Wanting, wanting, wanting

My wife thinks I talk about and think about personal finances too often. She may be right. Especially if I worry too much about these things. The Lord made it clear to us as His followers that we're to not worry about money but to instead seek Him and His righteousness first, and He promises to take care of our basic needs (Matt. 6).

There are a few reasons why I continually work on this matter of finances. First, I've seen how people's lives are so messed up when they don't manage their money well -- I see it every day among many (not all) of those who come to the Christian Service Center for help. Sometimes "life just happens" to these neighbors -- a husband abandons a wife, a person becomes disabled, someone is hit with a huge medical expense. However, many times the ones who come to us for help have brought the problems on themselves -- through alcohol abuse, bad choices in marriage, or sexual promiscuity. Sinful choices, where we're living independently of God, result in all sorts of disasters. Including money troubles.

As I think about the class at church we're attending, "Financial Peace University," and hear Dave Ramsey rant and rave (in a loving way) about how our culture is so warped in our misuse of credit and overspending, I asked myself, "Who is the culprit?"

Is it our materialistic culture?

Credit card companies?

All the advertisement on T.V. and in our newspapers, urging us to buy more clothes, a new car, more appliances and gadgets that we really don't need?

I think all of the above contributes to our money woes. But as I look deeper, as I look inside of me, I find that the culprit is the flesh. I want more. I want what others have. I desire something new (our '97 Dodge Grand Caravan is running fine and could last for many more years. But those new Toyota Highlander SUV's sure look appealing).

In our small group discussion during the Sunday class on finances, our leader asked us what gets us into financial trouble. After awhile I spoke up, "One of my problems is car lust. After my car gets a few years old, I crave a new car."

About 1o years ago I was in the throes of car lust. After about three or four years of what I call "underemployment," I finally had a full-time job that paid well. Susan and I were starting to have a little more money to spend each month. And gradually my 1980 Toyota Corolla seemed so old and inadequate for my needs (or was it my wants?). So I went on a car hunt. I bought a copy of the Consumer Reports annual Auto edition. And I studied carefully the reviews of the foreign cars. Finally, I narrowed down my search to a Honda Accord. That was the car for me, I thought. I began noticing them on the highway and imagined myself in one. I attended a car show in Abilene and got to sit in a new Accord. It felt so good... smelled so good -- that new car smell!

One Saturday afternoon, while looking through the want ads for the umpteenth time, I found what I thought would be my car -- a slightly used 1995 Honda Accord. When I arrived at the dealer and walked with the salesman to the car, I immediately "fell in love." I gazed longingly at a beautiful red Honda Accord with only 15,000 miles on it. After a quick test drive, I sat down with the salesman and started to negotiate. He "graciously" let me keep it for the weekend (a clever sales ploy). Within a couple days, I "owned" a Honda Accord -- at the tune of about a $400 a month car payment.

The irony of this purchase is that not only did the excitement of this "new" car soon wear off, but the seat hurt my back. No matter what I did to adjust the seat or insert a cushion, I could not get comfortable in that car. And after several months of that burdensome monthly payment, I couldn't adjust to the price I paid. In a year I sold the Honda and bought one three years older - and much cheaper.

As I look back on that financial failure, I learned what trouble I get myself into when I let the flesh take over -- and not let the Spirit take charge. And not be content.

I love this paraphrase of 1 John 2 in The Message:

Don't love the world's ways. Don't love the worlds' goods. Love of the world squeezes out love for the Father. Practically everyhthing that goes on in the world -- wanting your own way, wanting everything for yourself, wanting to appear important -- has nothing to do with the Father. It just isolates you from him. The world and all its wanting, wanting, wanting is on the way out -- but whoever does what God wants is set for eternity."

Father, please help me daily put to death whatever belongs to my earthly nature (Col. 3:5) and keep my focus upon You. To want You more than anything. In Jesus' name, Amen.

Jim