Do you have an uncomfortable feeling when you hear Christian finance advice? For many years I couldn’t put my finger on what bothered me about what I heard. It used scripture after all, and verses that are plain enough to understand. And yet, it felt like I was getting advice for upper middle class Christians who wanted to justify their comfortable and luxurious lifestyles by focusing on tithing and getting out of debt as a standard and goal. Wasn’t that what Jesus hounded the Pharisees about when he confronted them for scoffing at the widow’s two mites? They gave out of their wealth, at no real cost to themselves, while living luxurious lifestyles. Isn’t following Christ about putting others’ needs alongside mine – loving my neighbor as myself? And what about the pitfalls of wealth?  Jesus called riches “deceitful” in the parable of the sower – that should warrant some discussion given that we live in one of the world’s richest societies.  When have you heard that subject taught, except to brow beat churchgoers into giving more?  There’s got to be some reasonable middle ground between luxury and self-imposed poverty, right?

This is what I want to talk to you about. Practical advice for following Jesus with our finances – not to live a comfortable life, but to be God’s hands and feet. This is the Way of Humble Living.