Your First Real Job: How to Make Sense of Your Dollars and Cents

By Liz Lockwood

You have spent most of your life in school. It began long ago, when you packed supplies for the first day. Sharpened pencils, wide-ruled notebook paper, and a lunch box with matching thermos were probably some of the things you placed in your backpack. Your main concern was probably whether or not you would be able to make a decent lunch trade in the cafeteria.

Now, you stand at the opposite end of your education in your first “adult” job. You are making decisions that your parents used to make, and you are finally earning a decent paycheck. While this might sound like everything you have worked for, the load of potential school debt and newfound responsibility can seem overwhelming. Rather than enjoying adulthood, you might find yourself worrying about how to manage your life and keep a budget. After all, there is no syllabus for post-graduate life. Thankfully, there are biblical principles and guidelines that can help you set a strong foundation for your future, both personally and financially.

The truth to keep in mind is the fact that you are a mere steward of all that God has given—you are not entitled to anything. This is easy to forget when the paychecks roll in and you live in a materialistic society where the mantra is “I see it, I want it, and I have to have it!” 

The command to be a good steward is nothing new. In fact, Christ spent a great deal of time discussing money and stewardship to the crowds who followed Him. While the directive to “store up for yourselves treasures in heaven” (Matt. 6:20) is clear, the practical implications of what affect that should have on your budget can seem a little tricky. 

Money is usually the first thing that comes to mind upon hearing the word stewardship, although it actually involves much more than that. Stewardship is a matter of motivation and priorities as much as it is about finances. 

Below are a few questions you can ask yourself to determine where your stewardship currently resides:

* What do I spend most of my time thinking about?

* What percentage of my paycheck is given for tithes?

* Do I spend money that I do not have?

* Does it bother me that there are starving people?

* What am I currently doing to support missions?

If you desire to be a good steward, your time, budget, and spending will reflect that desire. There are principles interwoven through all of Scripture that give very clear instruction on budgetary issues. 

* We are to work (Prov. 28:19).

* We are to be hard workers (Prov. 13:4).

* We are to give our first fruits to the Lord (Ex. 23:19).

* We are to give to the needy (Luke 12:33).

* We are not to be driven by money (Matt. 6:24).

* We are slaves to those we owe (Prov. 22:7).

These few verses are only a portion of the directives in Scripture that have to do with the importance of financial motivations. While individual situations will be unique, basic guidelines that detail how money should be spent can be found in Scripture: 

* Give the top portion of your earnings to God, through a tithe to your local church.

* Although debt is not always unavoidable for large purchases, such as a house or car, you should generally only spend money that you have readily available. If you have debt, figure out a plan to get out of it as soon as possible.

* Rather than working toward what you can acquire with your money, assess how little you can comfortably live on and spend the rest on things of eternal significance.

* Give to those in need.

* Make yourself accountable to a few close friends and pray that the Lord will give you wisdom as you budget and spend. 

Creating a budget can be an overwhelming task. However, beginning with biblical principles in mind will guide you through the process of honoring God with your money. With a proper perspective of money in place, you will feel motivated by matters of eternal significance—and you can’t put a price tag on that!
 
Liz Lockwood (MDiv, ThM) resides in Charleston, South Carolina, where she serves as the Adult Ministry Associate at East Cooper Baptist Church.