Dear Solomon, My Finances Are a Mess

Introduction

I

can recall the excitement and the anticipation. It was Easter and Dad was hiding the eggs for my brother and me while we fidgeted in the bedroom, baskets in hand, behind closed doors. My brother was three years younger, so I was told to leave the eggs that were out in the open for him to find, but I didn’t always follow those instructions very well; after all, no self-respecting kid could let his little brother find more eggs than he did. There were eggs on the coffee table, eggs on the plastic-covered couch and chairs, eggs on the television set—all in plain view for anyone who was even half-heartedly looking. But there were also eggs hidden behind pillows, underneath the couch and chairs, and mixed in with the bowl full of wax fruit that was proudly displayed on the aforementioned coffee table; but even those eggs were simple to discover for those who were intent on finding them.

Finding Easter eggs was not a difficult task because my dad made it easy on us; he wanted us to find them. One reason he probably wanted us to find them was because, one particular Easter, we didn’t find one until the odor became very apparent many weeks after the fact; but, primarily, he wanted us to find them because of the smiles on our faces. He delighted in our joy.

God delights in the joy of His children. Our Heavenly Father has something far more beneficial for His children to find than multicolored, hard-boiled eggs. God is delighted when we find His wisdom. Like the eggs, His wisdom is easy to find for those who are looking. Unlike the eggs, His wisdom is actually calling out to us, literally shouting to us so there is no doubt in where to look. Yet, so many wander and stumble and feel their way through this life as if they were commanded to look for wisdom while blindfolded.

"Wisdom shouts in the street, she lifts her voice in the square; at the head of the noisy streets she cries out; at the entrance of the gates in the city she utters her sayings" (Proverbs 1:20-21 NASB).

During my childhood, one of the more popular newspaper columns was called Dear Abby. It was an advice column. People would send in their letters detailing their personal problems and Abby would dispense advice for all of America to read. The popularity of advice columns in newspapers has waned over the years, but Abby—and later, Ann Landers (her twin sister)—developed quite a following in their day. And while the advice they dished out was generally just plain common sense, it was lacking in genuine authority. Abby and Ann were just a couple of country girls who had a gift for seeing the obvious.

Solomon has the authority that Abby and Ann were missing. Solomon was the wisest man who ever set foot on this earth. And God has declared that never again will a man have the same level of wisdom that Solomon was blessed with. Solomon never solicited letters of those who were seeking advice, but he did write the epitome of all advice columns during his day. The Book of Proverbs contains words to live by and answers to many of life’s questions.

Proverbs contains advice on relationships with your spouse, your children, your parents, your employers, your employees, your friends, your enemies, the authorities in your life, and just about any other human relationship you could imagine. There is advice on how to handle your finances; how to deal with life and with death; how to use the power of your tongue; how to influence people; how to pray; how to live righteously; how to avoid sin; and how to identify and interact with foolish people, stubborn people, wicked people, and dangerous people.

You will find advice on greediness, good health and well-being, learning, human nature, honor, humility, love, hatred, deceitfulness, morality and immorality, proper planning, pride, priorities, service, testing, and listening.

Solomon has wisdom for growing old, handling authority, obedience, raising children, discipline, marriage, understanding, integrity, borrowing and lending, wealth and prosperity, work, benevolence, friendship, neighbors, government, and keeping a good reputation.

You may have to dig, and you may not have a specific answer to your particular problem, but, if you are genuinely searching, you will find a principle in the Book of Proverbs that will help you in a lasting and meaningful way.

We all need advice from time to time—even Solomon, apparently, needed some help because a few of his wise friends contributed to the writing of Proverbs—but we need advice from someone with authority. We need advice from someone who has our best interests at heart. We need true wisdom to deal with the issues we face in today’s world.

It’s yours for the taking. It’s in plain view and it’s calling your name.

* * *

For many years, God has given me a ministry of writing devotional thoughts in the form of what was once a daily email. I spent many years working my way through this glorious book of Proverbs. I have leaned on several who have blazed the trail ahead of me in commenting on this book, but have primarily leaned on the Holy Spirit to give me personal and practical illustrations to help illuminate the truth of this immensely practical book of the Bible.

As I began to formulate ideas for how to best communicate the wisdom of Proverbs to those who are searching for God’s wisdom, the Holy Spirit led me to start categorizing the Proverbs. It wasn’t long after when the Spirit impressed upon me the idea of a divine advice column of sorts; and hence Dear Solomon was born with this first installment on finances and possessions.

To a certain degree, I always struggle writing devotions on the topic of handling money and possessions. I know and understand the biblical principles, but I have been a poor example in being obedient to God’s wisdom on this topic in my own life until recently. For the most part, I have done things my own way in the aspects of finance and material possessions. I have always been a cheerful and generous giver when it came to tithes and offerings, but, after that, it has been pretty much a hit-and-miss proposition when it comes to following God’s principles of finance.

God had been gently nudging me in the right direction as I worked through writing a devotional thought on each and every Proverb, which obviously included a generous portion that dealt with money and possessions. But when I reached the end of chapter 27, the gentle nudge turned into a cold slap—"Know well the condition of your flocks, and pay attention to your herds; for riches are not forever, nor does a crown endure to all generations" (27:23-24).

This Proverb was like a hammer and I was the proverbial nail, so forgive me if I ramble on a bit about my own issues. For most of my adult life, I flew by the seat of my pants when it came to handling the money God had entrusted to my care. Borrowing money and using credit cards was simply a way of life. I fell for the philosophy of If I could afford the monthly payments, I could afford to make the purchase. The problem with this philosophy, besides being against God’s principles, is that you have to presume that you will always have a job and that that job will always provide enough income to keep up with the obligations you are committed to.

God has always been merciful, and He has taken my wife and me through some tough times over the years, but we learned the lesson of presumption when, six months into a new house and a new mortgage, my wife was laid off—and she was the major breadwinner at the time.

The principles God hammered into my rather thick noggin are to pay attention to the money God gives me and don’t presume that the future will always be bright while we dwell in these earthly tents. Don’t just stand idly by while the markets are going into the tank. Be wise in your investments. Adjust as conditions change. Know well the condition of your flocks, and pay attention to your herds. And while many may have been a little lax in heeding the advice of God in this Proverb, all should now understand that riches are not forever.

Do you want to know the real kicker in my lack of following God’s principles in handling my money? At the time God was making sure I understood this simple yet profound thought, I was a bivocational pastor. My job outside of the church was insurance and financial planning—and I was good at it with other people’s money! I told my clients to get out of the market in June of 2008. Those who listened are still in pretty good shape today. Those who didn’t lost a ton. So, how in the world can I be so apt to follow God’s principles when handling other people’s money but so inept when I am handling my own?

The answer is in the wording of the question—I consider the money and possessions I have to be my own instead of understanding that they belong to God. I was good with my client’s money because I understood that I was a steward who was expected to take extreme care in preserving and growing their investment. Because I have viewed the money I have as my own and not as money that I am a steward of for God, I have been careless.

As I said earlier, that view with me has changed. So, whether you have been like me in how you have handled the money and possessions God has entrusted to your care, or this is just a confirmation that you are on the right track, may the Lord use this Proverb and my life’s example to help you from this point onward.

I trust you will be as blessed as I have been by this fascinating journey God has allowed me to be a part of. But, just like the eggs I searched for as a child, the wisdom of God is only for those who are genuinely searching; but if you do find yourself among the privileged few who put forth the effort, you will fill your basket to overflowing. So, open the bedroom door of your heart and let the excitement of the hunt begin!

CHAPTER 1

Can’t Get Enough

T

here are plenty of things in my life that I have overindulged in. There has hardly been a dessert that I have met that survived the meeting; I have yet to grow weary of watching sports on TV; and I consistently run out of room on my bookshelves no matter how many I have in the house or at my office. I guess there are worse things to never be able to get enough of, but these are not good examples of what truly matters. My waistline and health suffer when I eat too many desserts; there are better uses of my time than sitting in front of the TV; and, while worthy books can be put to very good use, I have far too many on my shelves that have never been opened, potentially leaving answers I have been looking for within arm’s reach.

There are other things that you could never overindulge in or have too much of. All of us have room for more love in our life. I have never heard anyone say they are at their limit on good friends. We can never drink our fill of God’s mercy. And wisdom is seemingly always in short supply, which is the issue I want to address in this opening chapter.

Apart from godly wisdom, we will never experience true satisfaction, independence, and contentment in our financial lives. So, before we start digging into the nuts and bolts of what Solomon has to say concerning money, possessions, work, etc., let’s make sure we build a good foundation on the primary resource that must be accumulated and continually pursued in abundance.

I live in the central mountains of Colorado. When the weather begins to get colder and we experience the first few snowfalls of the season, the wildlife starts to make its way down to lower elevations in search of food. One of the more amazing animals that make their appearance at this time is the bighorn sheep. They prefer the steep, rocky cliffs as opposed to the open fields. You will see them on the edge of a cropping of rocks jutting out from the side of a sheer cliff and wonder how they got there. Then you watch them skillfully step or jump down then climb or leap up to another seemingly impossible perch of stone. They don’t slip and they don’t fall. Their steps are sure.

Listening your way to wisdom

Solomon makes a comparison between the wise and the foolish in Proverbs 10:8–9 using the illustration of being on firm ground or a slippery slope. Let’s look at the foolish person first—"a babbling fool will be ruined … he who perverts his ways will be found out."

The fool heads down a dangerous path. He doesn’t take into consideration the obstacles in his way, or he doesn’t care. A fool will only look at his current circumstances and the immediate need or desire. He does not want to hear advice, nor does he want to wait. He will use any means necessary to obtain what he wants even if it means using illegal or crooked means to do so. So, he goes headlong into whatever he is after without any regard for the pitfalls that lie ahead. Inevitably, he will fall and be ruined, as our Proverb says.

On the other hand, the wise person accepts instruction—"The wise of heart will receive commands." Probably, the most important factor in obtaining wisdom is the willingness to be taught. Most lack this necessary quality. Most have too much pride in their life to accept the fact that they possibly do not know everything. Yet those who refuse instruction are counted as fools by God and people. It takes a man or woman of wisdom to seek instruction. It takes a man or woman of even greater wisdom to apply and follow instruction, which we will consider in a moment. Don’t let pride keep you from asking for instruction when you lack knowledge or understanding, and then be diligent in applying wisdom. The fact that you are reading this book likely means you are on this path.

The wise also live a life of integrity—"he who walks in integrity walks securely. Maintaining honesty and integrity in your life at all times keeps you standing firmly no matter what your circumstances are. Just like the bighorn sheep, no matter how perilous your circumstances seem, you will not fall. The prophet Habakkuk says, The Lord GOD is my strength, and He has made my feet like hind’s feet, and makes me walk on my high places" (Habakkuk 3:19). This is what integrity will do for you; it will guide you safely through the mountains you face, including taming the money beast.

You must seek and accept knowledge to be equipped to transfer that knowledge into godly wisdom. So, how are you at heeding instructions? Do you follow them to the letter, or do you casually read or listen to them and then still do things your own way? The next Proverb we will look at implies that listening and adhering to instruction is a discipline that will endure—"Cease listening, my son, to discipline, and you will stray from the words of knowledge" (Proverbs 19:27).

In the first nine chapters of Proverbs, we are constantly encouraged to listen to and treasure the teaching that we receive. We are told that, in doing so, we are on the path to obtaining wisdom. This Proverb essentially says we are throwing all that wisdom out the door the minute we stop learning and the minute we refuse to accept instruction. At the point we think we know it all, wisdom is running for the exits.

I think the point is straightforward enough but let me give you an example of an area in which most Christians refuse instruction. It is an area of life that is bubbling over with opportunity to obtain wisdom, yet most ignore this opportunity and turn their backs on this knowledge. The area I speak of is in the trials and tribulations you face.

God allows trouble and pain and sorrow into our lives to teach us, to train us, to correct us, to mold us, to use us for His glory, and any number of other divine purposes. God is not sitting on a cloud watching and waiting for the perfect opportunity to make us miserable. We are all perfectly capable of and adept at making ourselves miserable without God’s help. But each and every problem you face is a chance to increase in knowledge, and thus in wisdom. It is a time to grow and mature. It is a treasure chest brimming with golden nuggets of wisdom that cannot be obtained elsewhere.

If you can grasp this concept, if you can beat back your selfish desires that want nothing but pleasure and ease, if you can bring yourself to not only look for but see the silver lining in your dark clouds, then you will be able to begin to understand how James can tell us "Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials" (James 1:2). We will be able to consider our trials as an opportunity for great joy because we will understand the unspeakable opportunity that lies before us. We will know that the problems that lie at our feet are God’s love being poured upon us. The Almighty Creator of the universe is taking the time to give you personalized instruction that is designed to make you wise and complete and mature in your life and in your faith, and He does so most effectively through personal difficulties.

But of course, God also gives you the freedom to turn your back on this instruction. He gives you the freedom to choose to worry and fret. He gives you the freedom to moan and complain. He allows you to make yourself sick and miserable. He even allows you to infect others with your negativity and hopelessness. Or, you can share your burdens with others, and open your eyes to the opportunity to learn all that the Master Teacher wants to invest into your life.

Now, even if it is your nature to be indecisive and negative, this is not a difficult choice. Listen to instruction, my child—in whatever form it presents itself.

I think it was Samuel Clemons (Mark Twain) who once borrowed from Proverbs and said something like this—Better to be thought a fool than to open your mouth and remove all doubt. The point is, when you are in the company of those who are wiser than you, don’t try to impress them with your knowledge or attempt to play on their level; you are liable to only reveal your ignorance instead. You should rather humble yourself, listen to what is being said, and, if you open your mouth at all, do so to ask questions so that your understanding will be enhanced and increased.

Solomon shares two more Proverbs (10:13–14) with us, contrasting the words of the wise with the words of the fool. Let’s start this time by looking at the wise person—"On the lips of the discerning, wisdom is found … Wise men store up knowledge."

I have read several books on leadership over the years. One of the common principles promoted in these books is to learn from those who have already been successful in your field. One author spoke of being so broke he couldn’t put food on the table, yet he managed to scrape together $100 for the privilege of spending fifteen minutes with a leader in his field. Even though this author went hungry for a few days he said it was the best investment he had ever made. The few nuggets of insight he gained in that fifteen minutes propelled him to become a leader in that field not too many years down the road.

What could you learn in fifteen minutes with the most successful person in your field? Better yet, what could you learn in fifteen minutes at the feet of Jesus? This is what Mary (the sister of Martha and Lazarus) did when Jesus came to visit. She sat at His feet and listened, soaking up every drop of wisdom He imparted. Martha spent her time completing all of the tasks of the day, tasks that would be there again tomorrow whether or not they got done today. There is great wisdom in stopping and taking the time to listen to those who have understanding.

The fool, on the other hand, only attracts trouble and punishment when he opens his mouth—"But a rod is for the back of him who lacks understanding … with the mouth of the foolish, ruin is at hand." Most fools are afflicted with stubbornness. In his ignorance, a fool will continue on in his foolishness even with the threat of punishment looming over him. He’s too stubborn to shut up or learn anything even when he has seen the value of wisdom in action.

King Asa of Judah was like this. Early on in his reign he sought the Lord when the Egyptians were approaching to attack and the Lord defeated the Egyptian army. Later in his reign, Asa was again faced with an attacking army but, this time, it was Israel. Instead of inquiring of the Lord as he had in the past, he formed an alliance with Syria. Although the alliance worked from a military viewpoint and Israel was defeated, Asa’s foolishness caused his kingdom to never have peace again during his reign. Later in his life, when Asa faced disease and sickness, he, again, did not seek God and the Lord allowed him to remain sick and disease-ridden all the way to his death.

Seeking godly wisdom is the same as seeking God through the reading, study, and application of His Word. We become fools when we ignore God and seek our