What's even your financial goal? Do you even need one? - A christian perspective

I’ve got all the money I’ll ever need—if I die by 4 PM today. – Henny Youngman

Finances, generally, are a critical aspect of our lives. This is a material world after all and it’s a vital material for exchange for other materials.

I will primarily use the word ‘finance’ throughout this writing, even though it is technically incorrect to use it as a synonym for money. Finance is not a substitute word but this is my space and I think I can deviate the meaning just for the sake of this writing. Reason is, it has a more formal connotation to it and I just prefer it. Everyone knows finance is important and we probably overdrive its importance. For the majority of people on earth, their lives are structured around amassing it.

I think you should try to play this song [Idea 10 (slow and reverb) - https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=06ppk90CtHY&si=AboPON-qfUTDvNDw , https://open.spotify.com/track/0Wzv6Y5yj6vVMeN2x2BBdg?si=6sMMgWyEQO6GWCbxB1e-kg&context=spotify%3Asearch%3Aidea%2B10%2Bslowed%2Breverb] and put it on repeat while reading this. It’s a piano instrumental. I should probably build a floating music button on this page so readers can choose to play or stop the music. I think music can help set your heart rate and reading pace. Maybe.

Change your perspective about finance

Finance is a “thing/material” external to us. It is not inherent in us. It’s apart from us. You can strip a billionaire of his wealth in hours without doing anything to him bodily or needing a surgery for it. You do not take it out of him. He would look same with or without it because it’s not inherent in him. It ownership can be transferred. I think the point to be driven here is the detachment of a man from finance. It’s a tool. Even though the hammer is essential to the carpenter and lies always in his hands when he works, it’s not an extension or part of him. He can upgrade it or lose it, but the very things in him remain in him (say his skills, craftsmanship, etc.).

For the carpenter, the beauty of the tool is seen outside him and not within. At any point the tool finds itself into him or say his heart, then there is a big problem. Finance should be seen as such for a believer. For the believer, only God should reign supreme in his/her heart and not a tool or obsession/love for it.

There’s no true ownership with finance or things by the way

True ownership is seen in creation. Any other ownership is given/transferred or bestowed. Only God truly owns. That’s why he’s the source of all things. I do not own my life as I didn’t create it. By extension every thing we obtain or gets given to us still doesn’t belong to us. If I paid for a land, I paid for a transfer of decision rights over it. I didn’t create the land, neither did the person who sold it and I’m quite sure the person didn’t pay God for it. What would he use to pay? Gold? Or even his life (which is precious) but that he doesn’t own too? We could go on and on with several items like cars, gadgets, etc. Man has no absolute or true ownership over anything. Our ownership of things is basically decision rights over those things. For a believer, material prosperity should be seen from the point of stewarship

The beautiful thing is God gave man choice and he doesn’t infringe on that. So for example, I have decision rights over the ₦2163.37 in my OPay bank account as at the time of writing this. I could decide to give it or hoard it. I have the right to but I do not actually own it.

If there’s one thing I want to drive home here, it is the mindset shift of seeing finance or possessions as things you do not own and that they are detached from you.

To do work, tools are needed

I started with the importance of finance. I love woodworking. I look forward to having a workshop where I can do wood work on weekends. Pinewood especially. Pinewood is a softwood so it easy to work with and they have an appealing aesthetic. So basically, working with pinewood would not be possible no matter how great the wood work idea is in my head. I need tools.

In obedience to God and fulfilling purpose, God would always provide the tools for the work to be done. It’s that simple.

Work is good. Hard work is better

I am still struggling with getting rid of laziness from my life. It may not be visible outwardly but I see and recognise the actions that stem from it. Work is an essential thing to mankind. God put Adam in the garden to “work” it - Genesis 2:15. Work is primal to mankind. Hard work is better. There’s a reason we find moments of fulfilment after hours of deep work or hard work.

In whatever field we are in, we should work and work hard. Doing well, success or better financial gains naturally stem from this. And when the finance does come, we do not let it get into our hearts.

My favorite exercise is running out of money. - Anonymous

Contentment is primary

---

Contentment is satisfaction. Only God can satisfy a man. Not wealth, pleasures, or possessions. This is how it is designed to be. If you have the whole world, it won’t satisfy you. We all should let the consciousness of that fact sink in.

Good finance is usually a result of individual choices

As much as it’s true that God does provide needs, it’s important to note that God has established some basic laws in the universe. “Whatsoever a man sows is what he reaps” is a classic example. There are just some basic things attached to finance that are just normal. Most things with finance really are very normal.

1. Mismanagement generally is bad for finance.

2. Your choice of career really does matter in the physical world. Or what you do. It’s only natural for a medical doctor to be in a better financial state than someone in a less paying profession. People pay for the value you offer.

3. Value is typically rewarded with finance.

Money is a great servant but a terrible master—kind of like a chainsaw. Useful when you’re in control, but terrifying if it starts running your life!

Some wants are maybe valid

Do you like poached eggs? Are fried eggs better? Preference and wants would always be subjective. Wants which are not consumed on the flesh or its lusts can be valid really. Is the reason you want a car with a v12 engine because you want to brag about the fact that you have one (pride of life) or because you genuinely like the engineering behind it just like a geeky aeronautic engineer would want like to fly an F22 raptor to experience thrust vectoring and not to boast to anyone whatsoever about it. What is driving the want?

The pride of life, the lust of the eyes, the lust of the flesh. Are your wants to be consumed on this?

God has given man choice as stated earlier and how each of us plan to spend our free time or use the tools (finance) with us is up to us but we would certainly give account of it and be judged by what we do.

Should you have a financial goal then?

I think one shouldn’t. The concept of a goal in itself gives the idea of a defined end or satisfaction. As long as you work, you would always have enough to eat, take care of your family and give to people. As long as you can provide value, people would always pay for value. So if there’s anything I hope this writing helps with is the detachment from money and the shift to thinking less about it.

How about old age when you can’t work? Again, let it be established that God provides the needs of his children. Another thing to note is savings. Saving is quite important and it shows discipline and self control. It’s wrong to eat with 10 hands (the Yoruba translation is more intense and visual). The ants (considered wise) do save for the rainy day. So if there’s anything I would love to convey also is to not approach your finance with fear or uncertainty. You will be fine actually. Don’t make it a god. Take it out of your heart, it’s just a tool. Life is worth more than possessions. Make the right choices, work hard at what you do and God does reward labours.