Would you take out a Loan to buy a new Shirt?

I was reading the book of Haggai the other day when a verse stood out to me about managing our money.

First of all, you may be wondering why I was in Haggai. I asked myself the very same thing, but felt led by the Spirit to pursue it. I'm glad I did. Check this out...

"Now, the LORD of Hosts says this:
Think carefully about your ways:
You have planted much but harvested little.
You eat but never have enough to be satisfied.
You drink but never have enough to become drunk.
You put on clothes but never have enough to get warm.
The wage earner puts his wages into a bag with a hole in it."
Hag 1:5-6

Have you ever gone to the mall and found an outfit or a shirt you really liked? When you looked at the price tag, you realized you didn't have the cash for it. No problem, right? So, you think to yourself, "I'll just run to the bank to take out a small loan for the shirt!" Easy right?

Sounds a bit ridiculous doesn't it. Well, reaching into the wallet to swipe the credit card is doing just that. The problem is that it is a very high interest loan that most people don't pay off without interest. The other problem is that the shirt then comes with other accessories and things you don't really need. Over time the "short term" loan can become a high interest nightmare.

Think about it like this. Does your high school or college student understand this when they are out to Taco Bell or McDonald's? Do they realize the credit card you gave them to "learn how to manage credit" is a ticking time bomb if they take out loans for bad, empty calorie meals?

"A bag with holes in it" is the way Haggai descirbes it. Something to give some thought to.

Consider your ways carefully, says the LORD. What are you doing in these economic times to strengthen yourself and your family? What lessons are you passing on to the next generation?

Complaining that the government is accumulating debt that our grandchildren will be paying for is not solving the economic crisis happening under your own roof. It's time to stop the madness and pay as you go rather than play today and pay tomorrow.

Have a fantastic day!