Holiday Spending Habits
The holidays are quickly approaching, which means it’s time to start our holiday shopping! But hold on––are you financially ready? One of the biggest blessings of the holidays is the chance to give to others out of the goodness of our hearts. But if we’re not careful, our holiday spending can get out of hand, and then before we know it we find ourselves scrounging around the bottom of our wallets.
It can be difficult to strike a balance between generosity and wise spending. We want to reflect Christ’s selflessness. But while Jesus may have commended the widow putting the last of her money in the offering box at the temple, He hasn’t called us to wreak havoc on our finances just so we can get our family and friends the latest gadgets.
Before we start shopping, let’s look at some of the principles the Bible teaches us on giving with the right mind and heart.
It Is Better to Give Than to Receive
We should want to be a blessing to others, especially at a time of year that comes with a mix of both good and bad emotions. As we round out a year of hard work, many of us are compelled to give to our loved ones as a gesture of appreciation and love.
This is a good heart to have, and is affirmed by the apostle Paul in the book of Acts: “And I have been a constant example of how you can help those in need by working hard. You should remember the words of the Lord Jesus: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive’” (Acts 20:35 NLT).
While these words of Jesus aren’t recorded in the gospels (the books of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John), they were powerful enough to Jesus’ disciples that the saying was passed down to new converts, including Paul.
Jesus’ ministry was centered around serving others without expecting anything in return (Matthew 20:28). When it comes to giving to God, He has called us to be cheerful givers, not giving out of compulsion (2 Corinthians 9:7), but out of the abundance of our hearts (Luke 6:45). In a similar manner, when we give to others, it should be done with joy, not because we feel we have to, but from an overflow of gratitude and contentment in the Lord’s provision.
Being Good Stewards
First Corinthians 4:2 equates good stewardship to faithfulness. What does this practically look like with our finances? It looks like taking into account both the immediate outcomes of our generosity and the long-term implications. While we may want to bring sparks of happiness through gift giving, we also must be mindful of other responsibilities we have that can be affected––rent, bills, paying off debt. Though we should never worry about having enough (Matthew 6), we’re also called to honor God in the ways we use our money (Proverbs 3:9-10). Faithful stewardship calls us to be mindful of both the now and the later.
As you prepare to fill your shopping carts, take into account what other buckets are being affected. Assess the areas in which you have margin to pull from, and then safeguard the ones that don’t. Your future self will thank you for your present faithfulness.
Don’t Be a Lover of Money
The practice of stewardship is about being faithful, not amassing mounds of wealth. Look at the exhortation from the author of Hebrews: “Don’t love money; be satisfied with what you have. For God has said, ‘I will never fail you. I will never abandon you’” (13:5 NLT).
While we protect our finances, we have to watch out for the creeping in of a love of money––what the Bible tells us is the root of all evil (1 Timothy 6:10). Money isn’t bad, but putting too much emphasis on it can quickly lead us down a treacherous path. When we let money become our master (Matthew 6:24), all of our decisions are filtered through saving or earning another dollar.
All of our financial decisions need to be made with the foundational understanding that God is our Provider, and that the use of our wealth (money or otherwise) should bring Him glory. Don’t lose sight of this, or you’ll quickly find that the gift becomes more valuable than the Giver.
The Importance of Building a Budget
Being a good steward without becoming a lover of money can feel like walking on a tightrope. Too far in any one direction and we risk an imbalanced view of money. One of the best ways to keep ourselves centered with our finances is to build and follow a budget.
When we start creating categories and choosing thresholds on spending, we need to consider what is most important to us. For example, our first budget item should be giving back to God. Since He is the one who has given us everything we have, we should respond by honoring Him with our “first fruits.” That is to say, we should be thinking of Him first.
But what comes next? Living expenses? Retirement? Car payments? It can be overwhelming to try and cover our current expenses while also planning for the future, so you have to decide what you value most. Is paying off all your debt more important than adding a little extra to your retirement? Is having “fun money” every month more important than putting a little extra away for a yearly vacation? And in light of our topic––how much do you want to be able to spend on others?
After you’ve set aside your offering to God and mapped out your immediate needs (housing, food, utilities), it’s time for you to be honest with yourself about what matters most. Seek wise counsel and have a discussion with anyone who will be directly impacted by these financial decisions (such as a spouse). Then start outlining your budget. If you need help, find a template online or use one provided in Google Sheets, Excel, or a budgeting app.
The Importance of Following a Budget
After you’ve built your budget, it’s time to set it into motion. Sticking to a budget is just as important as forming it! A tool is only useful if it’s being used properly. The hard part of budgeting is that progress is harder to see in the short term. You may feel like it’s not working at first because your savings aren’t going up right away. But by simply decreasing your spending each month, you’ll start to see progress made on your goals.
By the time the holidays roll around, you won’t have to stress about money because you’ve been diligent to prepare for this moment! That’s the beauty of putting in the work consistently throughout the year. Small steps every day make a massive difference at the end of the year. So put away the stress and enjoy the chance to be a blessing to others this holiday season!
Three Prayers for Your Finances This Holiday Season
1. A Prayer for Diligence in Saving
Dear God, thank You for helping me to plan for the future. Give me the diligence to be a faithful steward and to be wise with my finances as I save. Keep me from the temptation to spend what I should be saving. In Jesus’ name I pray, amen.
2. A Prayer of Gratitude for God’s Provision
Heavenly Father, thank You for every good and perfect gift. You are my Provider and I will trust in You to give me all that I need. Help me to have a grateful heart for all the blessings You have poured out into my life. In the mighty name of Jesus I pray, amen.
3. A Prayer for Wise Spending
Almighty God, I praise You for all that You have given me. Give me the wisdom to use my finances in a way that honors You. Help me to be a blessing to others, knowing that it is better to give than to receive. I pray this in Jesus’ name, amen.
