It Costs to Live a Starbucks Life
“Be sure you know the condition of your flocks, give careful attention to your herds; for riches do not endure forever, and a crown is not secure for all generations.” Proverbs 27:23-24
A couple of weeks ago, while having dinner with some mommy friends, we began discussing the importance of teaching our children the value of money and to properly manage it. My pastor’s wife, who happens to be a dear friend, told the story of she and her preteen daughter’s visit to Starbucks. It went something like this.
Her daughter was very excited to be having Starbucks coffee. She ordered all the fancy frothing and toppings. When it was time to pay, the cashier said her order totaled around $6.00. She was shocked at the cost, especially since she was spending her own money. She quickly turned to her mom and said, “Starbucks is expensive.” Her mom looked at her and replied, “It costs to live a Starbucks life.” Hence, the title of today’s blog entry is compliments of Carol Smith.
Let’s face it. It is hard to refrain from giving your children the things they want when it is in your financial ability to do so. But is it wise to do so? As parents, we have the huge task of preparing our children for the real world. In the real world, in order to purchase things one has to earn money. In order to earn money, one must have a job/career. In addition, it can take several years, in many professions, to earn a lucrative salary.
Proverbs 27:23-24 states, “Be sure you know the condition of your flocks, give careful attention to your herds; for riches do not endure forever, and a crown is not secure for all generations.” In this passage of scripture flocks and herds represent money. People who possessed many flocks and herds where considered very rich, during that day and time.
The author, who is believed to be King Solomon by most biblical scholars, advises his son to make sure he pays careful attention to his money. He tells his son, “riches do not endure forever.” In other words, there will be days of plenty and days of lack and how you manage your money in the times of plenty will determine how you live in the times of lack. If you read the remaining verses in this chapter, you’ll find King Solomon actually tells his son how to invest, save and spend his money wisely. (BTW: It’s a great read!)
If King Solomon, who was the wisest man to ever live, besides Jesus Christ, taught his son the importance of managing his finances properly, then I am 100% convinced, as Christians we should teach our children that same lesson. We must train them that God Almighty is our source. He gives us the ability to earn money and gain wealth, Deuteronomy 8:18. However, with that ability comes responsibility. God wants us to be good stewards/managers of our money and to train our children as such. Personally, I could have avoided many financial mistakes had I been trained how to properly manage money. I don’t want my children to make those same mistakes. Therefore, I have made it a priority to train my children how to manage money from a biblical perspective.
The first principal we’ve started teaching them is tithing. We have also starting teaching them the concept of budgeting. So far, we’re finding that involving our children in budget discussions helps them realize the importance of giving liberally and saving for the future. We are trying to teach them to enjoy life but to be wise with their spending. When they ask for something that is not in our budget, we simply say, “That’s not in the budget.” Immediately, they (our two oldest kiddos) know we are not going to purchase it for them. It is hard to do sometimes, especially when they are sad but I know we are teaching them a valuable lesson. Most importantly, we are trying our best to lead by example. Someday soon they will come to the realization that “It costs to live a Starbucks life.”
Until next Wednesday, “In all your ways acknowledge God and He will direct your path.” – Proverbs 3:6
What are other ways to teach children proper money management?
