By Andrew Lisi | September 30, 2021
As a financial planner, I get to have intimate conversations about peoples’ lives and their money. I learn about their marriages, kids, parents, goals, and dreams quickly. I ask questions in these areas to understand how their finances play a role in all those areas. In my training and through observation over the years, when finances are discussed, the questions around how money flows tend to follow a typical pattern around two primary topics: spending and saving.
Regardless of the form of questions, the pattern also tends to follow that order. First, how much do you spend? And second, how much do you/can you save?
These are significant questions that should be asked. However, one category often gets left out of the questions altogether: giving. Why is that? Perhaps the clearest reason is because Americans typically give small amounts of their wealth. One study shared that the average American adult gives roughly $1,000/year, and the average household gives 2.1%.¹ Giving is simply not a priority. So, if it’s not a priority for most people, it’s not a priority for advisors to be asking about giving. Just stick with spending and saving – I wasn’t even trained to ask about giving!
If I can summarize the flow of thought for most people, it goes something like 1) spend first to support our lifestyle, 2) save next for the future, and 3) give whatever is left over, if that matters at all.
Years ago, I was a college minister. I raised support full time. One day while driving, I was listening to a talk by a pastor who challenged this very order of “spend first, save second, give what’s left.” It was the way of the world, not the way of Jesus. I don’t remember the details, but I received two life-altering takeaways as a result:
- Even though I depended on the financial generosity of others, I wholly lived the “spend first, save second, give what’s left” framework.
- For followers of Jesus, that framework should be completely and joyfully flipped to “give first, save second, and live off the rest.”
Why? There are so many reasons, but core to them all is the self-giving love of God! It’s self-evident and beautifully painted through all of Scripture. John 3:16 sums it up best, “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” As his image-bearers, we can reflect this same love by flipping the order of how most of us think about our finances: give first, save second, live off the rest.
That day I repented, specifically about giving. I did not have much money at the time, but my priorities were completely misaligned. I could be faithful with little, so that if much came later, I could be prepared. And today, I’m still repenting when I see those priorities change. How wonderful it is that we have a God who gives – no, lavishes! – grace on us.
That’s my only ask here. Regardless of your financial situation and rather than getting into percentages, details, and all the questions, I want to focus on the framework within your heart. Ask yourself the question: When I think about my wealth, what’s the framework? In prayer, ask God if priorities need to shift. Are you living the “spend first, save second, give what’s left life?” How can you change those priorities and reflect the self-giving love of God through your finances?
Reference
¹https://www.charitychoices.com/page/how-much-given-whom-what
Andrew Lisi is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ with The Next Level Planning Group. Prior to becoming a financial planner, Andrew was on staff with Cru. He received his Master of Divinity degree from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School and was a pastor in Chicago and Seattle. He is married to his ideal, Stacy. They live in the Chicago suburbs with their four wonderful children. In his free time, Andrew can be found, reading a good book, having a fire in his backyard, on a date with his wife, or playing tickle monster with his kids.
Andrew Lisi is a registered representative of Lincoln Financial Advisors a broker/dealer (Member SIPC) and a registered investment advisor. Next Level Planning Group is not an affiliate of Lincoln Financial Advisors. CRN-3782559-092221
