The year started well, but at the same time we all know this year will not be easy. Jobs being cut, working hours reduced and everyone rather just pick up anything than not having a means to earn the money needed to move on. We are thankful that at least many people we know are not directly affected. But we should not just naiively assume things will not change at our end. It is definitely not because God fell asleep and ignored us if the financial crisis suddenly affects us too.

In the past weeks i somehow heard many different sermons from different sources on the same topic. What should we as Christians do during this time? What are our possibilities and responses? I think you can find many answers also in the Internet now, since many God's servants would have used the channel to reach out to His people and the ones He loves.

What made me really start thinking and learn to put into action are perhaps the two points i would like to share here today. Firstly, when the wallet shrinks, we must realise our income and wallet is not something we can influence. They are decided by our employers and the current economy situations. But there is one thing we can influence and change - the way we spend money and live. In other words, if we can analyse and find out what are things we can reduce monthly, we will start saving. 

I have give this point quite some thoughts lately. How much can we squeeze out actually if i change my lifestyle? How does it compare to my savings or even investment (if i still have any that makes money at this time:P)? I think the maths is rather simple. If i have an income of RM3500 per month (nett or after tax), i think i would hope i can have RM500 at the end of the month as savings. If i have never had a real savings, and i can keep this RM500 per month, i should have RM6000 per year. A good FD should give me say 3% (no idea what is the rate now?) and for RM6000 you will get RM180 after a year. That makes RM15 per month (hmm, just a meal outside or 2 happy meals at McD?). 

Looking at this, i just cannot start thinking - if i can change something in my lifestyle, such as less eating out or no gadgets or stop some magazine subscription or no movies at cinema, how much can i save? a rough estimation - RM50? If you work this out, you will notice you get extra RM600 per year, and simple maths tells that that is virtually 10% interests from the above RM6000 FD. Easily (i hope) you get another extra 7% instantly monthly! If you manage to reduce more, you actually will get more than what the bank will give you as interests. 

Secondly i heard many preacher echoing the same thing - at bad times, give more to God. This is exactly the difficult part. We already have not enough, and we should give more offering? But i think give more during bad times does not mean only a quantitive increase, but also a relative increase. How do we understand this? If you have been giving 10% (or almost), sticking to it during bad times would actually be relative increase. If you can afford more, and give more than 10% that would be a quantitive increase. I am not an expert in tithing, but i think both increases are meant by these preachers. 

Before we start talking about we ourselves not having enough, let's look at the logic behind this proposal. I personally feel God will never lack even if i don't give enough. So never think God asked for tithe because He does not have enough money for the next vacation in Hawaii. The proposal does make sense, because not only we are hit by the crisis - the churches, para-churches and different ministries are hit as well. A pastor says it well, "at this time these ministries need the money more than any other time. Therefore we should give more to them." I have to agree. If i can felt the "tightness" of my pocket, these ministries will certainly feel more. If we stop giving, some of them will perhaps close-shop in no time. So it does make sense to consider to at least keep giving to them as usual (which would be a relative increase).

At the same time, being able to still give tithe is an exercise of faith. Do you give because you are being told to? Do you believe that you and your household will lack nothing if you give (more)? Do you think you are ultimately in control and responsible of the welfare of your family? If we have faith in God that we are being taken care of, we can (easily) make commitment to continue giving even if time is bad. There are many parables or stories in the bible, as well as current testimonies from many brothers and sisters concerning this topic and point. I will not need to stress more but i will learn to do this.

I remember listening to one of the podcast, a preacher was sharing that during his "bad times" he had the verse "His eyes are on the sparrows" one day, but as soon as he stepped out from his house, he saw a dead sparrow right in front of his feet. :) It is really funny, but at the same time rather hard to accept God's signals when we are at the downhill part of our journey. Don't let your eyes fool you and use your heart instead to listen to Him.

How are you coping with the crisis? i hope you are still doing ok and still have faith that He will carry us through. If you are struggling, i hope you will get things under control soon. Do refer to many resources, such as family.org, for advice and tips.

God bless.