[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"\u002Farticles\u002Fa-debt-we-owe-our-children":3,"\u002Farticles\u002Fa-debt-we-owe-our-children-surround":76},{"id":4,"title":5,"author":6,"bibleBooks":8,"body":10,"columnName":59,"date":60,"description":16,"extension":61,"image":62,"meta":63,"minRead":64,"navigation":65,"path":66,"postType":67,"publication":68,"publicationUrl":62,"seo":69,"stem":70,"topics":71,"__hash__":75},"blog\u002Farticles\u002Fa-debt-we-owe-our-children.md","A Debt We Owe Our Children",{"name":7},"Dave Faust",[9],"Proverbs",{"type":11,"value":12,"toc":55},"minimark",[13,17,20,23,31,34,37,40,43,46,49,52],[14,15,16],"p",{},"A letter arrived in my mailbox recently offering a credit card with a low interest rate and a credit line up to $50,000 with no annual fee. Nothing terribly unusual about that, you say? Well, this letter was addressed to Mindy, my 13-year-old daughter! Evidently the potential lender acquired her name from a mailing list, but didn't realize her age.",[14,18,19],{},"At first Mindy was thrilled to think she could have $50,000 at her fingertips. But after a bit of discussion with her financial adviser (me), Mindy wisely declined the offer. For one thing, when we read the fine print, it was clear that Mindy's annual earnings from babysitting and lawnmowing fell a bit short of the $30,000 annual income required to qualify for the card—about $29,500 a year short, actually!",[14,21,22],{},"No one sent me credit card applications when I was 13. Of course, a fine pair of sneakers cost only about $15 then, and for a couple of bucks I could enjoy a baseball game, a hot dog, and a Coke. Even when I went to college in 1972, tuition cost a paltry $18 per semester hour.",[14,24,25,26,30],{},"But the financial landscape looks a lot different now amid what some call \"the debt decade\" of the nineties—and it's getting worse. For example, the number of credit card solicitations sent to consumers has doubled since 1992. About 2.7 billion appeared in American mailboxes last year—approximately 17 offers for every American between the ages of 18 and 64. According to an article in the ",[27,28,29],"em",{},"Wall Street Journal"," (April 14, 1997), Americans spent $22 billion in casinos during 1996, more than twice the amount gambled away seven years ago. And last year our nation spent $44 billion on toys—a 39 percent increase since 1989.",[14,32,33],{},"In a culture where Mammon rules, it's easy to overextend, overspend, overindulge—and underestimate the damaging consequences to ourselves and the next generation. God not only wants us to live within our means, but also to mean the way we live—to be intentional, faithful stewards.",[14,35,36],{},"How can we teach our children financial responsibility? Even in high-tech, high-debt times like these, it's smart to consider the time-tested wisdom of the book of Proverbs. Since children usually are fascinated with animal life, why not use examples from nature?",[14,38,39],{},"The ant illustrates the value of diligence and hard work. \"Consider its ways and be wise! It has no commander, no overseer or ruler, yet it stores its provisions in summer and gathers its food at harvest\" (Proverbs 6:6–8).",[14,41,42],{},"The eagle illustrates the futility of riches. \"Do not wear yourself out to get rich; have the wisdom to show restraint. Cast but a glance at riches, and they are gone, for they will surely sprout wings and fly off to the sky like an eagle\" (Proverbs 23:4, 5).",[14,44,45],{},"The lamb reminds us to manage thoughtfully the possessions God places under our care. \"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 . . . the lambs will provide you with clothing, and the goats with the price of a field\" (Proverbs 27:23–26).",[14,47,48],{},"The horse reminds us that God, not our possessions, will bring success. \"The horse is made ready for the day of battle, but victory rests with the Lord\" (Proverbs 21:31).",[14,50,51],{},"The lion illustrates the courage of a person who trusts in God even during times of financial stress. \"The wicked man flees though no one pursues, but the righteous are as bold as a lion\" (Proverbs 28:1).",[14,53,54],{},"We owe it to our children to share with them God's wisdom about money management. After all, someday soon a credit card application really will be meant for them.",{"title":56,"searchDepth":57,"depth":57,"links":58},"",2,[],"From the Editor's Desk","1997-06-08","md",null,{},4,true,"\u002Farticles\u002Fa-debt-we-owe-our-children","column","The Lookout",{"title":5,"description":16},"articles\u002Fa-debt-we-owe-our-children",[72,73,74],"Intergenerational Ministry","Biblical Theology","Discipleship","CBYed0Pzj7F-Ld7ig1836YVDuITwh_ZphsJu66DU6LU",[62,77],{"title":78,"path":79,"stem":80,"description":81,"children":-1},"A House of Prayer","\u002Farticles\u002Fa-house-of-prayer","articles\u002Fa-house-of-prayer","In 1976 I was a young minister serving in my first church, and Faye was a widow—one of the oldest members of the congregation—but we quickly became good friends. She lived in a tiny house trailer on her son's farm. When my wife and I visited her, we paused to admire the horses in the pasture nearby before stepping into her living room where she always greeted us with a cheerful smile."]