Finances and Eternity

                Families, communities, and nations are strengthened when individuals are aware of the eternal significance of properly managing finances here on earth. I have had at least one lesson on personal finances every semester for the last year. Each class stressed the importance of handling finances properly in order to be better prepared to serve the Lord. I have a good understanding of why our finances have an eternal significance.

                I recently read an article by two men that have more training and experience in counseling about finances. I found their article very informative and helpful. In their article titled “An Eternal Perspective on Personal and Family Finance,” Bryan Sudweeks (PhD, Chartered Financial Analyst) and E. Jeffrey Hill (PhD, Brigham Young University) explained the connection between finances and eternity.

                “Our financial house must be built on a firm foundation to withstand the rains of recession, the floods of layoffs, and the winds of high interest rates. Part of this foundation comes from viewing and managing our finances from an eternal perspective rather than the world’s materialistic perspective. The eternal perspective assumes that all material resources are owned by God and that we are responsible to use those resources to bless Hi children. The world’s materialistic perspective is any other perspective that takes God out of the equation. The perspective you choose makes a big difference in the way you manage your money and your life.”

                The authors continue their article by explaining why we should learn about finance in the following areas: spiritual, temporal, individual, and family. They also give the foundations for this perspective as well as how to best apply these financial principles. The article is very informative article and can help people of all ages understand why our finances and eternity are connected. I encourage you to study it.