Christians, Taxes, Honesty, and Managing Money

(or, Why Do You Think They Call It "Mastercard"?)

by Mark Chatfield
via Sentry Magazine, Vol. 19 No. 1, March 1993

"The credit card bill came in the mail today."

"Oh, no! It has all last month’s gifts on it."

"Yes, and the trip to Mom’s place."

"What are we going to do? $2,100."

"I don’t know. What’s the minimum we can pay?"

"It says $57."

"Okay, that will give us until next month to figure something out."

How familiar does that sound? I’m afraid it is all too familiar in Christian families of today. What is going on here?

Money. American society and government are centered on money. The biggest problems people in this country perceive are the economy, the national debt, the cost of living, the cost of health care, etc., ad nauseam. I suppose it is all we can expect from a secular, carnal society. However, more and more, Christians are caught up in the same thing.

• Yes, Genesis 14:15 warns us that money will fail from time to time.
• Yes, Jesus said we cannot serve God and mammon (Matthew 6:24), or serve two masters.
• Yes, I Timothy 6:10 tells us that the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil.

What does that have to do with my credit card bill?

First, the bill doesn’t just come; we control every charge. Whether the card is named "MasterCard" or not, God has made us responsible for our finances. No account should be our master. If it becomes such, it is our own fault. We would be better off cutting it up into little shards of plastic. Today, Jesus is in effect saying to us, "You cannot serve God and MasterCard."

Second, when we let our finances get out of control, we are letting Satan take over. The moment we pass up an opportunity to better serve God because we have to work excessive hours to pay unforeseen bills, we have put money ahead of God. It is like the person who drinks alcohol or takes other drugs, which affect his or her ability to give their whole heart and soul and mind and strength. The result is that they are breaking the very foremost commandment (Matthew 22:37).

Finally, when we lose control of our finances, we injure our esteem. Both our self-esteem and the esteem of family and friends who see the problems as weaknesses that should have been overcome before they festered.

There are alternatives to permitting our finances to take control. God tells Christians to work at our secular tasks as though we are working for Him (Colossians 3:23). If we follow His word, our honesty will be impeccable. Lack of honesty can tear us apart. Let me tell you a personal story. It took place in 1956:

I was in fifth grade at Smith Elementary in Deming, New Mexico. Somehow, despite my impetuous ways, I had been selected to be part of the school patrol. This was a position of honor. We were issued white helmets, vests, and badges, which made it clear to the world that we were responsible for discipline.

One of our duties was to walk two at a time through the empty classrooms at lunchtime to make sure no one was disturbing things. After doing this a few times, the temptation became too great. The "friend" I was with, and I began taking little things from the desks. Just a piece of bubble gum or candy. Then some loose change. For about two weeks, we did this. I kept telling myself they were just "little" things. After the little things began to accumulate, my conscience would not let me go on. You see, my dad and mother were honest to the core. Their example had taught me right from wrong.

I was trapped. I could not bring myself to tell my "friend" that I couldn’t continue. Yet the guilt was eating me from the inside. I could think of only one way out: tell the Principal, Mr. Fred Whitaker.

With cold and sweaty palms, I approached what seemed like a 12-foot-high door to Mr. Whitaker’s office. In complete shame, I described what we had done. I desperately wanted to return everything to the owners, but there was no way to know to whom it belonged. I was so relieved to release the pressure of my guilt that I hardly noticed that Mr. Whitaker did not punish me. He must have known that it would not have accomplished anything at that point.

We gave all we could back to the Principal. Somehow, he took care of it. God had provided me a lesson in honesty that was much more effective than words. The lesson: honesty is an absolute. A person cannot continue to cheat, even on the "little" things, and expect to get away with it.

Now that I’m beyond fifth grade, the opportunities to take little things are much greater. The IRS does not check every detail of every return. If I receive cash or barter income, there is probably no way anyone will ever find out unless I show it on my return. If I find a nontransferable ticket for the Metro or for parking, no one will ever find out.

• The question is not, "Will anyone find out?"
• The question is not, "Can I take advantage of the system?"
• The question is this: "Is it honest in the sight of God and man?"
• The question is, "Am I willing to lose my soul for eternity over things as trite as a one-dollar parking fee or as big as income tax evasion?"

If you, as a Christian, are honest, hardworking, and otherwise pleasing in God’s eyes, and you still have financial problems, there is help available. The church is not a financial institution, but God tells us to care for one another. Benevolence is a work of the church. There is no shame in asking for help. Don’t let our money-oriented society make you or your family go hungry because you feel inadequate asking for benevolence.

If you are having trouble budgeting your money, look around and seek assistance. Among Christians, you will find accountants, tax experts, budget specialists, and financial advisors. Chances are, they won't ask you if you need help, but they would love to help in any way they can once you ask.

The bottom line is this: Don't let money get in the way of your service to God. If it already is, don't permit it to continue to jeopardize your soul. Make your MasterCard your servant or turn it into a MasterShard.