3/20/2006

Advice from Nashville's leading Financial Aid Advisor Dave Ramsey

 
Dave Says
By Dave Ramsey
Author of:
Financial Peace and
The Total Money Makeover

"Teaching a five-year old to give?"

Dear Dave,

We give our five-year old little jobs to do and earn money, but when I ask him how much he wants to put aside and give to the church, he said “None, it’s my money!” How strict should I be about my five-year old and giving to the church?

Andrea

Dear Andrea,

Well, we don’t want to run Hitler’s Boot Camp for Money. At five-years old, wanting to hang on to everything you have is natural. In someone our age, it’s a spiritual disease, so you have to approach each situation differently.

But this is a wonderful teaching moment, and not just from a financial perspective. I’d be tempted to sit down with the little guy and explain to him that while it’s his money, it’s not really his money. It’s God’s money. The Bible says “the earth is the Lord’s, and the fullness thereof.” In other words, the whole thing belongs to God. We’re just here to manage it for Him.

There are at least three things God wants us to do with money. He wants us to spend some on ourselves, because God likes to give his kids good gifts. He also wants us to save money. The Bible says wise people save money. And number three, He wants us to give. God doesn’t NEED our money, but when we give to further His kingdom we’re not being so self-centered and it changes us for the better.

- Dave

More About Dave
Dave Says Articles
Dave Ramsey History
Dave Ramsey.com