Today I appeared on the Untangled Faith Podcast to talk with host Amy Fritz and our friends and fellow former Ramsey-ites Dan and Summer Watt about cracks that appeared in our views of Dave Ramsey’s way of handling money – as he calls it – doing money “God’s way” or “God and Grandma’s plan for money.”
I thought I’d highlight some here but please listen – it’s a good discussion.
My parents taught me how to budget, so I was never wed to the Ramsey way, and in fact didn’t know who he was when I won the silent auction item to send my then husband to sit in on his radio show in 2005.
I had kept a credit card since college and by then, just used it for business expenses as I practiced law and did consulting work from home. My then husband told me to “not worry about it” when I asked him whether I should cancel it and if I shouldn’t have it because of his job.
It’s a great thing I kept it.
It’s a great thing I had a credit card, used it regularly, and thus had an 820-ish credit score when my marriage fell apart. I needed that to refinance my house and for all of those unexpected expenses in a divorce.
But I was truly one of the lucky ones.
Every day I hear stories of women who were stay-at-home moms, homeschooling, no access to funds or credit, who wake up to the reality that they are in abusive marriages. Yes – wake up.
You don’t know until you know.
One of the biggest challenges to escaping? Money and credit.
And if they are in the evangelical community – they are often subject to constant messages to submit more, do better, don’t question their husband, he has the final say – in money and other areas.
This is toxic, friends. And not Jesus by the way.
When we look to someone who says they have the answer – “God’s way” – rather than continually going to God himself for wisdom and discernment – we are placing an intermediary between us and God. We like the certainty. And we like to pat ourselves on the back that we’re doing it right.
We subconsciously (and to be honest, some very consciously) judge people who are doing money “wrong” and not “God’s way” and if they just did what we did – they’d get results too.
Friends, that is the prosperity gospel.
Life is not a formula.
God is not our genie or ATM.
Some try to do all the right things and still life kicks them – a diagnosis, job loss, sick child, death, divorce – and if we’re told that “God’s way” with money gets us out of or will solve these issues – it messes with our faith if it doesn’t work for us.
Narrator: it’s not God’s way.
I’m not gonna sell you 6 ways to become debt free or 5 steps to be a millionaire.
I’m gonna say this – God has loved me and provided for me when I could barely get out of bed. I believe his plan for money is to draw us close and speak to us, as in all things. To love us so that we can love others.
Balancing love and wisdom and discernment is never a formula. It’s not a list of steps and rules – that’s legalism.
It’s a relationship. An ongoing relationship with my maker that involves nuance and a sensitivity to sacrifice and need and poverty and walking in uncertainty.
I don’t have answers to your specific financial challenges. I also don’t believe any human can speak for “God’s way.”
There is wisdom and discernment to be found by each of us and I challenge you to not turn over that privilege or responsibility to someone else who says they have the answer.
If you want to hear previous episodes of Untangled Faith, as well as other podcasts, that I’ve appeared on, check out the links on my About Me page.