Should you buy a beach house?
[Investment and Financial Management and Faith] 9 Rely on God’s help to distinguish dreams and desires
Translated by Qiu Lihua
Have you ever asked yourself, "Does God really care what kind of house I buy, how I allocate my resources, and what investments I make?"
In fact, the more important thing is: are you willing to rely on God to give you answers? If the answer is yes, you should be prepared to let God guide your life in making these decisions.
An adventurous couple of friends of mine recently took a trip to a picturesque resort in the Caribbean. Over the years, they have vacationed there to escape the cold, and this annual arrangement has become an important family tradition that seems to make the cold and dreary winters seem less long. They ran a very successful business, and each year dreamed of one day owning their own beach house there.
While on vacation two years ago, the couple visited a pre-sale house and became excited when they thought, "We will have a villa like this!" and began to collect information about home buying. Since house prices are much lower than in previous years and are on the rise, they feel that now is the best time to buy a beach house: it can be an investment and a place to continue to build precious family memories.
While collecting, the following verses came to my friend’s mind:
"Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. Because of you Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." (Matthew 6:19-21)
He shared this passage with his wife and other family members on vacation. The family joked that the beach house was like a treasure that would be destroyed by "bugs and rust." They joked about it all the time, including finding a large moth in the bathroom and taking it as a sign from God.
After returning from vacation, the couple put their jokes aside and started seriously considering buying the villa. This time, they invited Jesus to lead them in making lifestyle and financial investment decisions. As they continued their search, they discovered four guiding principles that would ensure they ultimately made the right decision.
First, continue to seek relevant wisdom and teachings in the Bible.Of course, they already had significant passages from Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount. Although this passage warned them not to buy, there were many other passages that seemed to support it. In fact, after the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus said:“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened to you. For whoever asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and whoever knocks, the door will be opened to you.” (Ma. Matthew 7:7-8)In the Lord, we certainly have the freedom to pursue different dreams, but we must remember to follow the leading of the Holy Spirit; studying the Bible is not trying to find some scriptures to justify our own selfish desires.
Second, seek the guidance of Christian mentors and financial advisors who are pious and love God.It's important to know whether you can afford to buy and maintain a beachfront home, and whether it's a smart financial move. Current home prices and appreciation trends are attractive, maintenance costs and taxes can be offset by future savings on vacation expenses; and as homeowners, they can also rent out the house to others. They won't be in debt to buy this beach house, and even if they need a loan, the interest rate is very good, so it complies with financial management rules. So, is the decision to buy a house definitely a good investment?
Third, they felt that Jesus was leading them to examine their consciences and understand their own intentions regarding the matter.Is God calling them to prepare this wonderful place for family and friends to recharge, worship, praise, and fellowship? Is this an investment opportunity with good returns that can provide more resources and charitable donations? The verse "treasures in heaven" kept coming back to their minds, and after delving deeper, they felt they should consider more variables, such as whether the cost and time of owning the beach house would ultimately take away from other important things in their lives. What about the part?
The deeper they explore their original intentions, the more they realize that this is the Holy Spirit confirming them in their hearts, igniting their passion in the following aspects:
‧ Support the church and its mission.
‧ Love your family and ensure that your children grow into the image God created them to be.
‧ Provide the most urgent help to the poorest people.
‧ Provide opportunities to create, protect, and manage for those in distress in their companies and communities.
They thought, “What would happen if we took the resources we were going to spend on buying and maintaining that beach house and diverted them substantially toward increasing charitable giving?”
The following year, when they visited the Caribbean for another vacation, they were still pondering these questions and considering whether to buy a beach house. One day, when they left the hotel and entered the elevator to have lunch, they experienced a wonderful confirmation—a large moth hovered above their heads in the hotel elevator. They couldn't help but smile at each other. It was obvious that God was emphasizing the message He had delivered to them a year earlier through Matthew 6.
This little incident illustrates Jesus’ fourth principle in guiding this couple:Create specific situations relevant to reaching decisions. The moth was the specific situation in which God spoke to this couple. When they returned home to the United States, they noticed another decision-related event: their Apple stock had risen to new highs, perhaps eclipsing any profits from the appreciation of their beach house.
These four guidelines were enough to put this adventurous couple off the idea of buying a beach house. As a result, they decided on a goal: to commit to increasing their annual charitable giving goal to a high six-figure amount, and to immediately transfer profits from Apple stock into an account that met that year's giving goal.
God is willing to guide you in certain decisions in your life. How should you respond?
‧ Accept God’s call, take up your cross and follow Jesus. How to discern what a calling is? American writer and theologian Pastor Frederick Buechner once said: “The place God calls you to is a place where you can find your deepest joy and satisfaction and where the world’s deepest needs can be provided. .
‧ Arrange your daily schedule and activities, which can help you obtain the treasure in heaven.
‧ Use these four guiding principles to review every major decision you make:
1. Seek God’s Word.
2. Seek guidance from spiritual seniors.
3. Listen to your own conscience and true intention—examine the confirmation of the Holy Spirit in your heart.
4. Be aware of your surroundings.
At the end of this article, the adventurous couple asked me to encourage you with this sentence: "I hope our story can help others to remove the foreign affairs that invade their lives and hinder the growth of the seeds of life."
In addition, some seeds fell into good soil and grew up to be fruitful.
Some harvested a hundred times, some sixty times.
There are also thirty times.
—Matthew 13:8, Modern Chinese TranslationIf you found this article helpful, or would like to improve your financial decision-making process, I'd love to hear from you. My email: eric@visioncapitalmgt.com
Author profile
Eric Vogen, founder and CEO of Vision Capital & Management, holds a master's degree in business and holds a financial planner (CFP) certificate. He has more than 20 years of practical experience in securities investment.
Translator profile
Qiu Lihua, from mainland China, once taught in the foreign language department of the university. Now living in Southern California, USA, he has served at Clear Spring Valley Christian Church for many years. He likes all good things.