Be The Fruit

Helping the Foolish Spender #2

by Bill Blair on 15/01/09 at 5:26 am

This is a continuation of a series I began yesterday.  You can read the first post here.

Interpretation

Once the data is collected, the counselor must prayerfully discern the true nature of the counselee’s problem. With poor financial stewardship, there are two primary tracks that should be explored to determine the nature of the problem: lustful spending and foolish spending. Lustful spending involves a person who buys things and wastes money attempting to quench a desire that can only be quenched by God. The foolish spender is an undisciplined spender who squanders money because they fail to keep track of their financial situation. The lustful spender would best be characterized as a lover of money (1 Tim 6:10), while the foolish spender is properly called a fool because he makes decisions without considering all the data (Prov 18:13). Each of the tracks requires different methods of correction. For the purposes of this case study, the remaining categories will focus on the foolish spender.

Strategy

After the data has been interpreted, the counselor must develop a tentative plan to follow during the counseling process as the Lord wills it (Jas 4:15). For the foolish spender the following plan could be followed: First meeting should consist only of data-gathering incorporating the aspects of Loving Care and Hope. The second meeting should be focused on the gospel and how it applies to the counselee’s situation as explained in the Hope section. By the third meeting the counselor should have worked through the interpretation and be prepared to share the proposed strategy. During this meeting, the counselor should explain the biblical process of change so the counselee understands it is attainable, but not a quick fix. The fourth meeting should begin the biblical instruction on stewardship. As the meetings progress, the counselee should begin to grasp the nature of the problem by wrestling with biblical principles through interaction and homework. For help with budgeting, it would be wise to bring in a gifted financial person to help the counselee establish a budget. A word of caution: the counselor should delay this step until the counselee has begun to grasp the heart issues that are causing the problem because the counselee may think they have fixed their problem if the budget is set, but the problem will come back unless they have repented of their heart issues.

Scripture/Instruction

After a strategy is established, the counselor should begin to give instruction from the Scriptures. Although the foolish spender may not suffer from a lack of generosity, it is important for the counselee to understand what the Scriptures teach in the New Testament on giving because there are many different and confusing opinions on this subject. The counselor should walk the counselee through 2 Corinthians 8-9. The key teaching from these chapters is people should be generous and experience joy in giving (2 Cor 9:7). There is no command for a certain percentage, but a call for each person to look at their hearts to see if they are generous. This explanation should alleviate any confusion, but may also provide motivation for the foolish spender to get their finances in order so they can help others.

Given the foolish spender’s problems involve a lack of discipline, it would be helpful to spend time studying the Proverbs because it is designed to teach people to be wise rather than foolish. The following verses are a good place to start: “One who is wise is cautious and turns away from evil, but a fool is reckless and careless” (Prov 14:16). “If one gives an answer before he hears, it is his folly and shame” (Prov 18:13).

The undisciplined person is likely to drift through the day wasting time. Such a person needs to understand that God wants them to dedicate all their life to glorifying God. Two passages should be explored: “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind” (Matt 22:37). “So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God” (1 Cor 10:31). These passages instruct Christians to devote all of their essence and life to God, which should rule out any notion that it is acceptable to waste time or money. This truth should provide the main reason why the counselee should be disciplined in their time and finances. It is important to ground all these biblical teachings within the context of the gospel because it is through the gospel that we are able to overcome problems like this.

Tomorrow, I will wrap up this brief series.