Thrift
“His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things.’”
Matthew 25:21 (NIV)Jesus told this parable to illustrate an important principle that applies to many areas of life. The faithful servant is praised for wisely using the “few things” the Lord has given him, and because of this faithfulness in small things, the Lord will put the servant in charge of “many things.”
The Lord has blessed each of us with unique talents, gifts and resources. It is up to us to use them wisely so that one day, the Lord will say to us, “Well done, good and faithful servant!”
How can we be faithful with a “few things” in our homes? Whether we live in a tiny apartment or a big house, God has entrusted us with resources and finances to meet our needs and to help others.
“Thrift” is a word we do not hear very often. To be “thrifty” is to economically manage resources. A thrifty person thinks carefully about how they will use money, talents or any other blessing and then they make wise decisions based on needs and priorities.
Let’s look at two girls and consider how they manage their resources. Lauren and Nancy both save their allowance and sometimes earn extra money babysitting. Both girls need dress shoes and like to look nice. Lauren has saved $50 and wants a pair of designer pumps she saw at the mall. They have a little gold button on the outside of each shoe engraved with the designer’s initials and all her friends are wearing them. Although the shoes are $75, she begs her parents to give her the rest of the money because she just “has to have those particular shoes.”
Nancy has also saved $50 and it has taken her a long time to save that much money. For several weeks, she’s been looking at the ads in the newspaper and discovers that stores have sales all the time. She shows the shoe ads to her mother and asks if they might go shopping soon. Nancy and her mother decide to go to several nearby stores and, after comparing prices, Nancy is delighted to find some very nice pumps on sale for $20. She buys those and a pair of fun socks and decides to save the rest of her money because she knows she’ll need some winter clothes soon.
Both girls got a pair of shoes. In a year, they may no longer fit or styles will change. Nancy was thrifty and wise. She practiced “economical management” of her finances and has money left over to buy clothes she will need later. Lauren got what she wanted but spent all of her money plus more that her parents gave her. She has nothing left for clothes or anything else. Her friends’ opinions were uppermost in her mind; she did not carefully think through her decision or try to live within her budget.
Now let’s “fast forward” ten years or so. Both girls have gotten married and now they have to purchase not only shoes and clothing, but also food, shampoo, paper products, medicine, towels and bedding, dishes, furniture and so much more. When Lauren goes to the grocery store, she does not make a list, but buys whatever looks good when she gets there. When she gets home, she often discovers she doesn’t have everything she needs to make dinner, so she and her husband eat out a lot. Lauren never has enough money so she frequently uses a charge card. Her husband complains at the end of the month that the charge card bills keep getting bigger, but Lauren can’t figure out how they could cut back on expenses.
Nancy is doing what she’s always done: she reads the ads in the newspaper whether she’s buying clothes or groceries. She comparison shops and knows which stores have the best prices. She uses coupons and sometimes buys things at a warehouse store. Sometimes there’s money left to eat dinner at a restaurant, but Nancy and her husband usually enjoy eating at home. They only use a credit card in an emergency and they save money before making any large purchases.
Thrift: it’s a small word with big implications! Lauren and her husband already argue over money and her home is not the peaceful haven she had always dreamed it would be. Nancy and her husband prayerfully plan and then live within their budget. Their first home is small, but happy, and they look forward to the time the Lord will bless them with children.
Learn to make wise choices over a few things now; one day you will be entrusted with many more things. Practicing thrift will help you become a wise and faithful steward!
Copyright, 2008, Laurie Latour.
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