The final week of Dave Ramsey’s Financial Peace University is all about baby step 7 – build wealth and give a lot of it away.
If you go through Financial Peace University and miss this lesson, you may set yourself up to win financially, but you won’t feel complete until you give. We have a tendency to want to hold onto our money as we accumulate it, but we have to remember that none of it is ours. Without the abilities and gifts we’ve been given by God, we wouldn’t have any of it. It is our responsibility to manage the resources that we’ve been given since they’re not ours to begin with.
By giving, it makes us more like Christ-like since he gave his life for us. Besides that, giving to others teaches us to be less selfish and people who are less selfish are generally more successful in different areas of their life. We also feel our best when we serve and give to others. I can attest to this personally in my life. Some of the best times of my life were when I’ve been on a mission trip or serving others.
After covering the reasons why we should give, Dave covers the difference between tithes and offerings in the church. According to the Bible, a tithe is a tenth of our income and it is supposed to be given to the local church. It’s the job of the local church to take care of those in need. Offerings are different because they are supposed to be given out of what we have extra.
I think a lot of people get confused when it comes to giving at their church. When the church starts asking for money to do a major project or something like that, they feel an obligation to be a part of it and give. However, if they are giving at the expense of being able to take care of their household then they really should reconsider.
There aren’t a lot of details to go over this week. The main lesson is that part of your financial plan should include giving, despite what your religious beliefs might be. Give it a try this holiday season and see what kind of a difference it makes in your life.
If you’re interested in attending Financial Peace University, you can find a class near you by going here. There are new classes starting all the time. If you don’t think you can make it to a class, you can always take the course online. I think it’s best when you can attend it in person and hear other people’s stories, but the online option is great for families who are geographically separated for one reason or another (truck drivers, military, that kind of thing).
If you have any questions about Financial Peace University, please post them in the comments section. If you have a giving story that you’d like to share, you can post that in the comments as well.
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