Days 12-15 are below
Day 11
Have you ever bought a lottery ticket? Maybe you get some scratch-offs at the gas station now and then. Or you buy a PowerBall ticket when the jackpot gets high. There’s a pool at work for just such an occasion. When the projected winnings get substantial, one person puts out the big yellow envelope. “Write your name and the amount you paid on the outside, and anything we win will be split accordingly.” People talk about how nice it would be to win, even if you only got a small fraction of the prize money. A few joke that they’d take a long vacation, or they’d retire early. But on the flip side of things, we’ve all heard stories of people who win millions of dollars in the lottery and end up back where they started six months later. Sometimes they’re in more debt than before.
King Solomon is considered the wisest man in the Bible. He was a great ruler and wrote a book of wise sayings known as Proverbs. Many verses compare two paths: the way of the fool and the way of the wise. In one verse, he writes, “Wealth from get-rich-quick schemes quickly disappears; wealth from hard work grows over time (Proverbs 13:11, New Living Translation).” When you’re given money, whether it’s a gift or a prize, it’s easy to think, “Well, I can do anything I want with this. It’s extra.” But if you work hard to earn it, you’re more likely to use it wisely. You know the time and effort it took to earn it. If you spend it carelessly, it will take many more hours of labor and toil to earn the same amount. Some of us have steady jobs. We know that there’s a check coming every week or two. We get it in hand or deposited right into our bank account. Others of us don’t have that luxury. Maybe you work on commission, doing a job for days or weeks at a time and asking around for another lead when that project is done. Maybe you’ve been laid off or fired and are looking for work. You’re ready and willing to put forth the effort necessary to earn some money to make ends meet.
That’s the trouble with get-rich-quick schemes, whether that money comes from the lottery, a multi-level marketing campaign, or gambling. Because there’s not hard work to back it up, you’re not invested. God knows the importance of hard work, and he wants the same for you. If you have everything given to you, it doesn’t mean as much. But if you can point out the time and energy you pour into a paycheck, you’ll be much more careful with that money. So work hard, and be wise with the portion God has brought to you.
Take a moment to reflect on today’s devotional and scripture. Use the space below to write your responses.
Are you working hard for the money you make? If so, are you following God’s path and using your money wisely? Are you looking for work? Or struggling to make ends meet? Offer your frustrations to God. He wants to bless you, even in small ways. What can you do to show Him that you will be a good steward of His gifts?
Heavenly Father, thank you for your blessings. For the jobs we have, the ones in the works, and the ones you have waiting just around the corner for us. Fill us with your spirit so that we will continue to work hard for the money we earn. Remind us that everything good comes from you, and show us how to use those good things in the best way possible. For our benefit and the benefit of others.
King Solomon is considered the wisest man in the Bible. He was a great ruler and wrote a book of wise sayings known as Proverbs. Many verses compare two paths: the way of the fool and the way of the wise. In one verse, he writes, “Wealth from get-rich-quick schemes quickly disappears; wealth from hard work grows over time (Proverbs 13:11, New Living Translation).” When you’re given money, whether it’s a gift or a prize, it’s easy to think, “Well, I can do anything I want with this. It’s extra.” But if you work hard to earn it, you’re more likely to use it wisely. You know the time and effort it took to earn it. If you spend it carelessly, it will take many more hours of labor and toil to earn the same amount. Some of us have steady jobs. We know that there’s a check coming every week or two. We get it in hand or deposited right into our bank account. Others of us don’t have that luxury. Maybe you work on commission, doing a job for days or weeks at a time and asking around for another lead when that project is done. Maybe you’ve been laid off or fired and are looking for work. You’re ready and willing to put forth the effort necessary to earn some money to make ends meet.
That’s the trouble with get-rich-quick schemes, whether that money comes from the lottery, a multi-level marketing campaign, or gambling. Because there’s not hard work to back it up, you’re not invested. God knows the importance of hard work, and he wants the same for you. If you have everything given to you, it doesn’t mean as much. But if you can point out the time and energy you pour into a paycheck, you’ll be much more careful with that money. So work hard, and be wise with the portion God has brought to you.
Take a moment to reflect on today’s devotional and scripture. Use the space below to write your responses.
Are you working hard for the money you make? If so, are you following God’s path and using your money wisely? Are you looking for work? Or struggling to make ends meet? Offer your frustrations to God. He wants to bless you, even in small ways. What can you do to show Him that you will be a good steward of His gifts?
Heavenly Father, thank you for your blessings. For the jobs we have, the ones in the works, and the ones you have waiting just around the corner for us. Fill us with your spirit so that we will continue to work hard for the money we earn. Remind us that everything good comes from you, and show us how to use those good things in the best way possible. For our benefit and the benefit of others.
Day 12
I grew up in a two-parent household. I lived with my mother, father, and little sister. On the outside, my family looked whole. But my father, though present, was still absent. He wasn’t one of those workaholic business-types, pushing papers in an office well past his 40 hours. But he definitely worked. To this day, he’s a blue collar worker, doing maintenance on large production equipment in a factory. When I was a kid, he spent many years working third-shift. We’d say goodbye to him around 8 or 8:30, and he’d be back before we left for school. But when we got home or during school breaks, we had to walk on eggshells during the day. Dad was sleeping, and it wouldn’t be good to wake him.
My father grew up with a strong work ethic and instilled that in me and my sister. But that work ethic drove him to become little more than a financial provider for our family. We weren’t rich by any means, but we never went without. If we needed new clothes or outgrew a pair of shoes, Mom would take us out to get some. We got toys and games from our wish lists, but not enough to spoil us. Mom did a lot of home cooking, but we still got takeout now and then. But in place of all that financial security, my father sacrificed the chance to show us his love in a tangible way. He was always sure to say, “Love ya,” before he went out the door, but I never got a hug from him. Or a “good job” for good grades. He showed up to end-of-the-year school awards and my middle and high school graduations, but Dad never came to any of my plays or choir performances. His father never showed him that kind of love and support, and he never developed it on his own. I love my dad, but I wonder how different things would be now if he had invested more in me as a person instead of just focusing on my financial needs.
In Paul’s letter to the Romans, he addresses Christ-followers who may have been coming from the Jewish tradition of keeping the Law of Moses. He tells them, and us, “Owe nothing to anyone‒except for your obligation to love one another. If you love your neighbor, you will fulfill the requirements of God’s law (Romans 13:8, New Living Translation).” Money is temporary. Love is eternal. If you spend all your time at work, building a small fortune, or seclude yourself from family in the name of financial peace, but neglect your family in the process, what have you gained? Isn’t it better to have a happy marriage/family/circle of friends than to have a loaded bank account? Love your neighbor (including your family) first, and God will help you handle the rest.
Take a moment to reflect on today’s devotional and scripture. Use the space below to write your responses.
What kind of power does money hold in your life? Is work keeping you away from those you love? Are you more focused on paying off debt than connecting with your spouse? Have you sacrificed time with your children for time on the job? How can you loosen your grip on money and free space in your heart to show love to others.
Heavenly Father, you are so generous to me. I am blessed in so many ways. Help me to see the ways in which you pour out goodness and mercy into my life. Soften my heart so that I might be better equipped to love my family and friends. Remind me that you will always provide for my needs and never leave me, even if I fall on hard times. Let me be more open to love and less dependent on the work that can keep me from my loved ones.
My father grew up with a strong work ethic and instilled that in me and my sister. But that work ethic drove him to become little more than a financial provider for our family. We weren’t rich by any means, but we never went without. If we needed new clothes or outgrew a pair of shoes, Mom would take us out to get some. We got toys and games from our wish lists, but not enough to spoil us. Mom did a lot of home cooking, but we still got takeout now and then. But in place of all that financial security, my father sacrificed the chance to show us his love in a tangible way. He was always sure to say, “Love ya,” before he went out the door, but I never got a hug from him. Or a “good job” for good grades. He showed up to end-of-the-year school awards and my middle and high school graduations, but Dad never came to any of my plays or choir performances. His father never showed him that kind of love and support, and he never developed it on his own. I love my dad, but I wonder how different things would be now if he had invested more in me as a person instead of just focusing on my financial needs.
In Paul’s letter to the Romans, he addresses Christ-followers who may have been coming from the Jewish tradition of keeping the Law of Moses. He tells them, and us, “Owe nothing to anyone‒except for your obligation to love one another. If you love your neighbor, you will fulfill the requirements of God’s law (Romans 13:8, New Living Translation).” Money is temporary. Love is eternal. If you spend all your time at work, building a small fortune, or seclude yourself from family in the name of financial peace, but neglect your family in the process, what have you gained? Isn’t it better to have a happy marriage/family/circle of friends than to have a loaded bank account? Love your neighbor (including your family) first, and God will help you handle the rest.
Take a moment to reflect on today’s devotional and scripture. Use the space below to write your responses.
What kind of power does money hold in your life? Is work keeping you away from those you love? Are you more focused on paying off debt than connecting with your spouse? Have you sacrificed time with your children for time on the job? How can you loosen your grip on money and free space in your heart to show love to others.
Heavenly Father, you are so generous to me. I am blessed in so many ways. Help me to see the ways in which you pour out goodness and mercy into my life. Soften my heart so that I might be better equipped to love my family and friends. Remind me that you will always provide for my needs and never leave me, even if I fall on hard times. Let me be more open to love and less dependent on the work that can keep me from my loved ones.
Day 13
After I graduated college, I started working a full-time job. It had nothing to do with my major (first Elementary Education, then Creative Writing), but it helped pay the bills. I was doing new things I hadn’t done before. Suddenly, I was in charge of other people. I had to place orders to refill inventory, make schedules, hire new employees. It was hard work, but I had my first official grown-up job. Around that time, a close friend was in a similar situation. He’d graduated the same time as me and was also working full-time. He got married around that time, too. But soon I noticed that he and his new wife had a new house and a couple of new cars. Sure, I didn’t have the highest paying job, but there was a growing difference between what I had and what my friend had. I compared my life and my finances to his, and a little voice in the back of my mind began to ask, “What am I doing wrong? How have I already gotten so behind in life, when I’ve only just started?”
Those thoughts still pop up and eat away at my confidence in myself and what God has blessed me with. It’s easy to think that if you just made a little more money then everything would be okay. In the Book of Ecclesiastes, we’re told, “Those who love money will never have enough. How meaningless to think that wealth brings true happiness (Ecclesiastes 5:10, New Living Translation)!” Money has the potential to solve some of life’s problems. But it’s likely to bring along more with it. Once you get more money, it’s easy to fall into the trap of greed. “I have some. Now I just need a little more.” What starts out as a small problem quickly becomes a big one.
After a couple years of comparing with that friend, I learned that the big house and new cars came with a lot of credit card debt. It wasn’t long before the payments became too much and the cars were replaced with older ones that cost much less. The same with the house. I was only seeing the surface level of things, and it made me jealous. It sparked a need for more wealth and more possessions to keep up with other people. I lost sight of what God had already given me. That’s an area where I still struggle. It’s easy to get swept up in society’s expectations to have more stuff, even if it means amassing debt to achieve it. Don’t forget that wealth is temporary. And it doesn’t bring peace of mind or stability. Those things come from God.
Take a moment to reflect on today’s devotional and scripture. Use the space below to write your responses.
Have you placed your faith and hope in wealth? Or have you gotten lost in a cycle of comparison with others? How has God blessed you? What are some things you have that others don’t? Stop and list five things in your life that you are grateful for. Thank God for each of them, and ask Him to help you focus on them when you feel the need to compare what you have to what others have.
Heavenly Father, thank you for the many ways you have blessed me. Remind me of those things, both large and small, that come from you and bring me joy. When the world tries to tell me that I don’t have enough, fill my heart with contentment. Let me remember that you are responsible for every good thing in my life. When I begin to compare my life and my wealth or possessions with others, help me to see that I’m not lacking in anything. Give me peace, so that I can be truly thankful for what I have and the things you have in store for me.
Those thoughts still pop up and eat away at my confidence in myself and what God has blessed me with. It’s easy to think that if you just made a little more money then everything would be okay. In the Book of Ecclesiastes, we’re told, “Those who love money will never have enough. How meaningless to think that wealth brings true happiness (Ecclesiastes 5:10, New Living Translation)!” Money has the potential to solve some of life’s problems. But it’s likely to bring along more with it. Once you get more money, it’s easy to fall into the trap of greed. “I have some. Now I just need a little more.” What starts out as a small problem quickly becomes a big one.
After a couple years of comparing with that friend, I learned that the big house and new cars came with a lot of credit card debt. It wasn’t long before the payments became too much and the cars were replaced with older ones that cost much less. The same with the house. I was only seeing the surface level of things, and it made me jealous. It sparked a need for more wealth and more possessions to keep up with other people. I lost sight of what God had already given me. That’s an area where I still struggle. It’s easy to get swept up in society’s expectations to have more stuff, even if it means amassing debt to achieve it. Don’t forget that wealth is temporary. And it doesn’t bring peace of mind or stability. Those things come from God.
Take a moment to reflect on today’s devotional and scripture. Use the space below to write your responses.
Have you placed your faith and hope in wealth? Or have you gotten lost in a cycle of comparison with others? How has God blessed you? What are some things you have that others don’t? Stop and list five things in your life that you are grateful for. Thank God for each of them, and ask Him to help you focus on them when you feel the need to compare what you have to what others have.
Heavenly Father, thank you for the many ways you have blessed me. Remind me of those things, both large and small, that come from you and bring me joy. When the world tries to tell me that I don’t have enough, fill my heart with contentment. Let me remember that you are responsible for every good thing in my life. When I begin to compare my life and my wealth or possessions with others, help me to see that I’m not lacking in anything. Give me peace, so that I can be truly thankful for what I have and the things you have in store for me.
Day 14
When I began student teaching, I was excited to gain real-world experience in the classroom. Beforehand, I had taught a few lessons, mostly with a partner or small group of classmates to help plan and execute things. Now, I got to step into a room full of eight-year-olds and be in charge with my supervising teacher there to lead the way and offer guidance as I was given more responsibilities. After I finished my courses and got my teaching license, I got to substitute in a fifth grade classroom from August to December for a maternity leave. I had some resources left for me, but most of the day-to-day duties and responsibilities of being a teacher fell to me. Then I got another, similar sub position at a different school from March to May. All the work that came with those jobs and other substitute teaching I did helped prepare me for bigger things. That summer, I got hired to teach fifth grade in the same classroom as that first long-term sub position. By doing good work in a temporary job, the building principal saw that she could trust me with a permanent one. I’ve been teaching in that same classroom ever since.
God gives us that same deal when it comes to spiritual and worldly matters. In the book of Luke, Jesus tells us,
“If you are faithful in little things, you will be faithful in large ones. But if you are dishonest in little things, you won’t be honest with greater responsibilities. And if you are untrustworthy about worldly wealth, who will trust you with the true riches of heaven? And if you are not faithful with other people’s things, why should you be trusted with things of your own? No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other; you will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and be enslaved to money (Luke 16:10-13, New Living Translation).”
If we work hard and show we can be trusted on a small scale, we will one day be entrusted with larger responsibilities. The same goes with our money. If we show that we can’t handle a small amount, God won’t bless us with more. Or if He tries, we could easily squander it. If, instead, we do well with a little, He will see that we can do well with more. His blessings will come our way, whether it’s through a raise or a new, higher paying job, or by answering prayers that we’ve been sending up to him for a long time. God wants to give to us abundantly, but we have to show that we can be trusted with that abundance.
Take a moment to reflect on today’s devotional and scripture. Use the space below to write your responses.
Have you shown God that you can be trusted with the small things He’s given you responsibility over? How can you change the way you act so that He will feel confident in giving you more? Think about your duties at work and within your family. Are you performing them to the best of your ability? Target a change you can make this week and write it down.
Heavenly Father, examine my life. Reveal an area where I can improve and show you that I’m capable of handling more. Honor my effort, whether it’s at work, at home, or another area of my life. Give me the strength to do right by You with the added blessings you have waiting for me. Help me to make you proud.
God gives us that same deal when it comes to spiritual and worldly matters. In the book of Luke, Jesus tells us,
“If you are faithful in little things, you will be faithful in large ones. But if you are dishonest in little things, you won’t be honest with greater responsibilities. And if you are untrustworthy about worldly wealth, who will trust you with the true riches of heaven? And if you are not faithful with other people’s things, why should you be trusted with things of your own? No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other; you will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and be enslaved to money (Luke 16:10-13, New Living Translation).”
If we work hard and show we can be trusted on a small scale, we will one day be entrusted with larger responsibilities. The same goes with our money. If we show that we can’t handle a small amount, God won’t bless us with more. Or if He tries, we could easily squander it. If, instead, we do well with a little, He will see that we can do well with more. His blessings will come our way, whether it’s through a raise or a new, higher paying job, or by answering prayers that we’ve been sending up to him for a long time. God wants to give to us abundantly, but we have to show that we can be trusted with that abundance.
Take a moment to reflect on today’s devotional and scripture. Use the space below to write your responses.
Have you shown God that you can be trusted with the small things He’s given you responsibility over? How can you change the way you act so that He will feel confident in giving you more? Think about your duties at work and within your family. Are you performing them to the best of your ability? Target a change you can make this week and write it down.
Heavenly Father, examine my life. Reveal an area where I can improve and show you that I’m capable of handling more. Honor my effort, whether it’s at work, at home, or another area of my life. Give me the strength to do right by You with the added blessings you have waiting for me. Help me to make you proud.
Day 15
My wife and I don’t make a lot of money. I teach, and she teaches and makes art. We love the work we do. But neither of our jobs pays very much. But that’s okay. Our bills are paid. We have everything we need. Our home is filled with love and laughter, and we can treat ourselves now and again. With our meager funds, we do our best to give back to God. We might not tithe every week or always reach that 10%, but we try to be faithful to Him, since He is so faithful in His blessings to us. Sometimes that means we donate hygiene items to the Community Basket or drop a few extra dollars in the Soda Pop Sunday collection for school kids in Jamaica. We don’t have a lot, but we know that there are others who have less.
Paul wrote several letters to his younger colleague, Timothy. They are filled with advice, especially on guiding the leaders in the early church. In one of these letters, he writes:
“Teach those who are rich in this world not to be proud and not to trust in their money, which is so unreliable. Their trust should be in God, who richly gives us all we need for our enjoyment. Tell them to use their money to do good. They should be rich in good works and generous to those in need, always being ready to share with others. By doing this they will be storing up their treasure as a good foundation for the future so that they may experience true life (1 Timothy 6:17-19, New Living Translation).”
God wants us to be rich in spirit, to be filled with love and generosity, rather than rich in money and possessions. He put us in this world to be in community and to care for one another. Now, I’m not saying that you have to sell everything you have and give all your money and stuff away to those in need (although Jesus makes the case for doing just that in Luke 18:18-30, if you want to see what he has to say about that). What I am saying is, don’t cling so tightly to what you have that you rob others of a blessing you are capable of providing them. Listen to God’s whispers. Maybe He’s calling you to donate something to a local charity, food pantry, or non-profit. If you can’t give financially, there are so many other ways you can bless others! Share your other assets: spend time with someone, show some love by checking in with a friend or coworker, offer rides in your car, open your home to those who need it, share a skill with another person, bless someone with a handmade item, cook a meal for someone who’s sick, grieving, or just become a new parent. Loosen your grip on your earthly treasures so that God can bring you heavenly treasure.
Take a moment to reflect on today’s devotional and scripture. Use the space below to write your responses.
What can you give? Open yourself to hear God’s whispers or feel His promptings in your heart. Let him lead you away from your stuff and toward the love and connection to others that help us find meaning in life.
Heavenly Father, reveal Your will for my life. Show me how I can bless someone else this week. Stir within me so that I can be Your hands and feet in this world. Use my money, possessions, time, talents, and love to encourage someone. Help me to show someone a glimpse of who You are today.
Paul wrote several letters to his younger colleague, Timothy. They are filled with advice, especially on guiding the leaders in the early church. In one of these letters, he writes:
“Teach those who are rich in this world not to be proud and not to trust in their money, which is so unreliable. Their trust should be in God, who richly gives us all we need for our enjoyment. Tell them to use their money to do good. They should be rich in good works and generous to those in need, always being ready to share with others. By doing this they will be storing up their treasure as a good foundation for the future so that they may experience true life (1 Timothy 6:17-19, New Living Translation).”
God wants us to be rich in spirit, to be filled with love and generosity, rather than rich in money and possessions. He put us in this world to be in community and to care for one another. Now, I’m not saying that you have to sell everything you have and give all your money and stuff away to those in need (although Jesus makes the case for doing just that in Luke 18:18-30, if you want to see what he has to say about that). What I am saying is, don’t cling so tightly to what you have that you rob others of a blessing you are capable of providing them. Listen to God’s whispers. Maybe He’s calling you to donate something to a local charity, food pantry, or non-profit. If you can’t give financially, there are so many other ways you can bless others! Share your other assets: spend time with someone, show some love by checking in with a friend or coworker, offer rides in your car, open your home to those who need it, share a skill with another person, bless someone with a handmade item, cook a meal for someone who’s sick, grieving, or just become a new parent. Loosen your grip on your earthly treasures so that God can bring you heavenly treasure.
Take a moment to reflect on today’s devotional and scripture. Use the space below to write your responses.
What can you give? Open yourself to hear God’s whispers or feel His promptings in your heart. Let him lead you away from your stuff and toward the love and connection to others that help us find meaning in life.
Heavenly Father, reveal Your will for my life. Show me how I can bless someone else this week. Stir within me so that I can be Your hands and feet in this world. Use my money, possessions, time, talents, and love to encourage someone. Help me to show someone a glimpse of who You are today.