Relationship Corner by Dr. Gary Chapman - Money and Marriage part 1 of 2

An Asset or Liability?
Sometimes it seems as if the more we have, the more we argue about what we have. The poorest of couples in America have abundance compared to the masses of the world’s population. I am convinced that the problem does not lie in the amount of money that a couple possesses, but in their attitude toward money and the manner in which they handle it.

I think a lot of us have a mental “magic sum” that seems to be the benchmark of what would make us happy. We get there and then realize, “No, that’s not quite enough.” Author Jeanette Clift George has said, “The great tragedy in life is not in failing to get what you go after. The great tragedy in life is in getting it and finding out it wasn’t worth the trouble.”

When life focuses on “getting more money,” we have the wrong focus. Our marital relationship and our relationship with God are far more important than how much money we have. Getting our priorities straight is the first step in making money an asset to marriage rather than a liability.

Faithful Stewardship
Are you honoring God by the way you use your money? God cares about how we use what He gives us. In Matthew, the Lord said to the faithful steward, “Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things.”

Financial resources, whether abundant or modest, have tremendous potential for good. Sound planning, buying, saving, investing, and giving are all part of our stewardship. One aspect of faithful stewardship is giving to God through the church and other Christian organizations.

More important than the amount is our attitude toward giving. Christian giving is an act of the will prompted by love to God, not a legalistic duty to be performed for merit. Does what you are giving reflect your love for God? When the two of you decide to honor God in your giving, you have taken a big step toward creating a growing marriage.

Excerpt taken from Dr. Gary Chapman on the Marriage You've Always Wanted. To find out more about Gary Chapman's resources, visit www.fivelovelanguages.com.