Faithful Financial Freedom | UMC YoungPeople
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4
March 2015

Faithful Financial Freedom

By: Ashley Jenkins

Greetings! This month we will look at the Wesley brother’s words. John Wesley (founder of the Methodist Movement) was a famous preacher, profound writer, and the keeper of a detailed journal. While John wrote sermons, his brother, Charles, was known for his poetry and hymns. In these four devotionals, we will hear what these brothers have to say for young adults today.

I started working when I was 13. I babysat my neighbor’s 3-year-old little girl for a few hours one Friday evening and made a total of $25. I put the money in a box in my room, so happy with my new profession. I was proud of that money, and I remember waking up in the middle of the night thinking about what I was going to buy. I had visions of new clothes, makeup, and nail polish. The next day, my dad told me I should consider both giving some of the money to the church and putting some in my savings account. He said he was already going to the bank, and I should come with him. Not very thrilled about his offer, I grabbed a few bucks and took it to the bank.

How about you? When was the first time you made money? Or opened your first bank account? There is a certain amount of pride and contentment that people feel when they get paid. Money, however, can also bring worry, embarrassment, and stress, especially when you’re unemployed, paying bills, figuring out retirement accounts, or paying taxes.

In his sermon, “On the Use of Money,” John Wesley offers a simple three-part plan on how to handle money.

First, gain all you can. Second save all you can. Then "give all you can."

If faithful Christians follow this simple sentence, we can have faithful financial freedom. First, work hard at your job. Give it your all. Be a model employee. I would like to mention that, “Gain all you can,” does not mean hurting other people in the pursuit of riches, but to take advantage of the gifts given by God.

Second, save all you can. Be happy with what you have and remember how blessed you already are! I think this is one of the hardest financial disciplines in our society: contentment. Commercials and advertisements tell us what we need to be complete. But don’t listen to them. You don’t have to overspend. You don’t have to “keep up with the Jones.” Things you buy will only allow temporary happiness. Remind yourself where you find true happiness: only Jesus can make us complete.

Finally, give. Not just some, but all you can. Give to your church, give to mission organizations, and give to things that you are passionate about. Use your money to help build the Kingdom of God on Earth.

Through John Wesley’s advice you can find financial freedom in Christ. I hope that you take this mantra and make it your own.

Discussion Questions: What steps can you take to be more faithful in your finances? Where can you give more? How can your finances reflect your journey of faith?

See more devotions from Ashley and our other Young Adult writers, or find our how you can become a writer yourself at our By Young Adults for Young Adults devotion page.