Striving for Financial Balance: How Jesus Found the Middle Ground in a World of Extremes Without Being Average

Written by: A.B. Ridgeway, EA, MBA, CPWA®️

I pray you find balance in a world that thrives on extremes.

The fear of not being recognized can cause you to make financial decisions that can destroy your peace and happiness.

To be balanced is not the same as being average.

Jesus was balanced but far from average.

You would be hard pressed to walk into any church that wouldn't say, Jesus was always loving.

You would be hard pressed to walk into any church that wouldn't say, Jesus was always happy.

You would be hard pressed to walk into any church that wouldn't say, Jesus never said a disparaging word to anyone.

If you feel this way, I encourage you to pick up your Bible and read it again. Because these statements are false. They are hyperbolic statements (extreme language) and don't speak to the balance, which Jesus exemplified in his ministry.

I made it easy for you.

Check out the following verses and let me know what you think:

Matthew 21:12- Jesus entered the temple courts and drove out all who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves.

John 11:35- Jesus wept.

Matthew 23:13 and 16- Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites!...Woe to you, blind guides!

Here Jesus expresses 3 emotions: frustration, sadness, and anger.

In spite of these verses, no one judges the totality of Jesus' character on these few moments of targeted emotions.

The time and context, we all would agree, called for these emotions.

During these moments...

He expressed frustration out of his respect for God's house.

He expressed sadness out of his love for Lazarus.

He expressed anger out of his dedication to the truth.

It is common knowledge that on the extremes of any emotion, you will find it's opposite.

And these are prime examples.

But Jesus did not express these negative emotions for his own sake, but for the sake of his followers and God.

In doing so...

He was able to balance his devotion with frustration..

He was able to balance love with sadness.

He was able to balance truth with anger.

So don't judge yourself on your ability to be extreme. Don't get caught up in this "hustle" culture. But focus on being balanced like Jesus. And balanced for the right reasons.

• It is okay to pursue money with a passion, if you truly want to give as much as you can to your family and to the community.

• It is okay to work long hours when trying to help the less fortunate.

• And it is totally okay to fight against evil, if you truly love the Lord.

  
  

Join our Newsletter and receive our free 19-page e-book "4 Financial Principles Every Christian Should Know"

Click Here To Get Your Free Gift

The Hypocrisy of Praise

Speaking of balance, when it comes to the characteristics that we praise, there is an imbalance.

In finances, we praise the one who earns $1,000,000 in the lottery but disregard the man who earns $1,000,000 over 40 years.

This is unjust and imbalanced.

In finances, we praise the man who earns a 200% return in one year but disregard the man who triples his money over 19.16 years. (assuming an average annual return of 6%/year)

This, too, is unjust and imbalanced.

This is not what Jesus taught us.

• Am I telling you to settle and not pursue your dreams? No.

• Am I telling you not to make as much money as possible? No.

I am telling you that trying to occupy an imaginary top "money-earner" spot will yield no fruit and serve only as a breeding ground for arrogance and self-entitlement.

You already hold the #1 spot in your life.

And no matter how much you make, there will be someone who has more.

So ask yourself.

Why would you trade, being who you are, for a spot that will eventually be taken by someone else?

Why spend a majority of your life trying to obtain the an arbitrary number, and once your reach it, you live in fear of losing it?

And that is why financial planning is so important. It sets a boundary that tells you and the world, where you end, and where your generosity and charity begin.

But if you don't set that boundary, you will never be satiated.

Ecclesiastes 5:10-Whoever loves money never has enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with their income. This too is meaningless.

When you set that boundary, once again, it helps you establish a balanced approach to your finances so you don't fall victim to the "extreme mentality" It helps you give up the love of money and shift your mindset to the love of others.

Which is a message that Jesus proclaimed since the day he was born.

If you are having trouble adopting this mentality of contentment, here is a strategy you can use. When it comes to material matters (money, cars, homes, clothes, jewelry, prestige, and power), look at those who are less fortunate than you.

When it comes to spiritual matters (respect, honor, love, piety, worship, honesty, discipline) look at people who possess these qualities in abundance.

And if you feel that no one is better than you, then imagine you are able to step outside of yourself and look at things you want to improve. This is the quickest cure for arrogance.

Never Take on More Risk Than Necessary

Let me quickly explain risk and extremes in investing, from my perspective.

If you need a 6% average return on your investments to reach your goal, an investment that promises 6.1% is taking on too much risk.

You may be asking, Mr. Ridgeway...that's only a 0.1% difference, that seems pretty "extreme" to consider that unnecessary risk.

First I would say, "Setting a boundary is not extreme, and being able to stand firm in your commitment, is a sign of integrity. If not .1%, why not .2%. If not .2% why not .9%.

You get my point?

Think about it, if the devil asks you to do a little sin to disrespect God, would you do it, even if it was only 0.1% beyond the boundaries of God's law?....of course not. That is why it is important to set a boundary. Not only to protect yourself from risk, but help control the possibility of greed entering your heart.

Second, I would mention that in finances, the difference in projected returns, is not directly correlated with risk. Meaning, trying to gain an additional 0.1% of interest could expose you to 2,5,10, or 20+ times the risk.

Think of the analogy of the straw that breaks the camel's back.

It isn't the last straw that causes the demise of the camel, but the amount of prior straws, in addition to...that final straw.

So in finances, you have to consider the risk you are already taking, to get that 6% and that trying to earn that extra .1% in another investment could be the final straw.

It is not far fetched that that additional exposure, could cause you to lose a lot of your assets. Or at least increase the risk of doing so.

To put it into perspective, typically, when a company offers you a higher rate, for a similar investment type, it is because you are being compensated for the additional risk. So that 0.1% represents some type of risk the company is subtly letting you know is associated with that asset.

So let's get back to the idea of extremes with these examples:

Investing is healthy.

But pushing the boundaries can lead you to greed.

Worshipping God is praiseworthy, but isolating yourself for the rest of your life to do it, can lead to loneliness and self-righteousness.

We need balance.

I love finances.

I mean, I love finances.

But I also love my family. I also love to read. I also love to go for a walk and I also love to do yoga.

You may want money, but have you considered what else you want?

And if you do want money, how much time and energy have you spent planning to make sure the other things in your life, get the attention they need?

Our success is not determined by the extremes in our lives but in our balance.

Remember, investing is more like a dial and not like a light switch. It is something we turn up and down, but we never turn off.

Do we just set it and forget it? No.

We take prescribed intervals, we check our progress and make adjustments. And looking at it everyday is not a recommended prescribed intervals for long-term investors. (Just an FYI).

So if you don't know where you stand, you may be taking on more risk than you have to.

Balancing Your Emotions and Your Finances

So today, once again, I want you to find balance in a world that thrives on extremes.

Find balance in your emotions and find balances in your approach to your finances.

And understand, there is a such thing as too much of a good thing.

Water can nourish the body, but too much water can kill you.

Having money is great, but pushing yourself to acquire more beyond righteous means can lead to greed.

We love quoting "For the love of money is the root of all evil" but what about the verse RIGHT BEFORE IT?

1 Timothy 6:7-10-But godliness with contentment is great gain. 7 For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. 8 But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. 9 Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction.

As we say down here is Louisiana, anything above what you need is "Lagniappe" (Lan-yap) Something a little special or extra...

I pray you have been blessed. If you enjoyed this message. Please send it out to someone you feel that may need to hear it.

Also, if you are ready to balance out your financial situation with grace and composure and find contentment in your heart. I would love to speak with you.

Just click Schedule a Consultation and we can fellowship together.

Meet A.B. Ridgeway:

A.B. Ridgeway, EA, MBA, CPWA®️ (info@abrwealthmanagement.com) is the owner and Christian Financial Advisor with A.B. Ridgeway Wealth Management. With a decade in the finance industry, his goal is to give believers clarity around the most confusing topic in the Bible, money, and tithing. A.B. Ridgeway helps tithing Christians become cheerful givers but unlocking their money-making potential, so they can prosper and be the great stewards of the wealth God has entrusted them with.

*Disclaimer: This communication is not intended as an offer or solicitation to buy, hold or sell any financial instrument or investment advisory services. Any information provided has been obtained from sources considered reliable, but we do not guarantee the accuracy or the completeness of any description of securities, markets or developments mentioned. This is strictly for information purposes. We recommend you speak with a professional financial advisor.