Tuesday, March 30, 2010
Sunday, January 10, 2010
HOW TO MANAGE YOUR MONEY WISELY
The adage "Money is the root of all evil" has often been ascribed to the Bible. What the Bible says is: "The love of money is the root of all evil." Some people have indeed developed a fondness for money and devoted themselves to the accumulation of riches. Some have become slaves of money and have reaped tragic consequences. When managed properly, however, money can be a useful tool. The Bible acknowledges that "money solves a lot of problems."
Although the Bible does not claim to be a financial handbook, it does contain practical advice that can help you to manage money wisely. The following steps are commonly recommended by financial advisers, and they are consistent with principles recorded in the Bible long ago.
Save. Most financial planners encourage saving. Make saving a priority. As soon as you get paid, deposit the amount you wish to save in a bank or other location for safekeeping. That will help you to fight any temptation to spend those funds.
Budget. This is the only practical way to monitor, control, or reduce your spending. A good budget can give you a sense of where your money goes, and it can help you to reach your financial goals. Know what your income is, and spend less than you earn. Learn the difference between needs and wants. Along these lines, Jesus wisely urged his listeners to "calculate the expense" before undertaking any project. The Bible advises us to avoid unnecessary debt.
Plan. Carefully consider your future needs. For instance, if you plan to purchase a house or an apartment, obtaining a mortgage at a reasonable rate may be a good decision. Similarly, a family man may feel the need to purchase life , health, disability, or other forms of insurance to protect his loved ones. Considering your needs for the future may also involve planning for retirement.
Learn. Invest in yourself by acquiring skills and taking care of your physical and emotional health. These are investments that will pay you back. Make learning a lifelong habit. The Bible puts a high value on "practical wisdom and thinking ability," and it urges us to keep on developing them.
Balance. Keep money in its place. Survey after survey shows that those who care more about people than they do about money are happier. Some allow greed to throw them off balance. How so? After adequately satisfying their basic needs, they embark on the pursuit of riches. Yet, beyond food, clothing, and shelter, how much does a person really need? Cultivating contentment prevents us from developing the love of money and all the problems that come along with it.
The love of money is indeed the root of many evil things. Money will become your master if you let it. When managed properly, however, money can provide you with the freedom to pursue the most important things in life, such as a close bond with family, friends, and God. Still, in this world it seems impossible to be totally free of money worries. Will money always be a source of anxiety?
Although the Bible does not claim to be a financial handbook, it does contain practical advice that can help you to manage money wisely. The following steps are commonly recommended by financial advisers, and they are consistent with principles recorded in the Bible long ago.
Save. Most financial planners encourage saving. Make saving a priority. As soon as you get paid, deposit the amount you wish to save in a bank or other location for safekeeping. That will help you to fight any temptation to spend those funds.
Budget. This is the only practical way to monitor, control, or reduce your spending. A good budget can give you a sense of where your money goes, and it can help you to reach your financial goals. Know what your income is, and spend less than you earn. Learn the difference between needs and wants. Along these lines, Jesus wisely urged his listeners to "calculate the expense" before undertaking any project. The Bible advises us to avoid unnecessary debt.
Plan. Carefully consider your future needs. For instance, if you plan to purchase a house or an apartment, obtaining a mortgage at a reasonable rate may be a good decision. Similarly, a family man may feel the need to purchase life , health, disability, or other forms of insurance to protect his loved ones. Considering your needs for the future may also involve planning for retirement.
Learn. Invest in yourself by acquiring skills and taking care of your physical and emotional health. These are investments that will pay you back. Make learning a lifelong habit. The Bible puts a high value on "practical wisdom and thinking ability," and it urges us to keep on developing them.
Balance. Keep money in its place. Survey after survey shows that those who care more about people than they do about money are happier. Some allow greed to throw them off balance. How so? After adequately satisfying their basic needs, they embark on the pursuit of riches. Yet, beyond food, clothing, and shelter, how much does a person really need? Cultivating contentment prevents us from developing the love of money and all the problems that come along with it.
The love of money is indeed the root of many evil things. Money will become your master if you let it. When managed properly, however, money can provide you with the freedom to pursue the most important things in life, such as a close bond with family, friends, and God. Still, in this world it seems impossible to be totally free of money worries. Will money always be a source of anxiety?
Sunday, December 20, 2009
The problem of Teen pregnancy
"More than one in 10 teenagers gets pregnant each year, and the proportion is rising. If patterns do not change, four in 10 young women will get pregnant at least once while still in their teens." So reports Teenage Pregnancy: The problem That Hasn't Gone Away. And what kind of girls get pregnant? Said the journal Adolescence: "School-age girls who become pregnant come from all socioeconomic classes..... All races, all faiths, and all parts of the country, rural and urban."
Few girls actually want to become pregnant. In his landmark study of over 400 pregnant teenagers, Frank Furstenberg, Jr.,observed that "most remarked repeatedly in the interviews, 'I never thought it would happen to me.' "
But observing that some of their friends had enjoyed sexual relations without getting pregnant, some girls figured they could do so, too. Furstenberg also states: "A number mentioned that they did not think it was possible to become pregnant 'right away.' Others thought that if they had sexual relations only 'every once in a while' they would not become pregnant... The longer they went without conceiving, the more likely they were to assume greater risks."
The truth is, however, that whenever one engages in sexual relations there is the risk of pregnancy. (Of one group of 544 girls, 'nearly one fifth became pregnant within six months after begining sexual intercourse.') Many, like an unwed mother named Teresa, deliberately chose not to utilize birth control. Teresa feared as do many youths- that using the birth control pill would damage her health. She further admits: "For me to obtain birth control, I would have had to admit to myself that I was doing something wrong. I couldn't do that. So I just blocked what I was doing out of my mind and hoped nothing would happen."
Such reasoning is common among unwed mothers. In Furstenberg's study, "nearly half of the teenagers stated that it was very important for a woman to wait until marriage to begin to have sex... Undeniably, there was an obvious discrepancy between the words and the deeds... They had acquired one set of standards and had learned to live by another." This emotional conflict "made it especially difficult for these women to deal realistically with the consequences of sexual behaviour."
Even using birth control is no guarantee that a girl will escape unwed motherhood. The book Kids Having Kids reminds us: "Every method has a failure rate... Even if unmarried teens consistently use birth control methods... 500,000 [ in the U.S.] would still become pregnant each year." A 16-year-old unwed mother named Rosa is then quoted as lamenting: "I took [ birth control pills] faithfully. I honestly never missed a day."
"Do not be misled," warns the Bible. "God is not the one to be mocked. For whatever a man is sowing, this he will also reap." Pregnancy is just one of the ways one can reap an unpleasant harvest from fornication. Fortunately, unwed mothers, like all others who have become entrapped in immorality, can turn around and come to God with the repentant attitude of King David, who prayed: "Thoroughly wash me from my error, and cleanse me from my sin." God will bless the efforts of such repentant ones to raise their children "in the discipline and mental regulating of Jehovah."
Better it is, though, to avoid premarital sex! Do not be fooled by those who say you can get away with it.
Few girls actually want to become pregnant. In his landmark study of over 400 pregnant teenagers, Frank Furstenberg, Jr.,observed that "most remarked repeatedly in the interviews, 'I never thought it would happen to me.' "
But observing that some of their friends had enjoyed sexual relations without getting pregnant, some girls figured they could do so, too. Furstenberg also states: "A number mentioned that they did not think it was possible to become pregnant 'right away.' Others thought that if they had sexual relations only 'every once in a while' they would not become pregnant... The longer they went without conceiving, the more likely they were to assume greater risks."
The truth is, however, that whenever one engages in sexual relations there is the risk of pregnancy. (Of one group of 544 girls, 'nearly one fifth became pregnant within six months after begining sexual intercourse.') Many, like an unwed mother named Teresa, deliberately chose not to utilize birth control. Teresa feared as do many youths- that using the birth control pill would damage her health. She further admits: "For me to obtain birth control, I would have had to admit to myself that I was doing something wrong. I couldn't do that. So I just blocked what I was doing out of my mind and hoped nothing would happen."
Such reasoning is common among unwed mothers. In Furstenberg's study, "nearly half of the teenagers stated that it was very important for a woman to wait until marriage to begin to have sex... Undeniably, there was an obvious discrepancy between the words and the deeds... They had acquired one set of standards and had learned to live by another." This emotional conflict "made it especially difficult for these women to deal realistically with the consequences of sexual behaviour."
Even using birth control is no guarantee that a girl will escape unwed motherhood. The book Kids Having Kids reminds us: "Every method has a failure rate... Even if unmarried teens consistently use birth control methods... 500,000 [ in the U.S.] would still become pregnant each year." A 16-year-old unwed mother named Rosa is then quoted as lamenting: "I took [ birth control pills] faithfully. I honestly never missed a day."
"Do not be misled," warns the Bible. "God is not the one to be mocked. For whatever a man is sowing, this he will also reap." Pregnancy is just one of the ways one can reap an unpleasant harvest from fornication. Fortunately, unwed mothers, like all others who have become entrapped in immorality, can turn around and come to God with the repentant attitude of King David, who prayed: "Thoroughly wash me from my error, and cleanse me from my sin." God will bless the efforts of such repentant ones to raise their children "in the discipline and mental regulating of Jehovah."
Better it is, though, to avoid premarital sex! Do not be fooled by those who say you can get away with it.
The price of promiscuity
Some youths feel no guilt whatsoever about having relations, and so they go all out for sensual gratification, seeking sex with a variety of partners. Researcher Robert Sorensen, in his study of teenage sexuality, observed that such youths pay a price for their promiscuity. Writes Sorensen: "In our personal interviews, many [promiscuous youths] reveal... that they believe they are functioning with little purpose and self contentment." Forty-six percent of these agreed with the statement, "The way I'm living right now, most of my abilities are going to waste." Sorensen further found that these promiscuous youths reported low "self esteem."
It is just as Proverbs 5:9 says: Those engaging in immorality "give to others [their] dignity."
THE MORNING AFTER
Once a couple have had illicit relations, they often look at each other differently. A boy may find that his feelings for the girl are not as intense as before; he may even find her less attractive. A girl, on the other hand, may feel exploited. Recall the Bible account of the young man Amnon and how lovesick he was over the virgin Tamar. Yet, after intercourse with her, "Amnon began hating her with a very great hatred."
A girl named Maria had a similar experience. After having sexual relations, she admitted: "I hated myself ( for my weakness), and I hated my boyfriend. In fact, the sex relations we thought would bring us closer ended our relationship. I didn't even want to see him again." Yes, by having premarital sex, a couple cross a line over which they can never go back!
Paul H. Landis, a respected researcher in the field of family life, observes: "The temporary effect [ of premarital sex] may be to strenghten the relationship, but the long-term effects may be quite different." Indeed, couples who have sex are more likely to break up than are those who abstain! The reason? Illicit sex breeds jealousy and distrust. Admitted one youth: 'Some fellows, when they have intercourse, think afterwards, "if she had it with me maybe she had it with someone else.' As a matter of fact, I felt that way.... I was extremely jealous and doubtful, and suspicious."
How remote this is from genuine love, which "is not jealous,... does not behave indecently, does not look for its own interests." The love that builds lasting relationships is not based on blind passion.
It is just as Proverbs 5:9 says: Those engaging in immorality "give to others [their] dignity."
THE MORNING AFTER
Once a couple have had illicit relations, they often look at each other differently. A boy may find that his feelings for the girl are not as intense as before; he may even find her less attractive. A girl, on the other hand, may feel exploited. Recall the Bible account of the young man Amnon and how lovesick he was over the virgin Tamar. Yet, after intercourse with her, "Amnon began hating her with a very great hatred."
A girl named Maria had a similar experience. After having sexual relations, she admitted: "I hated myself ( for my weakness), and I hated my boyfriend. In fact, the sex relations we thought would bring us closer ended our relationship. I didn't even want to see him again." Yes, by having premarital sex, a couple cross a line over which they can never go back!
Paul H. Landis, a respected researcher in the field of family life, observes: "The temporary effect [ of premarital sex] may be to strenghten the relationship, but the long-term effects may be quite different." Indeed, couples who have sex are more likely to break up than are those who abstain! The reason? Illicit sex breeds jealousy and distrust. Admitted one youth: 'Some fellows, when they have intercourse, think afterwards, "if she had it with me maybe she had it with someone else.' As a matter of fact, I felt that way.... I was extremely jealous and doubtful, and suspicious."
How remote this is from genuine love, which "is not jealous,... does not behave indecently, does not look for its own interests." The love that builds lasting relationships is not based on blind passion.
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