We have looked at a few of the Fruit of the Spirit in recent posts and today, we will be looking at the last fruit mentioned in the list: temperance (Gal 5:23).
In the New Testament, the word temperate is mentioned three times in the King James Version Bible (1 Corin 9:25, Titus 1:8 and Titus 2:2) and temperance three times (Acts 24:25, 2 Pet 1:6 and of course Gal 5:23). The root word used for five of the above-mentioned verses is ἐγκρατής or ἐγκρατεύομαι and it means to be self-controlled, continent, and to exercise self-restraint. A different Greek word is used for the verse in Titus 2:2, and that is σώφρων which means be sober, temperate or discreet. These words reveal how potent this word is, and yet, we do not hear much about it, but the opposite.
If you live in an affluent nation or are exposed to these nations’ lifestyles, you will hardly see examples of temperance being exercised. Advertisements seem to encourage dissatisfaction with the things we have, and create a lust for the things we don’t need but must have. Because of this, many find themselves in unnecessary debt, overspending on commodities. This in turn causes stress, financial woes and health issues for the whole family. Here are practical ways to exercise temperance and proper time and money management:
1. Give to The LORD the things that are His: We are quick to give to the government what we owe (because we know severe punishment will follow if we don’t), however, we are not so quick to give God what we owe Him. Scripture is very clear that the tithe or ‘tenth’ is The LORD’s. Before spending any of the funds that you have gained, be sure to return to the LORD what is His first. Although The LORD is explicit about the tithe amount, when giving offerings for the gospel work, He admonishes us to give whatever we have purposed to give and not grudgingly (Lev 27:30, Mal 3:8-10, Luke 20:22-25, 2 Corin 9:6-7).
2. Make a budget and stick to it: After you have returned The LORD’s tithes and offerings, you should make a budget and stick to it: there is nothing more important that this. It would be very unwise to consider investing in something without first ‘counting the cost’ of it and considering if you have enough money to finish and maintain it (Luke 14:28-30). There are many free programs and apps you can download to help you with this. If you are interested, we can give you a few recommendations.
3. Time and money are gifts, use wisely: Even after you have created a budget for yourself/your family, you should still use your time and money wisely. Resist the temptation to waste these gifts (even if you have a lot of them), but seek ways to share them with others. We will all have to give an account to The LORD about how we used His gifts, why not use them to elevate and encourage others. Proper use of these gifts will give us peace, and freedom from fear from creditors and debt-collectors.
4. Temperance with the good, avoid the bad: There is more to temperance than what we have stated so far. Temperance means that we should show self-restraint with the good things we indulge in, but we should avoid the bad ones. There is a great example of this in the book of Proverbs. In Prov 24:13, The writer encourages his son to eat honey because it is good, but in Prov 25:16, he warns not to eat too much of it or else there would be unpleasant consequences. Unfortunately, many of us have learned this by experience. Yes, you can have too much of a good thing. Let us be wise in the use of good things that God has given.
We would love to hear from you. What information and insight can you add to this post about temperance, time and money management? Send us a line today. Be sure to be faithful with the gifts you have and use them responsibly.