STANDARD OF LIVING

HOW SHALL WE THEN LIVE?

I WAS INVITED TO ATTEND the second anniversary of a very special event, the day the Hitchcocks reached their goal of becoming debt-free.

Two years later they were just as grateful for their new freedom and, more importantly, their marriage was growing stronger. Although it had been a struggle for them, and several times they had been on the verge of quitting, the stakes of saving their marriage were too high.

They persevered and reached their goal. Allen and Jean were now facing a new challenge, their income now exceeded their expenses. How should they spend the surplus? They had major decisions to make. Should they move to a larger home or stay in their present one and work on paying off the mortgage?

Should they purchase a new car? Should they adopt a more expensive lifestyle or continue to save and give more? The Bible does not dictate one particular standard of living for everyone. However, Scripture contains a number of challenging principles that we should consider when choosing our lifestyle. “Let temporal things serve your use, but the eternal be the object of your desire.”

THOMAS Á KEMPIS Think with an eternal perspective. Nurture an eternal perspective. Our culture and the media implore us to focus on the immediate. Advertisers persuade consumers to gratify themselves today with no thought of tomorrow. Examine the following to understand how brief life is on earth compared with eternity: Our momentary time on earth is but a dot on the timeline of eternity.

Yet, we have the opportunity to influence eternity by how we handle money today. We have not only the privilege to lay up treasures for ourselves in heaven but also the opportunity to spend money to influence people for Jesus Christ. Gaining eternal perspective and eternal values will have a profound effect on your decision making.

Moses is a good example. Study Hebrews 11:24-26 carefully: “By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter; choosing rather to endure ill-treatment with the people of God, than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin; considering the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt; for he was looking to the reward.” Moses faced a choice. As Pharaoh’s adopted son he could enjoy the lavish lifestyle of royalty, or he could choose to become a Hebrew slave.