The Administrator

Tuesday February 20, 2018

 

Those of us who live in the United States of America have been greatly blessed by God. We are the most financially prosperous nation in the history of the world. You would never know this however if you looked at the present statistics. For example, 70% of Americans live paycheck to paycheck, 80% of them are in debt, more than 25% of them cannot pay their bills, and 50% could not come up with $400.00 in cash in the event of an emergency. With so much prosperity how can this be happening? The answer is lack of self-control. A lack of self-control that leads Americans to prioritize spending and ignore saving. Another reason for the lack of financial control is that we erroneously believe that our money is our money.

 

As King David sat in his royal palace relaxing after defeating all of Israel’s enemies, he said to Nathan the prophet, here I am living in a palace while God lives under a tent. So, King David decided to build a house for the Lord. The idea was pleasing to God, but he said to David: you will not build me a house because you are a warrior king you have shed blood. Your son Solomon will build me a house.  So David dedicated his time to collecting the necessary resources for Solomon to build a house for God.

 

After some time, David had given and collected more than enough resources for the building of the house of the Lord. Everyone gave, those who were of great wealth and those who were not as wealthy. That is when King David gathered the assembly and in their presence prayed to the Lord saying:

 

“O Lord, the God of our ancestor Israel, may you be praised forever and ever! Yours, O Lord, is the greatness, the power, the glory, the victory, and the majesty. Everything in the heavens and on earth is yours, O Lord, and this is your kingdom. We adore you as the one who is over all things. Wealth and honor come from you alone, for you rule over everything. Power and might are in your hand, and at your discretion people are made great and given strength…” – 1 Chronicles 29: 10-12 NLT

 

King David recognized that everyone was able to give because God had granted everyone a portion, some more and others less. And because of God’s graciousness all were able to give. Not because they owned wealth but rather because God allowed them to administer his wealth. In the New Testament, the Apostle Paul put it the following way: “For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him.” (Colossians 1:16 NIV).

 

Imagine how differently people would manage their wealth if instead of seeing themselves as owners they would see themselves as administrators of God’s wealth. As owners we do not have to give account to anyone. Therefore we do not need self-control. As administrators we are supposed to give an account to the owner when and if requested. I bet that if people acted more as administrators instead of owners they would have more and make less bad financial choices.

 

Questions

1. Over the last year think about some of the bad or questionable financial decisions you made. What caused you to make those decisions?
2. When you think about your wealth, little or much, do you see yourself as an owner or an administrator? Explain
3. When managing your wealth, what are some of the benefits of being an administrator rather than an owner?
4. If God requested a report of how you managed your money would you be able to account for every dollar?
5. If everything was created by him, through him, and for him, how can we manage our wealth in a way that honors him?

 

Prayer

Heavenly Father, wealth, blessings, power, and glory all belong to you. You have entrusted me with my portion of wealth. I pray you will help me to be a good administrator of your property; I pray that you would be glorified in my finances and that your kingdom would be advanced as a result of my managing the finances you have trusted to me. I have made some poor financial decisions because I erroneously assumed my money was my own. But from this day forward, help me to handle that which you have given me for your glory and honor. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.