One Money Design

No matter the stage of life you’re in today, you’ve probably said to yourself, “if only I would have known about (fill in the blank) 10 years ago my life would be different today.”

I think we’ve all said or thought that at one time or another. For many of us it’s about money and the decisions we’ve made managing it.  In the recent economic crisis we might often hear people say, “if only I would have known to build emergency savings as a top priority when I finished school, I might not be accumulating so much debt today because of my job loss”.

Sure, sometimes it’s not about money.  Sometimes, we talk about family and relationships and the lack of time spent with them, wishing things could be different today.

Put God First

I heard a pastor once speak about his visits to a local hospital to encourage people with terminal illnesses.  It’s interesting to know that no one he spoke or prayed with talked about their career accomplishments, cars, or other possessions in their final days.  Instead, he said they always talk about their faith in God, family and relationships as the most important areas in their lives.

Most Christians would agree that faith in God and our relationship with Him is the top priority in life.  Putting God first positions us to have a blessed marriage and other relationships because they are based on His solid foundation.

And so by putting God first, we can better understand the importance of living our lives from a Heaven backwards perspective (sometimes referred to as living with an eternal perspective).  Of course it’s not easy to consistently live with this perspective on life, but it’s what we have to strive for as Christians to keep our priorities straight.

Money Decisions from a Heaven Backwards Perspective

Imagine if all of the sudden peoples’ decisions with money management were from a Heaven backwards perspective. People would certainly make different choices with how they make, spend, save and give it. They could begin to see money as a delicate blessing which we are all to manage wisely for prosperity as well as for the good of others.

Managing money from heaven backwards requires doing a few things that might cause some to raise a brow or advise against, but essential to live from this perspective.

Manage Money from Heaven Backwards Checklist

Consider the below manage money from Heaven backwards checklist to see what perspective you’re using to manage your money:

• Do you recognize God as the owner of all things and that you are the manager of what has been entrusted to your care?
• Do you spend wisely by having a spending plan every month?
• Do you strive to live debt free? This includes spending money based on what one can afford (according to your plan) versus the amount of credit which may be available.
• Do you give of your first fruits by tithing? Ultimately, it’s God’s money and through this action, you are trusting in God with your financial prosperity, i.e., there is no more reason to “get rich” because God is in control.
• Do you give back to others by sharing success stories and helping people know what it means to manage money from Heaven backwards?

How many of these did did you answer with yes?  If only a few, you might consider seeking accountability or counsel from other Christian brothers or sisters.  A Money Map Coach or Christian financial counselor can help you identify specific action steps in each of these areas.

Many may define financial freedom as becoming debt free or getting into a position to where there is no more dependence on income from a job. However, the act of managing money from Heaven backwards is financial freedom.

What do you think about managing money from a Heaven backwards perspective?

This is an article I originally posted at Bible Money Matters.

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