THE ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM: ACHIEVING FINANCIAL CONTROL

By David D. Ireland, Ph.D.
Lead Pastor of Christ Church

Congratulations! You’ve accepted The 1322 Challenge. That's great! As you go through this journey, the feelings of being in control of your finances will increase. And simultaneously, your finances will also increase—because you’re now in control—rather than the other way around. You’ll look back years from now and break out into your happy dance, because of the financial transformation you’ll experience. With that in mind, there are three things I want you to consider at the onset of our 14-week journey:

1. Identify your “passion reason.”
2. Remember why you started the journey.
3. Realize that hard work pays off.

1. Identify your “passion reason”
A passion reason makes all the difference in the world when you embark on a new challenge. The 1322 Challenge is a call to a new lifestyle—a new financial life. Initially some changes you must make to meet your financial goals will require a shift. You may have to drastically reduce the number of times you eat out. You may have to say no to some expensive social outings. You’re not saying no to friends, you’re saying no to the way you socialize with friends. The no will sound sweet to your ear if you’ve identified a passion reason behind your drive to take the Challenge. Search for financially responsible ways to get together with friends. Who knows, maybe they’ll join you in accepting The 1322 Challenge.

A passion reason is a strong emotion that you can barely control. What’s yours? Perhaps you’re tired of having to borrow money at the end of every month because you have more month than money. Or, maybe you’ve had to delay starting your own business for lack of funds. Those are passion reasons. A passion reason for some is: “I don’t want to bounce another check or miss another mortgage payment! It’s too embarrassing.” Let your passion reason fuel you to become financially healthy.

2. Remember why you started the journey
Some people embarked on this journey because they’re in the middle of a financial storm and the only way out is learning the fundamentals of personal financial management. Others set out on the journey because they have a goal of becoming a multimillionaire in short order; this strategy will get them there. Regardless of what end of the spectrum you’re on, you must remember why you started the journey, especially if a financial storm arises. Proverbs 13:22 is all about remembering. It says, “A good person leaves an inheritance for their children’s children.” In order to leave a spiritual and financial legacy for coming generations, you must remember why you started the journey.

A few years back I traveled to Thailand for a time of ministry. During some downtime we visited an elephant park where tourists could actually ride these enormous animals. I felt giddy; this experience had been on my bucket list! The elephants were huge. I had to climb stairs about 12 feet in the air leading to a platform, with the elephant standing next to it. Then I gingerly maneuvered into the seat. Once I was seated, the operator secured a bar in front of me for safety. It was scary. But I took the 30-minute ride, and I will forever have the photos to prove it.

After the ride ended, the elephant’s handler led him to the stable, where they placed one end of a rope—no more than two inches in diameter—around the beast’s leg and staked the other end into the ground. This was not a metal rope, but one made of straw. Imagine that. A flimsy straw rope tethered a powerful animal to a wooden stake in the ground. The sight was astounding. I asked the handler why the elephant would not pull up the stake or break the rope, and the answer shocked me. The trainer said the process had been used on the elephants since they were young. As calves, the elephants didn’t have the strength to escape, no matter how hard they pulled. Over time they began to believe they had no choice but to live with this restraint.

A male elephant is so certain of his captivity that even when he becomes fully grown, weighing upwards of 15,000 pounds, he will not attempt to break free from the flimsy rope. Etched into his memory is the thought: I can’t break free from this rope. I want to make the same point to you. Etch this into your memory:

3. Realize that hard work pays off
Living the 1322 lifestyle might be new to you in many respects. Completing a budget, debt summary statement, and the other forms we’ve prepared takes time. It’s also hard work. It may be a tad unpleasant and time-consuming to gather the necessary documentation to prepare an accurate spending plan. The process of building a strong financial life is similar to the way pearls are formed. A little grain of sand finds its way into the nucleus of an oyster. To protect itself from the irritating sand, the oyster secretes a crystalline substance that surrounds the grain of sand. This process continues for several years until there is a perfectly formed pearl. Similarly, in your life, even a small irritation can yield a result as beautiful as a pearl.

It can be awkward and uncomfortable to have candid conversations with family members about the needed changes everyone will have to make to rein in unnecessary spending. But you have to do it. Dave Ramsey, the popular Christian financial guru, said, “If you will make the sacrifices now that most people aren’t willing to make, later on you will be able to live as those folks will never be able to live.” In other words, hard work pays off. Your heirs will thank you for the pain you went through to leave them a valuable legacy. It will be a pearl of great price.