Sometimes we are like that, sometimes we are improvident.

It is an interesting area. 

Posted by Stephen M (Ethesis)

Posted by Geoff Johnston

I’ve also known people at both ends of the charity scale (people who made a lot of money and the lion’s share went to charity, people who gave nothing, people who gave a lot and looked like they were giving nothing, etc.).

I’ve thought about it a lot. Right now I’m in a job that pays about half of what I could make if I talked with headhunters more, but it gives me my weekends free, a bit of flextime, and the chance to come home at 5:30 every night.

My wife works, but only because the Spirit blungeoned her into graduate school and through the program, and not as much as she could (because we would all rather have her around instead of the money). She is a CRNA, I’m a litigator, and we spend a lot of time on family.

I’ve thought about it, looking at family (in my mom’s family you needed to be Greek, a millionaire and a PhD to meet their standards), friends and those we meet (I depose surgeons who are making 2-3 million a year their second year out of residency, MDs in anesthesia who are making six million a year and in commercial lines businessmen who have built up successful businesses. A friend’s brother sold out of his chain of hospice care and bought Op’s old house. In his family he has his successful millionaire brother, his recently 100 million dollar man, the one who died, and himself, the disabled faculty member from a law school, living on very very modest disability [for both he and his wife]. Interesting to watch.

So, I don’t think a lot on the subject, but I do think about it from time to time, and have since I was young. 

Posted by Stephen M (Ethesis)

Anyway, when it come to the money portion of this, I had my eyes opened several years ago after reading several business books like The Millionaire Next Door, Rich Dad Poor Dad, The Richest Man in Babylon , etc. The thing I learned was that there really was such a thing as passive revenue. That is, there are ways in our economy to buy or build things or systems that make money for you instead of having to make it all yourself. (Those things include investments like real estate, stocks, bonds, businesses that other people run for you, property you rent out, and whatnot.) I?ve focused my business energy in that direction since that time and it has begun bearing fruit for our family. The reason I did this was not so I could make millions of dollars a year (which I suppose is possible if I consecrated my life to the effort) but rather to free up more of my time and talents while still allowing me to pay my bills. So far things are working out and I?ve been diligently trying to use my extra time on something useful. Blogging on the things of eternity is part of that use of time and it has brought me into contact with lots of wonderful people — like you for instance!
 

Posted by Geoff Johnston

In some ways, I think it is easier for us to consecrate our wealth instead of our time. Many in the church can easily cut an extra large F.O. check when the need arises, but how many of us are willing to get our home teaching done each month, visit the sick, take our turn to clean the building, etc. I find that time is a more precious resource than money with many members of the church. 

Posted by RS

Posted by Geoff Johnston