We are going to begin a series based off of a very popular sermon by Pastor Andy Stanley of North Point Ministries called “Balanced.”
I know some readers don’t consider themselves Christian, but believe me, you will benefit greatly from this series. I was a non-believer for a long time, but I still found a lot of truth in what the bible said, and now as a believer, I can further see the truth contained.
The 3 Laws of Balance
Andy starts off by drawing parallels between physical balance and financial balance. He states that the 3 laws are:
- Have a reference point
- Make constant corrections
- And have a clear objective
One important point that Andy makes is that if you break any of these laws while physically trying to balance, you’ll experience immediate consequences, but in finances the consequences can be avoided for years. This is an important distinction that people need to understand: just because things are going well right now, it doesn’t mean you are doing things correctly.
The Law of the Harvest
Andy mentions that finances often follow the law of the harvest which essentially states “You will sow now, but reap later and greater.” In short-hand, that means delayed-gratification. He also tells an interesting story about 2 farmers. We will call them farmers 1 and 2. They both walk out onto their fields and farmer 1 plants his seeds. Farmer 2 decides that it isn’t worth the effort.
2 weeks go by and they both have the same to show for their efforts (or lack of effort), which is just empty fields. Does this mean that being lazy paid off? Fast forward a few months, and how have things changed? Farmer 1 now has a harvest, but farmer 2 still has empty fields. In the long run, it was worth putting in the effort.
Hemorrhaging VS. Hoarding
He also makes the point that being out of balance doesn’t necessarily mean that you’re spending money like crazy, but you can also hoard money to the point where it hurts your relationships. He also points out that many relationships suffer because the two people are on opposite sides of the finance spectrum.
Many people inherit their financial philosophies from their families and this can be a huge point of contention. It’s hard to shake what you’ve grown up knowing. You’ve seen your parents use the credit cards, and get loan after loan; that’s how you’re supposed to do things also, correct? It’s important to get finances out on the table and to discuss them with each other.
One interesting point that Andy made about couples, is that in all of the years of his counseling, most couples have enough money! I found that very interesting just because of how many people vehemently state that they “do not have enough money!”
Additional Andy Stanley Quotes, Questions, and Study
Quotes:
Jesus doesn’t want to get your money, Jesus wants to make sure that your money doesn’t get you.”
– Andy Stanley
For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”
– Matt. 6:21
No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.”
– Luke 16:13
Questions:
- Do you have trouble balancing finances in your life?
- Do you feel that you spend too much, hoard too much, or have a perfect balance?
- Do you find finances creating dissonance in your relationships?
- Do you find finances to be unfair? (be sure to watch the part 1 video to hear what Andy has to say about “fairness” in finances!)
- What are some ways that you can bring a little balance back into your finances?
There is a lot of information in this series and I urge you to watch the videos to follow along with us. There is so much more information packed into the videos than I can convey in 100 articles. I’m just attempting to follow along with you, and provide some commentary to give additional perspective.
Back to the Balanced by Andy Stanley series.
Comments are closed.