Don’t Step on a Crack
Read Time / 2 Minutes
Theme / Stewardship
I was careful in walking home from school as a child, making sure not to step on cracks in the sidewalk. We lived in an older neighborhood where tree roots had cracked the sidewalk cement, so I had to stay focused on where I stepped. I grew up hearing my school friends repeat the mantra, “Step on a crack and break your mother’s back.” I wasn’t sure if it was true, but I avoided cracks just in case!
I don’t worry about stepping on cracks now, but it does show that our beliefs drive our behavior. In the broader scheme of life, this is referred to as our worldview. Our behavior is dictated by our beliefs about how the world operates. For example, Scripture teaches us that God owns it all: “The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it” (Psalm 24:1), “The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it” (1 Corinthians 10:26), and “For every animal of the forest is mine, and the cattle on a thousand hills” (Psalm 50:10).
If we believe this to be true, then it should influence our behavior towards things of this earth. We should not view them as ours, but as God’s, and He has entrusted us as managers of His belongings. 1 Timothy 6:7 reinforces the reality of this truth: “For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it.”
If we are God’s stewards, then how should we manage God’s resources? Here are five principles to live by:
1. Spend less than you earn (Proverbs 21:20)
2. Avoid the use of debt (Proverbs 22:7)
3. Build liquidity and margin (Proverbs 6:6-8)
4. Give generously (Proverbs 11:24-25)
5. Set long-term goals (Proverbs 13:11)
I was always relieved when I arrived home from school and found that I had not caused tremendous discomfort to my mother by stepping on a crack. Her hug and smile reassured me that I had walked wisely. Likewise, let each of us walk wisely with what the Lord has entrusted to us!
Doug Hanson, MBA
Wealth Advisor
208.697.3699
doug@christianwm.com
