On the bottom of every page in the book The Total Money Makeover Dave Ramsey writes the words, “Live like no one else, so that you can live like no one else.” Unfortunately, Dave Ramsey never completely defines what that means. My understanding of the phrase is something like this – “don’t buy something now, so that in the future you can buy something better.” This makes me wonder: Do I sacrifice today so I can win more tomorrow, or do I sacrifice today so I can help someone else win tomorrow? Is the goal of Christian finances to build wealth?
Remember, I like Dave Ramsey. Though I think he makes too many generalizations. But on the issue of building wealth, I disagree with Ramsey.
As Christians, it is essential that we clarify our financial goals. While our spending, earning and investing might mirror the actions of others, the differentiating factor is our motivation. Ultimately, I believe frugality is an intentional discipline where you control your spending for a desired goal. A significant part of that goal ought to be to assist others. What is your ultimate financial goal? Have you established one? What does it mean to have financial peace? Are financial peace and financial freedom synonymous?
Ramsey’s seventh step instructs us to build wealth like crazy and give. Granted, this phase involves spending, saving, and giving. I have no problem with those categories. However, it seems that in this process giving is undermined. Something about the seventh chapter simply does not set well with me. And yes, I know the chapter does talk about giving, but I believe it is a sub-topic instead of a main topic. Ramsey could have written, live like no one else so you can give like no one else, but he did not. He could have encouraged us to give like crazy in step seven, but wealth building takes precedence. I am not saying that Dave Ramsey the man is not generous – I’m sure he is! I’m not saying he doesn’t teach about giving – he does. I’m not saying the possession of stuff is evil – it’s not. I am saying I wish he would have made giving a greater focal point of the entire seven step process. Get yourself and your house in order so you can be more useful in God’s kingdom.
In my article on Spending Money and Guilt: A Christian Conversation I confessed my tendency towards an inability to fully and completely enjoy my status as one of the world’s wealthy. I am burdened (blessed?) by an active financial conscience. I pray, I earnestly pray, that I will never be concerned about building wealth like crazy. I don’t want to hoard. I am already doing enough of that with what I currently have. Instead of trying to build wealth like crazy, I am striving for financial peace. I am looking for financial freedom.
- The ability to follow God’s calling without wrestling with the monetary implications. As a minister, my livelihood depends on funds I receive from preaching the Word of God. This can be a complex relationship at times. Financial peace completely removes that factor.
- The ability to provide for my children. I have sat with mothers who have worried over their children because they had nothing to feed them. That worry is painful and excruciating. Peace flows out of the realization that my children are well fed and provided for.
- The ability to provide for the needs of others. I want to learn to increase in the grace of giving. I pray God grants me that opportunity. I want to experiences the fullness of the blessings of giving.
How Do I Define Financial Peace?
I pray that the financial advantage I gain as a steward for Christ will be used to bless others as much as it blesses my own family.
What are your goals? How do you define financial peace? How does ‘building wealth like crazy’ jive with your faith?
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{ 6 comments… read them below or add one }
Really appreciate these thoughts, Craig. Especially this as a focus/goal/motivation: Get yourself and your house in order so you can be more useful in God’s kingdom. We’ve been blessed to witness several people striving to do just this…and not in a proud, ‘look at me’ manner. It is so empowering and humbling to see this in action. — Nicole
Craig,
I appreciate your emphasis on the importance of giving in a Christian’s finances. I especially liked how you pointed out that Dave could have said “live like no one else so you can give like no one else”, but he did not. That’s my biggest concern with Christian financial advice today. So often we get caught up on how wisely managing your finances can do so much for you (helping you become rich and buying the things you want).
But Jesus’ emphasis (and the rest of the Bible as well) was that we should use the good things God has blessed us with to help those in need. Jesus was vehemently opposed to His followers amassing wealth beyond their needs because such a goal is motivated by greed and covetousness. Yes, we should use wisdom and prudence in our finances – but it’s not so we can become rich and have all the “nice things” the world offers. It’s so we can use the abundance (that which is beyond our needs) to help others.
Anything else is from Satan and threatens to consume Christians with discontentment and slavery to Money (greed).
.-= Paul Williams @ Provident Planning´s last blog ..Selfish or Selfless? =-.
In addition to the quote “Live like noone else, so you can live like noone else”, Dave Ramsey also says “Live like noone else, so you can GIVE like noone else.” In his final class in Financial Peace Univeristy, he discusses THE GREAT MISUNDERSTANDING. The whole lesson is about GIVING to others.
Dave Ramsey teaches that we are to be good stewards of money.
Become debt-free.
Accumulate wealth – while also being generous.
Once wealth is accumulated then we can live like know one else which includes GIVING like no one else.
In his Financial Peace course and on his talk show he talks extensively about the living like no one else / giving like no one else connection. He even dedicated an entire section of Financial Peace University to this subject – GIVING like no one else.
I agree 100% with your comments Craig and Paul and I’m disappointed in how rare your view on this seems to be with Christians!
Whether we have a lot of wealth or a lot of debt, we can still be in bondage to Mammon. Giving is the “cure” for this bondage and I’m not convinced (based first upon multiple warnings from Jesus, followed by confirmation from my own experience) we can truly be free from this bondage while building extreme wealth. I’m afraid step seven may cause many people to be motivated to get out of debt, but not be motivated to get out of financial bondage as they’re still controlled by the wordly motivation to “Build Wealth Like Crazy”. This seems like an odd motivation for a Christian to promote when layed along side the warnings against accumulating wealth on this earth by Jesus himself (the one we are to follow, correct?). Don’t take that wrong, I think earning a lot of money is great when accompanied by attitude to let it pass through like a river, not let it “Build up” like a dam. A dam lets some through as well (Not unlike building wealth like crazy while also giving a lot away), but I think the river is a better picture of what Jesus is talking about. I like your idea of changing step seven to “Give Like Crazy” and I’d go as far as having that alongside the other steps as well to temper oversaving for retirement and college. Step seven would be even more motivating if it was “Give Like Crazy” as Jesus says we are storing up for ourselves treasures in heaven. If we really grasped this concept of eternal rewards, it would be a much greater motivator than building earthly wealth. We could change step seven to “Build Eternal Wealth Like Crazy by Giving Like Crazy!”
Jason,
Thanks for your comment.
Perhaps you’re right we may need to see if it is best to be step seven or if it should come sooner.
I does make me feel strange that build wealth like crazy is what motivates so many Christians. But, you are right, making a lot of money is not the same as building wealth. It depends on what you do with the money you earn.