As I was going through my reading plan from Youversion.com, I encountered a very strong message on stewardship. Many times we focus too much on accumulation of wealth forgetting the real purpose of why we are accumulating. God gives us wealth and the ability to create wealth and He has a reason for doing so. Below is an excerpt from one of Youversion.com ‘s many bible reading plans. 

Equitable Distribution of Resources

God told Moses that the promised land was to be distributed according to the relative size and needs of the various tribes: ‘To a larger group give a larger inheritance, and to a smaller group a smaller one’ (Nu 26:54). In this way, socioeconomic equity was ingrained in the DNA of Israel’s agrarian economy. Biblical scholar Craig L. Blomberg observes, ‘The ideal contrasts markedly with arrangements in other feudal kingdoms near Canaan in that day, in which by far the more common pattern was the concentration of vast tracts of land among the royal and aristocratic elites, leaving a majority of the people in considerable poverty.’

Similarly, when we look to the New Testament, the book of Acts provides an outstanding example of how the equitable distribution of resources became an important characteristic of the early church (see Ac 2:42-47; 4:32-37). Today the same principle should govern our financial decisions. Second Corinthians 9:11 tells us that God makes us rich in every way so that we can be generous on every occasion. Thus, distributing resources equitably means recognizing the fact that in God’s economy he equips some with more so that they can bless others who have less. Pastor Stephen Olford (1918-2004) clarifies this idea of ‘sharing the load’ in giving:

Such teaching does not in any way support either the Marxist idea of communism or the kind of giving that encourages luxury or laziness in the recipient. Equality in giving teaches that while it is the responsibility of the rich to bear their share of the load, the poor are not excused from proportionate responsibility.

Olford continues by adding this limitation, based on 2 Corinthians 8:13-14:

Paul warns, however, that equality in giving should not cause the saints in one area to be eased while givers become burdened. The Jerusalem saints were not to enjoy plush seats while the Corinthian Christians sat on hard benches. On the contrary, there should be wisdom and a sense of balance in the matter of sharing the resources of a local church.

Olford maintains that we are also to be gracious receivers when it becomes necessary:

Some people will not accept gifts lest they should be obligated to the donors. This, is Paul’s view, is unethical (see 2 Co 8:13). We should gratefully receive all that God gives us through our brethren because the time may come when we must reciprocate. This truth was not for Corinth only; it is relevant today!Today we may have abundance and tomorrow we may be in want. Today we may live in luxury and tomorrow we may suffer need. Today we may have the privilege of giving and tomorrow we may have the equal privilege of receiving.

As you read through today’s Scripture please reflect on the following questions: what is one way in which you are rich, and how do you share your riches with others?

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Youversion.com is today’s biggest Bible app for your phone and tablets, I highly recommend you download it and even subscribe to its many Bible reading plans. 

I’m starting a series of blogs about questions in the mind of many of my readers. I will try to answer all the questions in short form and post it in this blog site.

The first question was asked by Ray Cuta via Facebook:

Question:  What are your top 10 personal finance book?

Hi Ray.

A few months ago, I wrote about the top books I recommend in my Inquirer column but it’s not 10 books. Let me put those books I recommended in the column plus others to make it 10. Personal Finance books are really helpful but not all are really sound. The following books are those that I personally like:

1)      Total Money Make Over by Dave Ramsey – I love this book as it is a no nonsense book on helping us get on the right track. It is instructional and very sound financial advices.

2)      Financial Peace by Dave Ramsey – Yes I am a Dave Ramsey fan and for a good reason. This book lays the foundation of achieving real financial security – very basic and yet very real.

3)      Pwede Na! The Complete Pinoy Guide to Personal Finance by Efren Cruz – This for me is the best personal finance book written by a Filipino. Very concise and yet full of information. What makes me like this book a lot is that it is written in the Filipino context.

4)      Pwede Na! The Complete Pinoy Guide to Retirement & Estate Planning by Efren Cruz – the follow-up book when you are ready to grow your money and plan your estate. I also like this book because it is factual, concise and written in the Filipino context.

5)      Millionaire Next Door — by Thomas J. Stanley and William D. Danko. This is an iconic book that discusses the behavior of Millionaire in the USA. It is not only insightful, it will actually shatter many of our misconception on wealth and wealth accumulation. I particularly like this book because it is based on solid research. This is a good financial behavior book that may help you make a paradigm shift.

6)      Automatic Millionaire by David Bach — this book by a best-selling author gives you an overly simplistic view on achieving wealth and yet it is effective in its message that in eating an elephant, we need to do it one bite at a time. Simple, practical and sensible. If you think you can never be wealthy, read this!

7)      Money Matters by Larry Burkett — Financial counselling is the most effective route toward achieving financial security but many do not have access to good financial counsellors or advisors. Money Matters is a form of counselling book and I like the question-and-answer format. The questions are very practical and real, not superfluous or ambivalent. The answers of Mr. Burkett are successful in providing advice in an emphatic way; yet, you will find that his answers have sound financial grounding.

8)      Till Debt Do Us Part by Chinkee Tan — another book written by a local author that I highly recommend. Chinkee’s book deals with an issue that plagues many Filipinos and yet one that is hardly discussed openly. The author successfully convinces the reader that debt is not a good thing and yet it gives us hope that being truly debt-free is within the reach of the average Pinoy. I like the practical steps in finding a solution to the debt trap written specifically for the Pinoy psyche. Chinkee has written many best-selling books but Till Debt Do Us Part remains to be my favorite.

9)      The Richest Man in Babylon by George Samuel Clason – A former boss of mine gave me this book in 1994 and probably the first finance book I ever read. I did not read it immediately as I am not fond of fiction but boss insists I read this one. The writing style was great but the message of the book was even greater. It’s all about doing the right things and very fundamental in nature.  This book is full of financial wisdom.

10)   The Bible – Yes, the written word of God is also an awesome finance book. Did you know that the offers 500 verses on prayer, less than 500 verses on faith, but more than 2,000 verses on money and possessions. 16 of the 38 parables were concerned with how to handle money and possessions and Jesus talked a great deal about money. The wisdom you will get from reading the word of the Lord will not only make you a better believer, it will also make you a better steward. Pick up the Bible and experience it for yourself.

There are many more books you can read and I’m sure there are those that will be your personal favourites. Just remember when reading a book – pick up the good things and discard that bad ones as no book is perfect; except the Bible.

Happy reading!

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