must
choose first the righteousness of Christ because putting it second means not
having it at all.
Life is not all grey like we like to say. In reality some of it is very black and
white. At least the priorities and
principles behind it, but the applications can get a little smudged…a little
grey. So let’s start with the principle.
This is a principle for dealing with money. It is the principle to guide us into serving
God and not money.
Choose the relational over the material.
This is a dangerous principle in that it can be easily
misapplied. It is a principle you can
only apply to yourself. You cannot apply
this to others. You cannot tell your
spouse, get me what I want, choose the relational over the material. Your children cannot say, get me what I want,
choose the relational over the material.
The first relationship is always God. Serve God…not money. Seek his kingdom FIRST. Seek his righteousness FIRST. (I will publish a different blog asking some
pointed questions about what that looks like this week.)
If the first relationship is not right the second one will
not be right…nor the third…the fourth…the 100th.
I am learning how to apply this principle in family life and
want to give you some practical pointers…
1. Do not break the budget.
You must first make a budget to break a budget. When you break the budget you choose the material over the relational. Your spouse and you have made a loving agreement to handle finances in a certain manner. When you choose to not follow it you put that purchase above that person.
2. Do not blow up or blow out of proportion.
You must not blow up over money or blow financial decisions out of proportion. That is choosing the material over the relational. When you do this you say to your spouse, “I would rather be right about the money than right with you.”
1. Do not break the budget.
You must first make a budget to break a budget. When you break the budget you choose the material over the relational. Your spouse and you have made a loving agreement to handle finances in a certain manner. When you choose to not follow it you put that purchase above that person.
2. Do not blow up or blow out of proportion.
You must not blow up over money or blow financial decisions out of proportion. That is choosing the material over the relational. When you do this you say to your spouse, “I would rather be right about the money than right with you.”
