January 2, 2015
“Hi my name is John, and I am cheap”
There I said it
My cheapness began during the years in Australia after the American dollar weakened and I found myself under-supported financially
During that time I taught myself to live frugally (cheaply), and this is a good thing since we all experience financial hardship at times.
The problem arises when cheapness becomes a lifestyle
You see even when I have money my mind when making decisions will immediately ask “what costs the least?”
- So I choose the cheapest item on the menu
- The cheapest brand of product
- Put off expenses that I know should be done because it costs too much
- And enjoy setting aside extra money way too much
The real problem with the cheap lifestyle was I chose things that were poor quality (cheap) over things that were higher quality but more expensive
“Oh come on!” you may say, “what’s the difference between buying Great Value [1] ranch dressing and the name brand?”
The answer is nothing; But that cheap lifestyle will continue to affect other areas of your life.
The reason I eventually gave up the cheap lifestyle is it kept me from truly reaching others with the Gospel of Christ
In other words, ministry isn’t cheap
The truth is real ministry takes lots of time, patience, energy, wisdom, and yes money
Oh you can try to do ministry cheaply but it’s kind of hard to connect the Gospel of Christ with something of poor quality.
So I am opening up the creaking wallet filled with cobwebs
And giving away my hoarded dollars so that others can see Christ.
Yes this may bring me back to a peanut butter sandwich diet again someday but that’s alright
It will be worth it
- Wal-Mart Brand ↩
svgmissionary.com 