Wealth Management and Marketplace Transformation

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One of my guys asked me a question during last week's Ed Silvoso's seminar :"What is the linkage between weath management and marketplace transformation?"

It sets me thinking. At first glance, I did not see much correlation between the two....but then as I was meditating on the Word of God, it suddenly struck me :

"You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men.
"You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven. (Matt 5:13-16)

We are the light and salt in the marketplace...and I believe one of the key areas is how we handle and manage the money and wealth that the Lord has blessed us with. We need have different values from the world when it comes to our wealth management.

Like it or not, how we spend our money is one of the most visible areas of our public life. The clothes we wear, the restaurants we have our meals, the cars we drive, the type of house that we live in, the bank accounts we maintain... they reveal clearly how we have been using our money, and our attitude towards money.

God clearly tells us that "It is more blessed to give than to receive." (Acts 20:35).

Yet we know that the prevailing value in the world is that "it is more blessed to hoard, than to give". Hence the obssession to achieve "financial freedom"; to ensure that we have accumulated the resources to retire comfortably as young as possible, while enjoying the highest possible standard of living.

The world is pre-occupied with showing others that we have "made it"....in the type of house we live in, the cars that we drive, the lifestyle we maintain etc.

It is so easy for Christians to be sucked into this flow as well, as it is so prevalent. The problem with this is obvious....we become enslaved to the principles of the world rather than following the ways of God, and it robs us of the freedom & resources that we could otherwise have used to plow back into the Kingdom of God. God's reminders are clear:

Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is--his good, pleasing and perfect will. (Rom 12:2)

It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery. (Gal 5:1)

We need to make a decision on how we should prioritise the use of the wealth that God has given to us. God is no miser...He will bless us with more than enough for our needs. We need not live in poverty so that we can give all back to God. Plan financially for our families to live in comfort, by all means...I don't think it is God's plan to deny us that. Just remember to plan for enough to meet our needs and not our excessive wants. Be as debt-free as possible. Rethink plans for spending on unneccessary luxurious items. Prioritise to give to the works of the Lord. Never compromise on tithing. What we have freely received from God, be generous to freely give. That is true financial freedom, knowing that God will meet all our needs according to His glorious riches in Christ Jesus. (Php 4:19)

We need to show the people around us God's way of wealth management and what true financial freedom is. We can't do that if we are as preoccuppied as they are in the pursuit of worldly weath, prestige and luxury. We need to show forth the contentment and generosity that a Christian should have, using our God-given wealth for helping the poor and fatherless, and in the building of His Kingdom. We need to show that our first allegience is to God, not money. Only then can they see our good deeds and glorify our Father in Heaven.

It is a long road, but we need to start somewhere, if we are serious in transforming the values in the marketplace.