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Time, Energy, and Money: Managing Family Resources

stress, we learned our bodies are

vulnerable to attack and stress can easily

drain our energy. God places great value

on the human body. The Apostle Paul

calls the human body a most valuable

possession because it is the dwelling

place of the Holy Spirit (see 1

Corinthians 3:16; 6:19). Therefore,

believers must be good stewards, giving

their bodies as much attention as they do

their valuable possessions. In the gospel

of Mark, we find even Jesus needed to

rest (see Mark 6:31–32). This

underscores the importance of finding

time in the busy family schedule for “free

play,” rather than cramming “one more

thing” into an already overbooked

schedule. Sometimes, we need to be a

little more polychronic in our approach

to time—letting time unravel quietly and

loosely.

Make Tithing a Part of Your Budget.

“The earth is the LORD’s, and everything

in it, the world, and all who live in it; for

he founded it upon the seas and

established it upon the waters” (Psalm

24:1–2).

Totithemeans to give a portion of

your income to God. Biblically, the tithe

most often meant a tenth part of a

person’s earnings and possessions. Many

Christians follow that same pattern and

give 10% of their income to the church,

mission group or other ministry

organization. Others give a smaller or

higher percentage. Some people tithe on

their gross income; others on the net.

Tithing is a form of worship which

recognizes God as the ultimate Provider

of all we “own.” Our responsibility is to

manage well what He has given us.

Tithing, which can be traced to the

earliest times in biblical history, was

meaningful because it involved giving up

something of value. This often meant a

sacrifice of physical belongings. We

encourage Christians to find a place for

tithing in their weekly budgets, and to

encourage their children to offer a part

of their allowances for the same reason.

Establish Your Priorities

Stewardship is how we use what God

has given us. A budget is one way a

family manages its income and expenses.

Following a budget means we learn to

prioritize our needs over our wants. That

actually is a good way to exercise

Tithing is a way of recognizing God as the

ultimate Provider of all we have.

Image from BigstockPhoto.com / WellfordT