[00:00] 📖 Biblical Compassion vs. Enabling Destructive Behavior 00:00 | Shawn: When a family member needs financial help how do you know if you're showing Biblical compassion or enabling destructive behavior 00:07 | Shawn: Many Christians struggle with this tension wanting to honor God by caring for family while also recognizing that sometimes the most loving thing is to let consequences do their work 00:18 | Shawn: Today we'll explore the Biblical wisdom that helps you navigate these difficult decisions 00:23 | Shawn: Let's get some perspective [00:32] 🏠 Biblical Definition of Family and Financial Responsibility 00:32 | Shawn: Welcome to Christian Financial Perspectives 00:35 | Shawn: My name is Shawn Peters 00:36 | Shawn: This is Bob Barber 00:37 | Shawn: And today we're covering the Biblical way to provide for family and the Bible calls on us as Christians to provide financially for our families since most people no longer grow their own food make their own clothing or build their own homes from trees and bricks 00:58 | Shawn: When we talk about this we use our financial means today to buy essentials like food water clothing and shelter as well as other needs and wants 01:08 | Bob: Yeah 01:08 | Shawn: And Bob thank you for putting this together 01:11 | Shawn: I didn't contribute much really to this particular script 01:14 | Shawn: That's 01:14 | Bob: okay 01:15 | Shawn: So if you like this then Bob wrote it 01:17 | Shawn: If you 01:17 | Bob: - Don't like it 01:18 | Shawn: sorry if you if you don't like it Bob wrote 01:20 | Bob: it 01:20 | Bob: Yeah exactly 01:20 | Bob: If 01:20 | Shawn: you do like it I helped I helped more than Implied 01:24 | Shawn: So why don't you start us off with a definition of family according to Biblical standards 01:29 | Bob: Well Shawn I think you added that part in there so I want you to do that 01:33 | Shawn: Oh okay 01:34 | Bob: All right 01:34 | Shawn: I trying to throw 01:35 | Bob: throw throw you know you're gonna you're gonna try to throw me off 01:37 | Bob: I'm gonna 01:37 | Shawn: say 01:37 | Bob: it's mom and a dad and kids and you know the def- the Biblical definition of family- 01:43 | Shawn: Well 01:43 | Bob: it's 01:43 | Shawn: okay is 01:44 | Bob: different 01:44 | Shawn: in 01:44 | Bob: the secular worldview 01:45 | Shawn: It's 01:45 | Shawn: but we're gonna start- Okay with scripture 01:46 | Shawn: All 01:46 | Shawn: makes it 01:47 | Bob: easy 01:48 | Shawn: But Galatians 6:10 "Therefore as we have the opportunity let us do good to all people especially to those who belong to the family of believers." So those in Christ are considered family 01:58 | Bob: That's right 01:59 | Bob: Yep 01:59 | Shawn: And God is our Father 02:00 | Bob: Yep 02:01 | Bob: Yep 02:02 | Bob: Exactly 02:03 | Bob: you know you're you're not only my son-in-law but you're e- even if you weren't my son-in-law you'd be considered my brother through Jesus 02:13 | Bob: Exactly 02:14 | Bob: 'Cause 'cause that that's our common 02:15 | Bob: We have that commonality 02:17 | Shawn: Through through Christ we've been adopted into the same family 02:20 | Bob: That's that's right 02:21 | Bob: And you know doing good for others is an investment in them that you hope's gonna pay off for now- 02:27 | Shawn: Yeah 02:27 | Bob: and in eternity and I think Christians need to strive to do good for all people though 02:33 | Shawn: Yeah 02:34 | Bob: and with a priority o- on helping fellow believers who are unable to help themselves 02:40 | Shawn: Yeah 02:40 | Bob: And you notice I said that who are unable to help themselves 02:43 | Shawn: Right 02:43 | Bob: Because we're 02:44 | Bob: This one thing as I was writing this Shawn that kept hitting me over and over was we're talking about providing but we don't wanna enable bad behavior 02:53 | Shawn: Yeah 02:53 | Bob: So- There's a big 02:54 | Shawn: difference between and honestly it seems like the recent 02:59 | Shawn: Well as of this recording it was still somewhat recent but the whole thing in in the government and SNAP benefits and yet you see tons of people that has nothing to do with them being on hard times or not being able to work 03:12 | Shawn: They just don't want to 03:13 | Bob: Yeah 03:14 | Shawn: and that I think a government example but in in this case as as Christians that is kind of the same distinction is is it's it's helping people who can't help themselves for whatever the reason may be may be physical disability may be mental issue- may be combination or may be just a temporary thing that just some bad things 03:36 | Shawn: Unfortunately they're going through a valley but people who just don't want to do anything and they have the capacity to do it well that's just laziness 03:44 | Bob: Well we're and we're gonna- we're gonna really get into that scripture and th- this next scripture that we're gonna share is from 1 Timothy 5:8 which is where the basis of this started- 03:54 | Shawn: Yeah 03:54 | Bob: you know- Yeah 03:54 | Bob: when when when I was developing this 03:56 | Shawn: - So family members in your own 03:58 | Bob: household is- R- right is 03:59 | Shawn: what 03:59 | Bob: we're this 04:00 | Bob: Exactly 04:00 | Bob: That that that's the key here you know 04:02 | Bob: It says "If anyone does not provide for his own and especially for those of his household he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever." Man that's pretty strong words Shawn 04:16 | Bob: It's 04:16 | Shawn: very strong words 04:17 | Bob: You think about it 04:18 | Bob: Yeah 04:18 | Bob: So so it's a Christian's obligation and duty to care for support and protect family members especially in their own household 04:27 | Shawn: Yeah 04:27 | Bob: I mean this is th- this is kinda like Proverbs but it's over in 04:30 | Shawn: Well it makes me think of the other scripture 04:32 | Shawn: Maybe you remember the specific reference but when it talks about how you know what a good father when his son w- asks for a fish doesn't give him a rock or give him a snake- 04:44 | Bob: Yeah 04:44 | Shawn: you know k- kind of a thing 04:45 | Shawn: Yeah 04:45 | Shawn: And 04:45 | Bob: it's 04:45 | Shawn: like and then it's like how much how much more to it good is your Father in heaven in providing for you 04:51 | Shawn: It kind of makes me think of that too like well yeah you need to provide for your family and if they have needs and you're able why would you not provide for 04:59 | Bob: them 04:59 | Bob: A- and this scripture's you know really saying hey this this is not just about talk 05:03 | Bob: I mean this requires tangible action- 05:06 | Shawn: Yeah 05:06 | Bob: with family provision as a primary goal here and a God-given responsibility- 05:13 | Shawn: Yeah 05:13 | Bob: and that the failure to provide for family is viewed as a serious moral obligation effectively denying the Christian faith by acting in a manner worse than an unbeliever if you don't 05:25 | Bob: Yeah 05:26 | Bob: Wow 05:26 | Shawn: Very- When 05:27 | Bob: I was when I was just thinking about this was like man this is 05:30 | Bob: Like you know you always say Proverbs really speaks straight to the point 05:33 | Shawn: Yeah 05:33 | Bob: This one really speaks straight to the point 05:36 | Shawn: Yeah 05:36 | Shawn: Yeah it's a very serious moral obligation and failure to do so is not okay [05:43] 🙏 Faith and Deeds: Practical Application of Biblical Teachings 05:43 | Shawn: I mean there's 05:44 | Bob: Yeah 05:44 | Shawn: no way around 05:44 | Bob: that 05:45 | Bob: and so this kind of takes us into the next area that the Lord was laying on me as I was writing this is about faith and deeds 05:51 | Shawn: Mm-hmm 05:51 | Bob: And you know where James 2:14-16 he talks about faith and works 05:56 | Shawn: Sure 05:57 | Bob: I'll I'll go and 05:57 | Shawn: read that 05:58 | Shawn: James 2:14-16 says-What good is it my brothers and sisters if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds 06:06 | Shawn: Can such faith save them 06:08 | Shawn: Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food 06:11 | Shawn: If one of you says to them "Go in peace keep warm and well-fed," but does nothing about their physical needs what good is it 06:19 | Shawn: In the same way faith by itself is not accompanied 06:22 | Shawn: if it is not accompanied by action is dead 06:25 | Bob: I saw 3 points that kind of came out of this scripture 06:27 | Shawn: Mm-hmm 06:28 | Bob: You know the it James is really he's questioning the value of faith if it doesn't provide visible- 06:34 | Shawn: Yeah 06:34 | Bob: good works 06:35 | Shawn: Yeah 06:36 | Bob: and he's also that a verbal profession of faith without practical loving action is worthless 06:42 | Shawn: Or or dead- You 06:44 | Bob: in 06:44 | Bob: Yeah 06:45 | Bob: Yeah 06:46 | Bob: And that genuine saving faith compels believers to meet the physical and spiritual needs of others who are incapable of meeting their own needs 06:54 | Bob: And again comes back to that those that are incapable- 06:57 | Shawn: Yeah 06:57 | Bob: of meeting their own needs 06:58 | Bob: And we're gonna we're gonna kind of talk about who are those incapable- 07:02 | Shawn: Yeah 07:02 | Bob: of meeting their own needs 07:03 | Bob: 'Cause there are there's a group of people that are incapable- 07:07 | Shawn: Sure of 07:07 | Bob: meeting their needs and that's who we're called to help 07:10 | Shawn: Yeah 07:10 | Bob: Yeah [07:11] 🌳 Faith and Actions: The Analogy of the Fruit Tree 07:11 | Shawn: Yeah 07:11 | Shawn: That's that's James it always That's that's James it always uh really sticks out to me on that distinction of the deeds are not what save you for example 07:22 | Bob: Right 07:22 | Shawn: it's it's simply that that outward expression of the faith that you have 07:30 | Bob: Right 07:30 | Shawn: Because if your faith is is real it's like well you can't help 07:34 | Shawn: I think the analogy of the t- of the tree 07:36 | Shawn: Yeah 07:37 | Shawn: It's like well if it's a healthy fruit tree it's gonna produce fruit 07:40 | Bob: Fruit right 07:41 | Shawn: 'Cause that's just the nature of the tree 07:43 | Shawn: That's what it does 07:43 | Bob: Yeah 07:44 | Shawn: And so the same should be like with with our faith 07:46 | Shawn: It's like it you know you tell somebody "Oh yeah I'll pray for you," when you literally could like get them food right now 'cause they need help 07:54 | Shawn: Like it's like okay 07:56 | Shawn: Yeah 07:56 | Shawn: Don't just give them the platitude of like "Oh yeah I hope God provides." Well maybe God put them in your path 08:02 | Bob: right now- 08:02 | Shawn: May- 08:02 | Bob: maybe you need to go buy 08:03 | Shawn: them a 08:03 | Bob: meal 08:03 | Shawn: help 08:03 | Shawn: Yeah 08:03 | Bob: May- and or or or help them out 08:05 | Bob: Exactly [08:06] 📖 Biblical Teachings on Laziness and Responsibility 08:06 | Bob: Now this is where this next section is where I saw the caution- Yeah of financial provisioning for enabling laziness 08:16 | Shawn: Yeah 08:17 | Bob: And of course now comes Proverbs right 08:19 | Shawn: Yeah 08:19 | Bob: yeah 08:19 | Shawn: Because if weren't gonna get through this episode- 08:21 | Bob: Yeah 08:21 | Shawn: at least 08:21 | Bob: one 08:22 | Shawn: Proverbs 08:22 | Bob: reference 08:22 | Shawn: right 08:22 | Shawn: Not 08:22 | Bob: not without Proverbs when it comes to about enabling because Proverbs is pretty strong on this 08:27 | Shawn: Yeah 08:28 | Bob: mm-hmm 08:28 | Bob: it starts off with Proverbs 10:3-5 08:31 | Shawn: Oh go ahead 08:32 | Shawn: "The Lord does not let the righteous go hungry but he thwarts the craving of the wicked 08:37 | Shawn: Lazy hands make for poverty but diligent hands bring wealth 08:41 | Shawn: He who gathers crops in s mer is a prudent son but he who sleeps during harvest is a disgraceful son." 08:48 | Bob: And- 08:48 | Shawn: And then you have another Proverbs here 08:49 | Bob: Yeah I do 08:50 | Shawn: Proverbs 19:15-18 08:52 | Shawn: "Laziness brings on deep sleep and the shiftless go hungry 08:56 | Shawn: Whoever keeps commandments keeps their life but whoever shows contempt for their ways will die 09:01 | Shawn: Whoever is kind to the poor lends to the Lord and He will reward them for what they have done 09:06 | Shawn: Discipline your children for in that there is hope 09:09 | Shawn: Do not be a willing party to their death." 09:11 | Bob: Hmm 09:12 | Bob: So the consequences of laziness according to these scriptures are poverty and hunger 09:18 | Bob: and 09:18 | Shawn: - 09:19 | Bob: you know it says right- can see 09:21 | Shawn: that again especially in the long run 09:22 | Shawn: Yeah 09:23 | Bob: And it 09:23 | Shawn: talks about disciplining your your children 09:25 | Shawn: It's like well yeah because you wanna make sure that when they're old enough that they are on their own you wanna make sure that they don't continue lazy habits and therefore they can't take care of themselves 09:36 | Shawn: And then what about when you're no longer on this earth 09:39 | Shawn: You know it's kind of the same it's 09:40 | Shawn: it makes total sense that you know you wanna instill these good principles in them before it's too late 09:47 | Bob: You know the the emphasis on on Proverbs 19:15 were reading it is that laziness can cast you into deep sleep 09:54 | Bob: Yeah 09:54 | Bob: I mean that's what it says and the idle person is gonna suffer hunger 09:57 | Bob: And over in Proverbs 10:4 a slack hand causes poverty 10:01 | Bob: Mm 10:01 | Bob: I mean 10:02 | Shawn: it's 10:02 | Bob: basically saying if you're lazy these things can happen to you 10:06 | Bob: the Book of Proverbs also describes a lazy person as a sluggard 10:11 | Bob: And we you know- consider the ant you know 10:13 | Shawn: Yeah 10:14 | Bob: as one who sleeps neglects task and makes ridiculous excuses about not working and allows their home to fall into disrepair 10:24 | Shawn: Yeah 10:25 | Bob: Proverbs 6:6-8 that's the one about the ant 10:28 | Shawn: Yep 10:28 | Bob: and it consider her ways and be wise 10:32 | Bob: and it highlights initiative that the ant you know saves during summer Right and for the winter- 10:39 | Shawn: That's 10:39 | Bob: right that's coming 10:40 | Bob: And beyond physical poverty laziness is viewed as a lack of wisdom and a sinful misuse of time and this is over in Ecclesiastes 10:18 and Proverbs 20 :13 10:54 | Bob: And- 10:54 | Shawn: Yeah I wish were able to find more scriptural references for these different- 10:57 | Bob: Different ones 10:58 | Shawn: parts 10:58 | Bob: and points 10:59 | Bob: Yeah 10:59 | Shawn: And we on- we only have one to two for each one 11:01 | Bob: and and there it is 11:03 | Bob: Paul addressing addresses this in the New Testament- Mm-hmm over Thessalonians 11:07 | Shawn: 2 Thessalonians 3:10 11:09 | Bob: Yeah 11:09 | Bob: yeah 11:09 | Bob: emphasizes that providing for one's own household is essential to the faith and anyone that's not willing to work they should not eat 11:16 | Shawn: Mm 11:17 | Bob: So the it 11:18 | Bob: When I looked at this I was like man these are pretty strong there about enabling bad behavior 11:27 | Shawn: Yeah 11:27 | Bob: Now out- the Biblical worldview of providing for your family if they're incapable of providing for themselves is a Christian obligation [11:39] 🤝 Compassion and Boundaries in Supporting Others 11:39 | Bob: And I wrote I think I started thinking about what family members could be incapable of providing- 11:45 | Shawn: Mm-hmm 11:45 | Bob: for themselves and elderly- Yeah because they just physically can't get out- Yeah 11:51 | Bob: do work anymore 11:53 | Bob: the physically handicapped or those who have a mental illness which is often one of the worst illnessesBecause you can't see it- a mental illness 12:03 | Bob: And you know from my 12:05 | Shawn: studies- You 12:05 | Bob: you can 12:05 | Shawn: always see symptoms of it 12:08 | Bob: Yeah 12:08 | Shawn: And so it's it's harder than you know someone who physically can't walk- 12:12 | Bob: Right 12:12 | Shawn: or someone who is like you said elderly 12:15 | Shawn: it's 12:15 | Shawn: You can kind of tell like well yeah their muscle's atrophied and they just they can't move around on their own 12:20 | Shawn: But then the mental part like they could look totally healthy from an outside 12:24 | Bob: perspective 12:25 | Bob: and I've learned from actually through investing- 12:29 | Shawn: Mm-hmm 12:29 | Bob: talking about how investing companies to you know try to help schizophreni a s an example 12:35 | Shawn: Yeah 12:36 | Bob: yeah 12:36 | Bob: or bipolar 12:37 | Bob: because from the studies that I've done about this is the majority of the homeless on the streets they have a mental illness 12:45 | Bob: Yeah 12:46 | Bob: And I don't 12:46 | Shawn: They're not actually homeless because they 12:48 | Shawn: they literally 12:48 | Bob: just 12:49 | Shawn: can't find a place or or don't have a place to be 12:52 | Bob: Yeah 12:52 | Shawn: I know I remember you 12:53 | Shawn: we might have even talked about this in a episode at some point in in the series but you you had a someone from high school I think or whatever that 13:01 | Bob: that- we did 13:02 | Shawn: gotten a 13:02 | Bob: and- Yeah 13:02 | Shawn: it was 13:02 | Bob: a it was a- One one of my best friends 13:04 | Bob: of our our 13:05 | Bob: He was a quarterback 13:05 | Bob: He went to the University of Texas and then we later found him and he developed schizophreni a s well 13:11 | Bob: Yeah 13:11 | Bob: He was coach at a high school- 13:13 | Shawn: Yeah 13:14 | Bob: team and really doing well 13:15 | Bob: Well I 13:15 | Shawn: remember the story you had shared 13:16 | Shawn: It was something about the 13:18 | Shawn: I don't know if it was from you and others or whatever but there was a home provided after this had happened with with the schizophrenia and it was short time later that it was like he was gone and he'd destroyed the house 13:29 | Shawn: And it you know it was just again it it wasn't a physical need of oh he just doesn't have a home but it was actually the mental illness 13:38 | Bob: was- Right actually 13:39 | Shawn: the issue 13:39 | Bob: Right 13:40 | Bob: Yeah 13:40 | Bob: So- Yeah 13:40 | Bob: he thought there were gremlins in the walls 13:42 | Bob: Yeah 13:43 | Shawn: So 13:43 | Bob: you know and he's a great guy 13:46 | Bob: When I still see him he's still alive today 13:48 | Bob: when I go see him he he yells out my name from across the street you know and- 13:52 | Shawn: Yeah 13:52 | Bob: he'll come give you a hug 13:53 | Bob: But you can't you can't get too close 13:56 | Bob: And I've seen just how awful mental illness is and I'm careful 14:01 | Bob: I don't I don't judge homeless people anymore 14:04 | Shawn: Yeah 14:04 | Bob: I remember my younger days it's like "Oh go get a job." Yeah 14:07 | Bob: But I don't do that anymore 14:09 | Bob: Yeah 14:09 | Bob: and we need to have compassion for them 14:12 | Bob: but on the flip side family members who just refuse to work- 14:17 | Shawn: Yeah 14:17 | Bob: when they're perfectly capable of working this is just enabling bad behavior and we need to 14:23 | Shawn: allow- 14:24 | Bob: laziness 14:24 | Bob: those consequences of not working- 14:27 | Shawn: Yeah 14:27 | Bob: and bad behavior 14:28 | Bob: We need to l- allow what's gonna happen is what's gonna happen 14:32 | Bob: Yeah 14:32 | Shawn: 'Cause 14:32 | Bob: I feel like we're gonna get in the way of God if we don't 14:35 | Bob: Right 14:35 | Bob: Let God work in their lives 14:37 | Shawn: Yeah yeah 14:39 | Shawn: Yeah because you know I I know we've seen it here at Christian Financial Advisors when we have like older clients that have a kid or and sometimes kids and because you know it's like mom is retired and Dad's already passed away and- 14:55 | Bob: Mm-hmm 14:55 | Shawn: oh she has money 14:56 | Shawn: She has retirement money and she's very generous 14:58 | Shawn: But then there are you know the son or daughter or both whatever and oh they're living on Mom's property and oh they need money for you know getting this thing or they need money for that 15:08 | Shawn: Like well hold on 15:09 | Shawn: Like they're working 15:11 | Shawn: Mom only has so much left 15:13 | Bob: Mm-hmm 15:13 | Shawn: That's all she has 15:14 | Shawn: Right 15:14 | Bob: She can't 15:14 | Shawn: work anymore 15:16 | Shawn: And then they're they're taking advantage of instead of actually working and saving up for whatever it is that they supposedly need which they don't need they take advantage of of of Mom 15:25 | Shawn: In that case it's a great example of no Mom like you need to say no 15:28 | Bob: Right 15:29 | Shawn: Because you're not helping them 15:30 | Shawn: That's right 15:30 | Shawn: You're actually hurting them and yourself 15:32 | Bob: That's right [15:33] 📖 Exploring Biblical Worldview on Financial Provision 15:33 | Bob: Yeah 15:34 | Bob: So- So there's two sides of this- 15:36 | Shawn: Yeah 15:36 | Bob: in looking at this from Biblical worldview and you never wanna take scripture out of context by just say- taking one scripture 15:43 | Shawn: Right 15:43 | Bob: You gotta look at many scriptures 15:45 | Bob: So this is why wanna end up today on on 4 or 5 scriptures that- 15:50 | Shawn: Yeah 15:50 | Bob: I think 15:51 | Bob: And you're gonna notice that they're gonna go kinda back and forth because we we need to put compassion in there 15:57 | Bob: Right 15:57 | Bob: Right 15:58 | Bob: But we also need to put wisdom- Yeah 16:00 | Bob: when it's providing for family 16:02 | Shawn: members 16:02 | Shawn: We're we're gonna go through these and we're gonna trust that the Holy Spirit will will guide whoever is- watching or listening to this and we just we know that God's Word never returns back void 16:11 | Shawn: And so- 16:11 | Bob: So 16:11 | Shawn: you 16:12 | Bob: you you take one and I'll take one 16:13 | Shawn: Sounds good 16:13 | Bob: Okay [16:14] 🕊️ Scriptural Insights on Compassion, Wisdom, and Provision 16:14 | Shawn: 1 Peter 3:8: "Finally all of you be like-minded be sympathetic love one another be compassionate and h ble." 16:21 | Bob: Proverbs 17:16: "Of what use is money in the hand of a fool since he has no intention of acquiring wisdom?" 16:31 | Shawn: Mm-hmm 16:32 | Shawn: Ephesians 4:32 "Be kind and compassionate to one another forgiving each other just as in just as in Christ God forgave you." 16:42 | Bob: Proverbs 14:23: "All hard work brings a p- a profit but mere talk leads only to poverty." 16:50 | Shawn: Mm-hmm 16:50 | Shawn: Colossians 3:12: "Therefore as God's chosen people holy and dearly loved clothe yourselves with compassion kindness h ility gentleness and patience." 17:00 | Bob: And the last one for today is Proverbs 3:27: "Do not withhold good from those whom it is due when it is in your power to act"- 17:08 | Shawn: Mm-hmm 17:09 | Bob: when you can do something about it 17:11 | Bob: The conclusion of all this is a Biblical worldview of financial providing for your family is very important especially when scripture says anyone who does not provide for his own is worse than an unbeliever and is denying the faith 17:24 | Shawn: And especially for those in his own household 17:27 | Bob: Yeah in their own household 17:28 | Shawn: Yeah [17:29] 🙏 Conclusion and Next Steps in Biblical Financial Teachings 17:29 | Bob: So you know I know as a as a dad I'm also a grandfather I really take financially providing for my family as one of my top priorities 17:38 | Bob: And I hope this lesson has spurred you to do the same 17:42 | Shawn: And next time we're gonna be covering Biblical worldview of debt 17:45 | Bob: Yeah 17:46 | Shawn: So we hope you enjoyed this and thank you for joining us and God bless 17:51 | Bob: Thank you for watching 17:52 | Bob: If you wanna see more videos just like this make sure to subscribe turn on notifications and like this video 17:58 | Bob: If you have questions you can visit our website call text us or comment below 18:03 | Bob: See you next time