I just sat with a couple who, among other things, are just discovering how differently they feel about money.  So I suggested that they each sit down and do a money autobiography.  And then compare notes.

Whether or not they are in a relationship and having disputes, every Christian at some point or other should do a money autobiography .  Most of us really have not explored our  lifelong relationship with money. 
I did not invent the idea of a money autobiography.  It was introduced to me as preparation for a steward leader weekend that affected me so much that I became a presenter for steward leader programs.

The first question that you ask yourself is, "Who was the earliest influence in my life with regard to money?"  And what did I learn from that person?  Was there conflict about money in your family of origin?  Was there a sense of plenty or of poverty.  Was there a spirit of generosity? 

One person told a story of watching a grandfather put the money in different envelopes when he got his pay.  And the first envelope was for the church.  Can you imagine what would happen if this was a woman's strongest and earliest memory of money and she married someone with no sense of budgeting or no idea of giving or tithing?

If you know where you have come from and how money has influenced you, then it is easier to see where you differ and where you need to be and maybe what you need to change to get there.

I grew up very conflicted about money.  My father spent it if he had it and my mother was very frugal.  I should have found a mean but instead I went back and forth.  Very conflicted.  And when I married a spender, at first I tried to be my Mom but soon learned that if I wanted my kids to have what they needed then I would spend it before he could.  The best of a bad situation.  It took me two years after my divorce and doing a money autobiography to realize that if I don't spend the money now, it will still be there.

Jesus knew that we needed to be clear about our relationship with money.  That is why two-thirds of everything he had to say was about money.  Telling someone to sell everything he has and give away his money is a fast way to help him come to terms with his feelings about money.

Being clear ourselves helps us to know what attitudes and feelings we bring when Jesus talks about money or when the pastor talks about money.  If you are the pastor, then you better be very sure that you have started to deal with this question or it will be really hard to be effective helping others with it.

Just as money can be a big stumbling block in our personal relationships, it can be a stumbling block in our relationship with Christ.  Christ has broken every barrier and yet we put up new ones.  He can break these too, if we let Him.

Lord,
Open my heart to be honest with myself and with you about who I am and what I hold dear so that nothing may ever come between us. 
Amen



 Copyright (c) 2003, The Rev. Dana Reardon. Used by permission.