Yesterday, Monday, my day off, I spent time sorting through old files and purging my filing cabinet. It’s kind of a new year process to get things in order for the year ahead.
In one of the files I came across an old record of my cheques. You know, those little booklets that you get from the bank to record all your expenditures. It was from the year 2007. It was pretty interesting to scan through it and see how I was spending my money. I was stunned to see that I am still giving the same amount to many of my charities despite the rate of increase in every other area of my spending. Someone once said, “If you want to see where your heart is look at your cheque book.” Of course, now with the use of credit cards and debit cards, cheques are almost passé. Coincidentally, while I was sorting through my paperwork I had a phone call from one of my favourite charities. I send them a cheque once a year but like every other organization they wanted me to sign up for a monthly donation on one of my credit cards. I declined saying I like to send an annual cheque.
An Oxfam report recently announced that 1% of the population control almost half the world’s wealth. They are campaigning against such wealth inequality noting that it is a problem for everyone. They advocate for a program that will redistribute wealth in such a way that there will be universal education and everyone will be made better off.
Jesus had a lot to say about money. In fact he spoke more often about money and our use of it than he spoke of any other issue. Yesterday was an important exercise for me to see how I am spending and how I am sharing. It was a good January discipline.
Do you ponder, struggle, assess how you spend your money? Is the support of charities a part of your monthly expenditure? Is giving an act of spirituality for you?
