by Dr. Jerry Fox, CFP®, Director of Financial Planning
As a college professor I would often begin a new semester by asking my students this question: What is the most powerful and potentially most dangerous word?
After hearing and discussing several options such as love, hate, and selfishness, I would ask the group to consider this word: CHOOSE. Didn’t our Creator take a huge risk when making us in His own image with, like Him, the ability to choose? In fact, the first story of human interaction with the world God had created was one of choice. And that choice is now known as “the fall.”
That powerful, potentially dangerous, ability to choose remains as an opportunity and as a challenge for each of us. Each day we make many choices. And the sum of those choices determines our behaviors, our habits, our very destiny.
In our financial choices we declare to ourselves, our families, our communities, and, most importantly, to our God what we have given priority in our lives. Like it or not, we are dealing with limited resources of time, treasure and attention. Where we choose to spend these resources is a matter of stewardship. God is the provider of all. But He allows us to choose how we will use His gifts to us.
“Like it or not, we are dealing with limited resources of time, treasure and attention.”
So, how do you choose? What guides your thinking? Who is your example of wise choosing? To what will you say, “Yes.”
You see, yes is also a powerful and potentially dangerous word. When spoken with conviction and acted upon consistently it shapes the future. It provides us with strength to say no to lesser things and lower priorities. It is often said that the true enemy of the best is not the worst, but the convenient, the distracting good enough for now.
Here at Servant Solutions our goal is “improving financial security for servants of the Church.” We want to help all our members take dead aim at their retirement goals and other priorities which require good planning, consistent saving, and careful investing. We want to help you clarify the things for which you’ll say a motivating “yes.” And through effective planning we hope to empower you to say “no” to the daily distractions which can bust your budget and even delay your retirement. Contact us and let us help you strengthen your YES.