Security or Adventure

I read an article the other day about money. I think it was about money and marriage. One of the statements was that women need financial security, so husbands, to show their love to their wives, should make a point to accumulate six months’ worth of living expenses, and put this in a "secure" sort of investment account.

I’m not saying that’s a bad idea, but I have to confess that the article struck me as being a little shallow. To begin with, what is "secure," when relating to money? Money, after all, has wings and will readily fly away. I’m not opposed to saving, either, but when you consider what the Bible says about it, it is rarely, that I can tell, related to security. It’s more a matter of being wise than being stingy. Proverbs never says that we should store up in the winter, spring, or summer. We store up in the time of harvest, because to do anything else would be a waste. From time to time the Lord also gave specific instructions to store up for certain events (ie, Joseph in Egypt) but that was rare.

Around the same time, I was reading a book that claimed that all women want to share, and in fact have an irreplaceable role, in an adventure. Can you be secure in an adventure? Isn’t that what an adventure is? Something that is not secure, not guaranteed? So if the two are completely incompatible (and I’ve got to conclude that they are) which of the two writers is correct? Do women want security? Or do women want adventure?

After pondering this for a while, I became convinced that, like every other issue, the basis of the question is a conflict between faith and fear. The need or desire for security, particularly in finances, is nearly always fear-based. We want that financial cushion because we are afraid of catastrophe in the future. On the other hand, God-led adventure is invariably faith-based. When you are on an adventure with God—regardless of what kind of adventure it is—He is your only security.

I can recall when I moved out of my parents’ house. I had a very small income, but I desperately needed my own space. I can remember having cash in my little envelopes, with labels on them for the months, and I think I had saved up (from my last year with my parents) almost a years’ worth of rent and utility payments. And then I felt the Lord leading me to publish my novel.

So much for security.

After that, I saved and saved (I was in the habit of being frugal) and was so excited when my checking account balance got up to almost six thousand dollars. Then my truck engine seized, and the money was almost gone, and then I gave someone the rest of it to help repair their boiler.

I’m not an advocate of foolishness, but … faith is foolish, in a way.

If this message has been forwarded to you, and you would like to be added to Charissa’s mailing list please send your request to info@charissaschalk.com. Thank you.