If you have a few minutes of free time and would like to be a little depressed also, there is a website where you can see how much we are in debt as a planet. At the time of this writing, the world is just under $70,000,000,000,000 in the hole (see for yourself here). Now if that is not enough to make you want to never buy anything on credit again, there is another wonderful website that breaks down how much we here in the USA are contributing to that number. Currently, we Americans are providing almost $20 trillion towards that preposterous number (look at your own risk here). I don't think I will be shocking anyone when I tell you that I do not believe the debt is going to disappear anytime soon. Regardless of how many politicians and world leaders tell us that their programs will will help deflate the deficit, this monstrosity of owed money is going to loom over our heads for a bit longer.
The sad truth of this is that we are easily captivated by quick solutions to problems that have not formed quickly. Let me ask you this - When do you think was the last time, if ever, that the USA was debt free? Was there ever such a time that we were in the black instead of bleeding red? Thanks to minds that are much more investigative than mine, we do have the answer to this question. It was January 8, 1835 when a senator rose to make the big announcement: "Gentlemen ... the national debt ... is PAID." Just over 182 years ago was the last time that our country did not have an overhang of not being under budget. Although it only lasted a year, I imagine it was a wonderful time to be alive (read more about that here).
I reiterate again though, that we have always been attracted to the quick fixes to gradual problems. Not only when it comes to our finances, but also when it comes to ourselves. We buy the magazine that tells us how to get a six pack in six weeks without the understanding that we didn't put on those extra 20 pounds in just six weeks. We complain about not having enough time as we are scrolling on our phone through the highlights of peoples lives that we barely even know. I'm even guilty of sometimes only reading the headline of an article and assuming that I know what the author truly wrote about. This carries over into our spiritual life as well. We want our solutions fast and our sins forgiven even faster. We take advantage of a God whose faithfulness already endures forever (Psalm 100:5). We are great spenders of every aspect of God's grace, when in actuality we are called to be great stewards.
In 1st Peter 4:10 he writes "As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God." and it is the correct way to view God's grace. We become much better stewards of not only his grace, but everything pertaining to our relationship with God when we view it as it truly is - a gift. Stewardship is realizing that my salary is not mine to spend. Stewardship is taking care of my physical body because it is the physical representation of Christ living within me. Stewardship is realizing that I love others regardless of their past because Christ first loved me. When we comprehend that everything we receive is a gift from God, the stewardship that follows is much easier to put into action. If you've ever questioned God about why he hasn't answered this prayer or given you that opportunity, maybe you should first take a personal inventory of whether you are being a good steward of what he has already given to you. Luke 16:11 puts it this way "If therefore ye have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon (wealth), who will commit to your trust the true riches?" Please do not misunderstand me, we could never repay the debt that was paid for us on Calvary. He paid the ultimate price for sinners/spenders like you and me. We can, however, attempt to share this gift with all those we come in contact with so that his sacrifice is not just spent on us.
Let's become better stewards than we are spenders,
Coburn Hoffman
The sad truth of this is that we are easily captivated by quick solutions to problems that have not formed quickly. Let me ask you this - When do you think was the last time, if ever, that the USA was debt free? Was there ever such a time that we were in the black instead of bleeding red? Thanks to minds that are much more investigative than mine, we do have the answer to this question. It was January 8, 1835 when a senator rose to make the big announcement: "Gentlemen ... the national debt ... is PAID." Just over 182 years ago was the last time that our country did not have an overhang of not being under budget. Although it only lasted a year, I imagine it was a wonderful time to be alive (read more about that here).
I reiterate again though, that we have always been attracted to the quick fixes to gradual problems. Not only when it comes to our finances, but also when it comes to ourselves. We buy the magazine that tells us how to get a six pack in six weeks without the understanding that we didn't put on those extra 20 pounds in just six weeks. We complain about not having enough time as we are scrolling on our phone through the highlights of peoples lives that we barely even know. I'm even guilty of sometimes only reading the headline of an article and assuming that I know what the author truly wrote about. This carries over into our spiritual life as well. We want our solutions fast and our sins forgiven even faster. We take advantage of a God whose faithfulness already endures forever (Psalm 100:5). We are great spenders of every aspect of God's grace, when in actuality we are called to be great stewards.
In 1st Peter 4:10 he writes "As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God." and it is the correct way to view God's grace. We become much better stewards of not only his grace, but everything pertaining to our relationship with God when we view it as it truly is - a gift. Stewardship is realizing that my salary is not mine to spend. Stewardship is taking care of my physical body because it is the physical representation of Christ living within me. Stewardship is realizing that I love others regardless of their past because Christ first loved me. When we comprehend that everything we receive is a gift from God, the stewardship that follows is much easier to put into action. If you've ever questioned God about why he hasn't answered this prayer or given you that opportunity, maybe you should first take a personal inventory of whether you are being a good steward of what he has already given to you. Luke 16:11 puts it this way "If therefore ye have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon (wealth), who will commit to your trust the true riches?" Please do not misunderstand me, we could never repay the debt that was paid for us on Calvary. He paid the ultimate price for sinners/spenders like you and me. We can, however, attempt to share this gift with all those we come in contact with so that his sacrifice is not just spent on us.
Let's become better stewards than we are spenders,
Coburn Hoffman
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