1669 - Sabbath School - 21.Feb Tue

The Earning Years

As we have seen, God intended for humans to work in one capacity or

another. This part of our life (the working years) is usually about 40 years

long. For many people this is the time when children are being brought up

and educated and when the home and other major purchases are acquired.

This can be a very intense time financially. It is a very sensitive time

because the family is learning to work together, and its members are creat-

ing lifelong bonds. Financial stress can wreck the marriage at this point, and

frequently does. Families in which both parties have a Christian commit­

ment and are willing to follow biblical principles are much more stable.

Read 1 Timothy 5:8; Proverbs 14:23; and Colossians 3:23, 24. What

important points can we take away from these texts about finances

in the home?

In many cases, the husband is the main breadwinner, though often

both spouses work. Of course, unexpected circumstances can arise—

sickness, economic downturns, whatever—that make this ideal diffi-

cult. People need, then, to adjust accordingly.

The children who are brought into the world during this segment of

life are called “a heritage from the Lord” (Ps. 127:3, NKJV). We must

remember that children bring with them an awesome responsibility.

The goal of Christian parents is to train their children to become inde-

pendent adults in this life and to fit them for the life to come. Here are

three points to help parents:

1. Provide a Christian home environment. This would include regu-

lar and interesting family worship, regular Sabbath School and church

attendance, and faithfulness in tithes and offerings. These are great

habits to form in early life.

2. Teach children a willingness to work and an appreciation for it.

Children will discover that diligence and integrity at work are always

noticed, appreciated, and rewarded. They will learn that money comes to

us as a result of our giving time to others by performing tasks that are

valuable to them.

3. Help with a good education. Education is expensive today—­

particularly Christian private-school education. But to parents with

plans for their children not only for this life but also for that which is

to come, it is well worth the cost.

Of course, no matter what they do, no one has any guarantee

about the direction their children will go. Why is it important for

parents not to blame themselves for the wrong choices their older

children might make?