Moral Dilemma

[JohnDB]

OK.
So a friend bought a house and gutted it...I was asked to contact for the electric. I said sure...But he is a friend so I said that I would do it for the cost of materials...
He bought everything that I needed.

Then he gave me a $500 check on top. (Completely unnecessary)

So in times past I've used money made from side jobs to fund mission trips or something else involved with missions including missionaries themselves.
This year we don't have a trip planned to anywhere. Nothing on the radar screen.

So I am not sure of what to do with the money. I've looked at getting a straight razor or setting the money aside for a computer for my wife.

It's very frustrating...

 

[Edward]

Help someone with it. Your Wife, a Brother or Sister, poor people on the street? You can be a blessing to someone with that. Look for someone who needs help. Not hard, you can tell. Pray, walk, give.

Blessings be upon you Brother for your conscientiousness about it. :nod

 

[JohnDB]

We give a lot already...

We have a significant portion of our incomes designated for giving to begin with. It's difficult to find places and people to give to.

 

[Edward]

We give a lot already...

We have a significant portion of our incomes designated for giving to begin with. It's difficult to find places and people to give to.

Yeah, I know what you mean. Know any widows?

You could buy 500 bucks worth of bibles and spread the word!

 

[Wrg1405]

Sometimes when I get an unexpected gift I use it. to buy something for my wife or kids or myself that I can't justify in my own mind using my own money.

 

[Christ_empowered]

buy you and/or your wife something fun you wouldn't otherwise. Or stock up on something you like that's non-essential, like high grade coffee or something.

An expensive art or photography book? I dunno. You've been blessed with $$$ enough for a little bit of fun stuff, so I say go for it.

 

[atpollard]

Christians are such funny creatures. We love to meet the need of another because that let's us be 'a blessing' to them, but we hate to let others see our need and help us ... 'cause we are proud. So it is our Christian Duty to be able to bless others and to prevent others from being able to bless us? What a strange body we are.

If you gave somebody else $500, what would you want them to do with it? If they already gave to God, would you want them to just find something more to give it to? How would you feel if they spent it on something that made them happy?

Let's ponder the matter from a Heavenly, rather than Earthly perspective. If all things come from your Father and he gave you this money, what would make God happy? Would God be happy if you joyfully found some way to invest it in his kingdom? Probably. Would God be happy if you used His gift to bless yourself and your family? Probably.

So do whatever makes you happy and will not dishonor the Family name. Learn to receive as well as give. Just do it cheerfully.

 

[reba]

$500. for wiring a whole house is nothing.. The gift of the 500 is a wonderful blessing... one you can use at this time...

Please do NOT read this as a put down to the 500 it was a lot to the guy giving it..

 

[Wrg1405]

Would God be happy if you used His gift to bless yourself and your family? Probably.

I would say so.

I sure do believe that at times when we have been given a gift that God is blessing us to bless ourselves.

 

[JohnDB]

$500. for wiring a whole house is nothing.. The gift of the 500 is a wonderful blessing... one you can use at this time...

Please do NOT read this as a put down to the 500 it was a lot to the guy giving it..

Well,
The guy who gave me the money is a Dave Ramsey fan...He ain't broke.
He teaches the classes.
Where I've met the man personally and don't care for him that doesn't mean that his advice is bad...Or even wrong.

I'm thinking that the part that bugs me the most is the lack of a mission trip in the works.

A new straight razor and strop will run just over $200-250.

Dunno...

A new computer system with the components that will make it fly will run around $3000... Including screens and wireless networks. Software might make it a bit more. (It will be very fast like a gaming PC)

The Narnia school in Slovakia is coming here this summer...So we will competition scholarship some kids to come for VBS.
(Soccer match or grades)
But we have money for that...Plenty...
We have to be careful with how much we give. It's not good to give too much to any one thing. (Wise as serpents but gentle as doves)

I shave once a week for Sunday School... Safety razors clog up so straight razors are the way to go for me. I got a shavette with disposable blades...But a true straight razor needs no blades. Just a strop and an occasional honing stone (I have a stone)

So...
Just not sure...I miss the mission field. I miss the challenges and opportunities they bring. I truly enjoy overcoming the obstacles and challenges and make the places sing. We affect everyone when we go...The passion we have is contagious and effectual. The stories are exciting.

 

[reba]

some times our missions are close to home.. often those are harder to see..

 

[Wrg1405]

Well,
The guy who gave me the money is a Dave Ramsey fan...He ain't broke.
He teaches the classes.
Where I've met the man personally and don't care for him that doesn't mean that his advice is bad...Or even wrong.

I'm thinking that the part that bugs me the most is the lack of a mission trip in the works.

A new straight razor and strop will run just over $200-250.

Dunno...

A new computer system with the components that will make it fly will run around $3000... Including screens and wireless networks. Software might make it a bit more. (It will be very fast like a gaming PC)

The Narnia school in Slovakia is coming here this summer...So we will competition scholarship some kids to come for VBS.
(Soccer match or grades)
But we have money for that...Plenty...
We have to be careful with how much we give. It's not good to give too much to any one thing. (Wise as serpents but gentle as doves)

I shave once a week for Sunday School... Safety razors clog up so straight razors are the way to go for me. I got a shavette with disposable blades...But a true straight razor needs no blades. Just a strop and an occasional honing stone (I have a stone)

So...
Just not sure...I miss the mission field. I miss the challenges and opportunities they bring. I truly enjoy overcoming the obstacles and challenges and make the places sing. We affect everyone when we go...The passion we have is contagious and effectual. The stories are exciting.

JohnDB,

Once I was given a gift and was going to put it towards a new tv (old one was packing
approx $800 in your currency.

As I was loooking a the TV to get I really felt God say "I want you to use it to buy someone a washing machine" I didn't even know they needed one. When I told my wife what God had said she replied "Ah so and so needs a new washing machine" so we spoke to the lady (single mother) and said choose a machine for £600. She said "I can buy one cheaper than that" she didn't need anything else so I insisted we buy a very good one. It will last longer, save on energy and water.

Anyway said purchase was made.

Now this is not a lie. I would have no reason to.

10 days later I received an unexpected cheque in the post from a non-Christian friend.

That cheque was just enough to buy the TV I wanted and enough left over to buy the cables.

Enjoy the $500 and thank God for blessing you.
You deserve it. Buy your razor, hey if you like penny sweets go buy 50,000.

 

[Papa Zoom]

a workman is worthy of his wages. Keep it.

 

[JohnDB]

a workman is worthy of his wages. Keep it.

Yeah... I agree...But "family" always expects a freebie and my church family I include in that. I let my church people know right up front that I am their brother and so long as they feed me I am good with feeling compensated. (Even just a PB&J sammich)

I don't do residential...I am a commercial/Industrial wireman...(but they keep making me Foreman at work as if I'm special or something...And I'm a temp agency hand.)

And at work I charge the highest price...
The only exception is for a realtor friend who rents houses. He is too old to be doing it. I do side work for him at ridiculous low prices because I don't want him to have an accident at any of his properties. It's mostly as a favor to him. But I must charge him something...It's his business that I am fixing and he has a budget for repairs. His wife doesn't really trust me because she doesn't really know all the financial dealings...And I find it funny. She is also about half deaf...One day I was asking if a faucet I fixed at her home (free work) was still working well and she thought that I was hitting her up for more work...She shot me down quickly...Till I repeated the question a little louder...Then she was all smiles... Especially when I said that I had plenty of work at the moment...Too much in fact.

There's been plenty of people at church that I've done free work for. Several have tested me on it and scratched their heads when I didn't bill them. Even gone so far as to tell me that I'm nuts and that someone is going to take advantage of me. (I'm not exactly sure how)

But I'm happy. If God wanted me to be financially wealthy He would have done it by now. (I think... Never really know with God)

Either way...I'm rich. Not financially speaking...But rich just the same.

 

[reba]

JohnDB I think i read this some place...

It's not prideful to try to get a job you trained for. It's actually true humility instead of selling yourself short. If you don't sell a real one karat diamond ring for one dollar then you shouldn't sell yourself to the lowest bidder either. That's not respecting the talents God has granted you.

 

[Papa Zoom]

Yeah... I agree...But "family" always expects a freebie and my church family I include in that. I let my church people know right up front that I am their brother and so long as they feed me I am good with feeling compensated. (Even just a PB&J sammich)

I don't do residential...I am a commercial/Industrial wireman...(but they keep making me Foreman at work as if I'm special or something...And I'm a temp agency hand.)

And at work I charge the highest price...
The only exception is for a realtor friend who rents houses. He is too old to be doing it. I do side work for him at ridiculous low prices because I don't want him to have an accident at any of his properties. It's mostly as a favor to him. But I must charge him something...It's his business that I am fixing and he has a budget for repairs. His wife doesn't really trust me because she doesn't really know all the financial dealings...And I find it funny. She is also about half deaf...One day I was asking if a faucet I fixed at her home (free work) was still working well and she thought that I was hitting her up for more work...She shot me down quickly...Till I repeated the question a little louder...Then she was all smiles... Especially when I said that I had plenty of work at the moment...Too much in fact.

There's been plenty of people at church that I've done free work for. Several have tested me on it and scratched their heads when I didn't bill them. Even gone so far as to tell me that I'm nuts and that someone is going to take advantage of me. (I'm not exactly sure how)

But I'm happy. If God wanted me to be financially wealthy He would have done it by now. (I think... Never really know with God)

Either way...I'm rich. Not financially speaking...But rich just the same.

I understand. I teach guitar and I don't charge to teach those that are trying to up their skills to work with worship teams. Also if the family can't afford the lessons. I have one student that pays and she pays 10 bucks a lesson. Some lessons are 25 for half hour and up to 60 for an hour. I don't need the money. When I retire that may change but since I'm working, I don't need the money. Plus I see it as sort of a ministry, to pass on the things I've learned from a lifetime of playing music.

 

[JohnDB]

JohnDB I think i read this some place...

It's not prideful to try to get a job you trained for. It's actually true humility instead of selling yourself short. If you don't sell a real one karat diamond ring for one dollar then you shouldn't sell yourself to the lowest bidder either. That's not respecting the talents God has granted you.

Have you ever heard," No prophet is respected in his hometown" ?

Same thing applies to electricians... Nevermind the fact that I've seen their attempts at wiring switches and outlets and lights.