Perspective on Accounts

“But if anyone does not provide for his own, and especially for those of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.”

I Timothy 5:8

Perspective on Accounts (It's not what you think)

Here we are again, talking about Finances. It’s one of our 5 F’s that we can’t ignore. So, hold on and don’t delete or tune me out. I have a little different twist on it today.

Men, I’ll speak from some of my own experience. When money is in short supply, we feel the pressure to provide. When we have to say “no” to buying more, we feel more pressure. We live in a two-income, two-or-more-cars, big-house, annual-vacation, big-backyard, etc., world. This world of expectations piles on the pressure. But did God promise all of this? What does it really mean to provide? In 1 Timothy 5:8, God tells us through the Apostle Paul:

But if anyone does not provide for his own, and especially for those of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.

Strong Words

Those are strong words, but does this mean we need to provide the world and all that is in it for our family? What are we to provide anyway?

Sometimes we need to step back and remember to make a life, not just a living. Providing a life is not always about money. Although I believe this verse is talking about financial provision, I want to take this discussion a step outside of this.

Maybe God wants us to dial back our spending and consider the most important things that money can’t buy. Our wife is a masterpiece and our most precious possession, second only to our salvation. Our children are His masterpiece. We are a masterpiece. We are made in the image of God. What’s more valuable than that?

Proverbs 31:10 NASB

An excellent wife, who can find?

For her worth is far above jewels.

Psalm 127:3 NASB

Behold, children are a gift of the Lord, the fruit of the womb is a reward.

Psalm 127:5a NASB

How blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them;

True wealth is found in our relationship accounts, not in our bank accounts. Have you made any investments recently?

Just like retirement investing, dollar-cost averaging—that regular monthly deposit—builds over time.

A Simple Point and Good Advice

Whether we are talking about financial accounts or relationship accounts, in order to grow them, we need to regularly and continuously make saving and investment deposits that will pay dividends in the future.

Apply It

How wealthy are you? How are you regularly investing in your most important Life Plan Accounts (relationships)? Jesus (Faith), Wife and Children (Family), and Friends.

How can you invest this week? Let me strongly encourage you to put it on the calendar and make a transfer into those accounts before you forget it.

Paul Hopp

MD5 Facilitator