Where's The Line?

I would guess that most people have struggled at some time with the following questions:

"Where is the line between being responsible and working in a job that I don't love but pays the bills AND working in a job that I love but doesn't pay the bills?"

"Should I do what I love and worry about the money later?"

"Should I take a job that I don't love so that I can pay the bills?"


Especially right now, these are big questions on everyone's mind. I believe that we need to be responsible for ourselves and our families. If that means taking a job that we don't love but will pay the bills then so be it. I realize that may be a hard pill to swallow but no one said life was going to be easy. One of the many reasons our economy is in such a mess is because people were irresponsible from various angles.

Some were irresponsible in making unethical business decisions for their companies.

Some were irresponsible in giving loans to people who were one paycheck away from disaster.

Some were irresponsible for lying on their loan applications thinking that they were "entitled" to a house even though they couldn't afford it.

Some were irresponsible in spending more than they make.

Here is the painful truth. The American dream cannot be achieved by lying, cheating, stealing or being unethical or immoral. It is also not handed out. It is earned through honesty and hard work.

Now, here's the good news. If you know Jesus, you have a way out from this mess. Jesus told us that if we live by the principles in the Bible, we can enjoy a life of abundance and overflow. We can have all of our needs met so that we have plenty left over to help others. We can work in a job that we love because we don't look to our job to provide for us. We look to God as our Provider and our Source.

However, Jesus also told us that it wouldn't be easy and that it would require consistency and dedication. We have to learn about God's principles and live by God's principles before we will see those wonderful and amazing blessings manifest in our lives. I suppose the question then becomes . . .

"Are you trusting your jobs and your own efforts to supply your needs or are you living by God's principles, implementing His ways of doing things and therefore seeing Him supply your needs?"

Root Problem With Stimulus Bills

I think one of the root problems with these stimulus bills is that it doesn't fix the underlying problems that got us here. Greed. Mismanagement of personal finances. Irresponsibility. Lack of accountability. People's belief that they are entitled to things.



If people's attitudes and belief systems don't change, we are going to be back in the same predicament when the money runs out. People who were irresponsible, overspent, and abused credit, are probably going to blow any tax credits or other kickbacks on more irresponsible spending.



I especially hate the idea that some people are going to get yearly rewards for paying their mortgage on time. The reward should be that you get to keep your house. As an adult you should be paying your bills on time without a reward. That's called being responsible. This type of "stimulus" is only encouraging those who are working the system instead of getting out there and working to make a living. In addition, those who need this "reward" to pay on time, will probably just short pay other bills to get this extra bonus the government is handing out.



Don't get me wrong. My heart goes out to the responsible people who lost a job or ran into medical issues that caused their bad financial situation. Those people should be helped by family, friends, local churches and ministries, etc. But, a massive stimulus program like these seem to reward the vast majority of people not in this category who carelessly throw their money around and think that because they breath air in our country it gives them a right to certain things. Even if they can't afford it.



The stimulus should be rewarding personal responsibility. This would then encourage others to become responsible so that they too could get the reward. It just seems like these stimulus bills are backwards.

Making Your Way Prosperous

Everyone is asking how do I make wise decisions and become prosperous during these tough economic times. Joshua 1:8 gives us the answer.

“This Book of the Law shall not depart out of your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, that you may observe and do according to all that is written in it. For then you shall make your way prosperous, and then you shall deal wisely and have good success.”

Can it really be that simple? Absolutely!

When you begin to immerse yourself in God’s ways, you begin to think and act like God. He will tell you where to invest (or not invest). He will give you favor, promotion and increase. When we live by God’s Kingdom principles, we will see God’s results in our life. Isn’t that exciting?