financial stewardship

i believe that God created the universe (Genesis 1:1). everything in this world is God's (Psalm 24:1). everything that i see, i touch, i feel, i own are His.

God gave man the authority to govern, utilize and consume all these things. and therefore, we are all God's stewards. (Psalms 24:1. Haggai 2:8) we owe our prosperity to God. (Proverbs 10:22. 1Corinthians 4:7. Ecclesiastes 5:18)

as Christians and servants of God we should know how to handle our finances and learn to spend wisely. we should learn how to create abundance and multiply God's blessings. we should be the instrument of God in distributing His wealth to others especially those who are in need.

why God gives us blessings?

1. to glorify God. Proverbs 3:9 says "honor the Lord with your wealth". God, the source of our wealth, provides us money, possessions and richness not just for our own sake. we should use His blessings to serve Him and to finance His works on earth.

tithing. according to Malachi 3:7b-10, "we rob God if we don't tithe". tithing is a concrete expression of gratitude to God. we give back to God a part of His gift in acknowledgment of His care, protection and love. the tithe consists of 10% of an individual's income after taxes from whatever source. example: wages, rents, investments, business, etc.

the church and its communities need our finances to further Christian mission and to help our brethren. this will be used for members' formation, community activities, administrative expenses, etc.

compute your tithe from your total net income (less tax, etc.).

2. to bless others. we should learn (not force) the virtue of sharing. we receive wealth so that we can share it to others. if only all people in the world will learn the principle of sharing there would be no poor people or poor country in this world. there will be enough for everyone. let's share our wealth with the poor and the needy.

model: the mission and vision of Gawad Kalinga (GK): "less for self, more for others, enough for all."

2.1 resource sharing. it means lending our material resources to care for the specific needs of our others and sisters (Deuteronomy 15:7-8). it is done by means of sharing our material goods or by providing interest-free loans to others in need.

2.2 almsgiving. it means giving money or goods to the needy and poor.

giving is receiving. when you give, you actually receiving God's grace and making yourself an instrument of God in giving His blessings to other people. God uses His people in distributing His wealth and not through some kind of magic. we, as His children, are the key in opening God's door of abundance to His people.

3. for our personal use. we are God's children. our God is the King of all kings. it is only righteous that we share the abundance of His richness. we need these blessings to satisfy our needs and wants. we need to provide for ourselves, our families and our future.

God loves us so much. He doesn't like seeing us buried in debts. He doesn't want us to suffer from poverty. let's take care of His blessings. let's save. let's invest. let's put our money where it can multiply and grow exponentially. invest in mutual funds or create businesses. let's compound His gifts and be a blessing to others.

source: CFC Singles for Christ (SFC) Expanded Talk Outline on Financial Stewardship

giving is receiving

"less for self, more for others, enough for all." - Gawad Kalinga

i love Christmas! i love gifts. i love opening the gifts i receive. i love the surprise of knowing what's inside the specially-wrapped package. that's why i love Christmas.

only in the Philippines that we can experience the longest celebration of Christmas. when the "-ber" months starts (september to december) people will start buying gifts, parties are left and right, concerts are here and there. people are everywhere. and Christmas motifs will soon cover the whole archipelago before sundown.

from the smallest tiange in divisoria to the biggest mall in asia, people will try to look for the perfect gift that one can give for their love ones. it's because Christmas season is the season of giving and sharing. not only here in the Philippines, but people around the world will take this opportunity to celebrate this gift giving.

but somehow it's not enough. poverty still lurking around and affects majority of the people. if the spirit of giving and sharing is within us then why is it poverty still exist? there is an imbalance distribution of wealth. the rich are getting wealthier and the poor are being buried under their tons of debts.

the GK approach

Gawad Kalinga (GK) translated in English means to “to give care”, and it is an alternative solution to the blatant problem of poverty not just in the Philippines but in the world. GK’s vision for the Philippines is a slum-free, squatter-free nation through a simple strategy of providing land for the landless, homes for the homeless, food for the hungry and as a result providing dignity and peace for every Filipino.

its main thrust is "less for self, more for others, enough for all". if everyone will follow this and make it as his/her personal mission, i think we will celebrate Christmas everyday.

"no one is so poor who cannot give and no one is so rich who does not need."

one of my friends and kumpare, paolo, even though they are not yet financially blessed, he and his girlfriend, donna, still managed to allot some amount to prepare for their gifts. they went to divisoria. tiniis nila ang pagod, ang sikip at siksikan, ang pawis at gutom just to fit in to their budget. they are blessings for their families and friends.

as for me, i will prepare early next year so that i can also budget my finances.

at sa mga matatanggap ko, ok lang kahit hindi mamahalin. it's the thought that counts. hehe.

the blessing

did you know that in giving you actually receives? yes, that's true! by giving, you actually receive God's grace and make yourself an instrument of God in giving His blessings to other people. God uses His people in distributing His wealth and not through some kind of magic. we, as His children, are the key in opening God's door of abundance to His people.

so keep on giving and be generous in sharing your blessings to others especially those who are in need and receive God's grace!

merry Christmas, everyone and a blessed new year! be rich and bless more people!