The Limit of (Financial) Indulgence

satz · #1 (**permalink**) 05-09-2007, 08:07 AM

http://www.puritanboard.com/showthread.php?t=21263

Here, in the latest of a series of controversial threads on this message board, the propriety of a christian spending ~$120 per month on alcohol was debated in the light of christian stewardship.

Well, this just got me thinking (not too much though), so as a purely hypothetical question;

Is there any level of income/wealth that a christian could achieve (assume there is no issue of covetousness) that would justify the spending of say $1000 per month on hobbies/indulgences?

Is 'discretionary income' (from the christian perspective) always just a fraction of your total, or is there an absolute limit it should not go beyond?

kvanlaan · #2 (**permalink**) 05-09-2007, 08:18 AM

My first question would be (with regards to motivation first and foremost and stewardship secondly): Am I spending this money on me? Is this hobby going to further the Kingdom/serve others/Glorify Him OR is it about me, me, me.

If it is about service or the furthering of the Kingdom, I don't know that there is a limit.

satz · #3 (**permalink**) 05-09-2007, 08:28 AM

Kevin,

Well, I guess the expenditure would be about 'me', since as you noted, if it was about God's work, there wouldn't be a question at all.

kvanlaan · #4 (**permalink**) 05-09-2007, 08:37 AM

The situation that brought that to mind was this: My grandfather was an old tinkerer. He loved working in his garage. He and my grandmother were quite poor, but he would build a few spinning wheels in his garage every year for the local Christian gradeschool and donate them (where they brought in several hundred dollars a piece). The hobby was for him - it is how he relaxed, and he enjoyed it. But the fruits of the hobby went to service for the school/the church. That's my meaning...

satz · #5 (**permalink**) 05-09-2007, 08:47 AM

I see where you're coming from...

I guess my question was primarily on hobbies that solely benefit the person doing them. The issue of expenditure on good wine in the thread I referenced would be an example.

So, yeah, what about those expenditures that have no visible spiritual value apart from the pleasure they bring the spender?

ps. I hope I didn't come across as curt in my reply... I'am doing some work now so I just quickly fired off that response.

kvanlaan · #6 (**permalink**) 05-09-2007, 09:03 AM

Not at all, brother.