By Dionne White
Are you Bargain or Blessing Minded?
We’ve all heard it and said it “You gotta love a good bargain”. Everyone loves to save money. It is up to us to steward well what we’ve been given but it’s not ours. It’s God’s. We are simply kingdom funnels, and in the case of this topic - finance funnels. Jesus even went as far to explain a parable to describe this type of stewardship with the nobleman and his servants. His words were “occupy till I come”. They were given something and expected to take care if it, watch over it, invest it and multiply it for the Nobleman. In our case it is for the Lord Jesus Christ. The one servant who was given one Mina (pound) was bargain minded. Lets look at the passage.
Luke 19:12-13, and 20-22
He said therefore, A certain nobleman went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom, and to return. And he called his ten servants, and delivered them ten pounds, and said unto them, Occupy till I come.
Then we see what one servant did with his one mina (pound)....
And another came, saying, Lord, behold, here is thy pound, which I have kept laid up in a napkin: For I feared thee, because thou art an austere man: thou takest up that thou layedst not down, and reapest that thou didst not sow. And he saith unto him, Out of thine own mouth will I judge thee, thou wicked servant. Thou knewest that I was an austere man, taking up that I laid not down, and reaping that I did not sow:
This is not a “prosperity” post in the sense of a greed or personal wealth mindset so just hold onto your britches. I want to help you.
I propose to you to look at this in a different way.
A SCARCITY and FEAR MINDSET or AN ABUNDANCE OR SECURITY MINDSET?
That is the issue. The word of God says we should lack no good thing! That is not a suggestion it is the heart of God!
Psalm 34:10
The young lions do lack, and suffer hunger: but they that seek the LORD shall not lack any good thing.
Let’s look at the word Bargain.
Bargain definition - A thing bought or offered for sale more cheaply than is usual or expected.
Ultimately from Proto-Germanic *borgan "to pledge, lend, borrow"
Also -
c. 1400, "engage in business transactions, discuss or arrange terms of a transaction; to vend or sell," from Old French bargaignier "to haggle over the price"
It is the beginning of a transaction but we have to ask ourselves what is at the root of the bargain mindset? The mindset of looking for or getting a bargain is first a transaction in the heart then the mind.
I believe it is fear and scarcity which is opposite for a child of God, which is royalty bought by the greatest price— Christ Jesus. We are joint-heirs to his throne. All that He has is available to us. Jesus himself said in John 10:10 “I have come that they might have life and have it Abundantly or to the fullest.” Jesus was not bargain minded or scarcity minded.
He was secure- was walked in Identity and knowledge of WHO He was and WHOSE He was. He knew who his source was — His Father in heaven.
The Bible says we shall be LENDERS and not BORROWERS. Does that mean we shouldn’t be “bargainers?”
I believe we should be good stewards of the money He entrusts to us. But even in Matthew 6 it tells us to not worry -God will take care of us and even reward those of us who diligently and earnestly seek Him. , Again we are reassured by Paul in Philippians that his God will supply all our needs when we are giving into the kingdom and taking care of ministers of the gospel.
Our bargain buying can result in hoarding and before you know it you are bound to a multitude of possessions, which then oppresses the mind and heart and eventually crowding your life physically. I know that I cannot work in a cluttered space or even knowing I have stuff stored taking up space. If this toxic habit of hoarding or collection stuff is not taken care then in time it will put a burden and obligation on other people like parents, spouses or children to deal with your stuff.
The attachment or security in things is a slippery slope. I’ve been there. It is torment to the mind - when you have to go through stuff that you’ve become emotionally attached to. We become indecisive and guilt comes - do I keep it or let it go? Letting go is good. It doesn’t release the memory or person. Just the thing. The memory is forever in your heart. Unless it is a negative memory then strongholds of soul ties will need to be severed.
Now I’m not saying don’t be frugal with your money when it is necessary- we should each do or give what has been decided in our hearts. Different seasons of life call for different measures of financial management. But I believe what God wants to say through this is do not worry, be responsible, but do not worry. Do not be dictated by fear in finances. Do not feel as if you don’t deserve something -—the pauper, bargain, or scarcity mentality is not kingdom mentality.
BLESSING MINDSET
I believe there is a healthy balance.
I also believe that bargains can be blessings but again we cannot live from that place looking for a bargain. It becomes a question of worth? How do you see yourself and value yourself?
In Ezekiel’s vision, Joshua stood in the presence of God and the devil was right there with him spewing accusations of his worth at him all because of the iniquity of a nation. The enemy accused, “Look at his filthy clothes” - but the LORD rebuked him and said for Ezekiel to remove those filthy clothes and to put a Rich Robe on Him at once and to put a clean turban on his head. He was worthy of more and had a destiny waiting for him to fulfill. Satan tried to stop that by accusing him and keeping him bound in past iniquity which is a type of spiritually impoverished mentality, clothed in filthy rags. What a bargain, not! God said give him the best and that is what he wants for you. God knew the destiny of generations that awaited through Joshua and God stood keeping His word covenant with His people - forgiving their sin and releasing righteousness unto them through Joshua.
Again this is a look at our scarcity mindset not seeing “bargains as blessings”. Don’t get that confused. When I receive a “bargain” it usually comes when I’m not looking for it - therefore I count it a blessings and say “thank you God.”
If we are truly citizens of Heaven temporarily in this present earth then we need to think like our “Home” place. That is the kingdom of God, Heaven.
Let’s live from an abundant and generous mindset because there is a seed principle that comes with this healthy and abundant way of thinking.
The text below needs to be a mindset for our personal everyday lives.
2 Corinthians 9:6-8
Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.
And Sparingly is a bargain mindset.
Receive all God has for you today and live from a BLESSING mindset not a BARGAIN mindset. And when you do receive that unexpected bargain-STOP and thank God for the blessing.
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