MONDAY MANNA
A service to the business community
April 17, 2006

INDISPENSABLE STEWARDSHIP ADVICE
By: Austin Pryor

In considering biblical principles of financial management, the so-called “Parable of the Talents” from Matthew 25 in the Bible’s New Testament seems the universal “go-to” passage. It covers many topics: money belonging to the Master rather than the investors; handling finances involves a long-term assignment; the importance of rate of return; and faithfulness in the care and use of resources being even more important. This parable communicates key stewardship concepts – ownership and accountability. Other passages teach valuable principles as well:

The dangers of being in debt. “The rich rule over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender” (Proverbs 22:7).
The importance of saving for the future. “In the house of the wise are stores of choice food and oil, but a foolish man devours all he has” (Proverbs 21:20).
The wisdom of diversifying our risk. “Give portions to seven; yes to eight, for you do not know what disaster may come upon the land” (Ecclesiastes 11:2).
God places high value in our giving to help others. “…you were the first not only to give but also to have the desire to do so. Now finish this work, so that your eager willingness to do it may be matched by your completion of it, according to your means…” (2 Corinthians 9:6-15).

Each of these passages is helpful in teaching what to do. But there’s still something missing. Years ago, I learned another extremely important verse that is rarely used in the context of stewardship. Talking about finances with a friend, I asked what he considered the single most important stewardship passage. Without hesitation, he replied, “Galatians 5:16.” In it the apostle Paul writes, “So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature.” Or as a paraphrase puts it: “I advise you to obey only the Holy Spirit’s instructions. He will tell you where to go and what to do, and then you won’t always be doing the wrong things your evil nature wants you to.”

Immediately I saw the wisdom of my friend’s answer. The thing that keeps us from a high level of commendable stewardship usually is not failing to understand what needs to be done. We know what needs to be done, thanks to passages like those above. But we don’t DO what needs to be done. We don’t execute the game plan. Why? Because it requires us to master, to a significant degree, what the Bible calls our “old natures.” This part of us wants what it wants, puts self-gratification as the focus of decision-making, and abhors self-sacrifice.

That’s why we fall short, isn’t it? Most people in debt are there because they spend too much on their wants. People who have not set aside money for emergencies or long-term savings have failed for similar reasons. The same is true of those who are relatively miserly toward God’s work in their charitable giving. Even many men and women who are devout in their faith have a tendency to “gratify the desires of the sinful nature.”

I’m not saying spending money is necessarily wrong in itself. But the impulse to elevate spending on wants – before paying creditors what we owe, saving for the future, or giving to help others in the name of Jesus – comes from a drive to satisfy our own desires. This drive, unfortunately, often overwhelms our desire to obey God and please Him with our stewardship. If we don’t take control of our appetites, our appetites will take control of us!

But how do we do this? We can’t! But God’s Holy Spirit, who lives within every follower of Jesus, can do it. He strengthens and empowers us. When we submit to His direction and control, He builds “fruit” – qualities of His life (including self-control) into us. He can make us the kind of people He wants us to be; what we wish we could be. That’s why Paul says, “Live by the Spirit!” This truth makes following all other stewardship passages possible.

Austin Pryor is publisher of Sound Mind Investing, America's best-selling financial newsletter written from a biblical perspective. He has written the book, Sound Mind Investing. Read his investment advice at www.soundmindinvesting.com.

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Reflection/Discussion Questions

1. Austin Pryor discusses handling finances in terms of “stewardship” or management of resources for someone else, rather than ownership. Do you agree with this perspective? Why or why not?


2. Which of the principles of financial management that he presents seem most significant for you and your personal situation, or your business? Explain your answer.


3. Have you ever had a desire to use your financial resources in a way that would be more beneficial to others, rather than for just satisfying your personal wants and desires? If so, give an example and tell what you did – or did not do.


4. The writer suggests that a primary reason that we fail to carry out good intentions is because of what the Bible describes as our “sinful nature.” Do you understand what he is talking about? And if so, what is your reaction to this idea?


NOTE: If you have a Bible and would like to read more about these ideas of financial stewardship and dependence on God, consider the following passages:

Luke 9:23, 14:27; Acts 20:35; Galatians 2:20, 5:22-23; Romans 6:11; 1 Peter 1:13-16



對管家不可或缺的忠告

在思想聖經的理財原則時，大家都會想到的經節就是新約馬太福音25章「才幹的比喻」。這比喻談到許多主題：錢財屬於主人，而不屬於投資者；處理財務是長期的功課；回收率的重要性；忠心地保管、運用資源更是重要。這比喻告訴我們重要的管家觀念－－所有權和交帳的責任。其他的經文也教導了寶貴的原則：

負債的危險。「富戶管轄窮人，欠債的是債主的僕人」（箴言22章7節）。
為將來儲蓄的重要性。「智慧人家中積蓄寶物膏油，愚昧人隨得來隨吞下」（箴言21章20節）。
分散風險的智慧。「你要分給七人或分給八人，因為你不知道將來有什麼災禍臨到地上」（傳道書11章2節）。
神看重我們捐獻幫助別人的行為。「你們下手辦這事，而且起此心意已經有一年了。如今就當辦成這事。既有願作的心，也當照你們所有的去辦成」（哥林多後書8章6-15節）。

這些經文在教導我們應該作的事上很有幫助，但還是缺少了某種東西。幾年前，我學到另一節非常重要的經文，那經文很少被用在管家的事上。有一次我與一位朋友談到理財，我問他那一段經節是他認為最重要有關管家的經文。他毫不遲疑地回答：「加拉太書5章16節。」在這段經節中，使徒保羅寫到：「我說，你們當順著聖靈而行，就不放縱肉體的情慾了。」另一種寫法是：「我勸你們要單單順服聖靈的引導。祂會告訴你去那裡和作什麼事。這樣你就不會做出你罪性要你做的錯事。」

我立刻看出我朋友回答的智慧。使我們無法作成好管家的原因，常常並不是我們不知道需要做什麼。感謝神，我們有以上許多經文教導我們，所以我們知道應該要做什麼。但我們卻不去做應該要做的事，我們不執行計畫。為什麼？因為那樣我們就必須要能控制聖經所謂的「老我」。老我只管自己的需求，把自我滿足作為所有決策的焦點，厭惡犧牲自我。

這就是為什麼我們無法成為好管家。許多人負債是因為他們花太多錢在他們想要的事物上。沒有存錢以因應緊急需要或長期儲蓄的人也是因為同樣的原因。對聖工吝於奉獻的人還是因為同樣的原因。即使信仰虔誠的人也還是會去「滿足罪性的慾望」。

我並非說花錢就一定錯，但提高滿足自我需求的花費（將此花費置於清償債務、為將來儲蓄、為基督之名施予幫助別人等事之上）就是來自滿足自我慾望的衝動。遺憾的是，這種衝動常常凌駕於我們想要順服神，忠心地為神管家，討神喜悅的動力之上。我們若不掌控我們的慾望，慾望就會掌控我們！

但我們要如何掌控呢？我們無能為力！但在每位基督徒心裡的聖靈可以作到。祂會堅固我們，賜力量給我們。當我們順服祂的引導與掌管，祂就在我們裡面栽種「聖靈的果子」－－屬神生命的特質（包括節制）。祂會使我們成為祂要我們成為的那種人，也是我們想要成為的那種人。這就是為什麼保羅說：「靠聖靈而活！」這項真理使我們能夠去遵行其他有關管家經文的教導。


思想 / 討論題目

1. 本文作者用「管家」或為某人管理資源的說法來談論理財，我們並非財物的所有權人。你是否同意這觀點？ 為什麼？


2. 他所提到的理財原則中，那一項對你個人的情況，或對你的事業而言是最重要的？ 請解釋。


3. 你是否曾想用你的財物資源去造福別人，而不只是用來滿足個人的慾望？若是，請舉一例說明你做的事，或沒做的的事。


4. 作者提到我們無法行善的一個主要原因是聖經所形容的「罪性」。你是否明白這個論點？若是，你對這論點的看法如何？


註：若你有聖經且想要看有關財務管家和倚靠神的其他經文，請看：
路加福音9章23節，14章27節；使徒行傳20章35節；加拉太書2章20，5章22-23節；羅馬書6章11節；彼得前書1章13-16節


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