Fiscal and Spiritual Responsibility

November 15

The United States and the world are facing rough economic times. Greece has gone bankrupt, and the richest, most powerful nation that has ever existed just may follow close behind. Some government officials who value fiscal responsibility have stated they won’t be party to perpetuating an untenable debt.

In Luke 14:28, Jesus posed this timeless question to His followers: “Which of you, before building a tower, doesn’t first sit down to calculate the cost to see if he has enough to complete it?” The Lord’s clear meaning is that His people are not to ‘bite off more than they can chew’ when it comes to debt.

Yet, there is a deeper meaning in these words the Lord spoke to His disciples. Yes, we are to be responsible with our financial resources. Yes, we are to assure our ability to pay before we incur debt. No, we are not to leave others hanging with the consequences of our default. But there is a spiritual element to what Jesus said whose importance transcends that of any mere financial agreement to which we may enter.

Jesus always maintains His focus on the spiritual. He will never prioritize the temporal over the eternal. We, then, must weigh the consequences of our decisions in the light of eternity. Boiled down to its essence, what He is saying is, “Do not be focused on the matters of time. Be focused on the matters of eternity. Do not become rich in the things of the world at the expense of the spiritual treasure you must lay up in heaven.”