God is never impressed by monetary wealth. He is impressed by our obedience, our faith, and our reliance upon Him. Charles Stanley

Walking in God’s Favor:  A righteous man walks in his integrity; How blessed are his sons after him. Proverbs 20:7 (NASB)

You are either a faithful steward or an unfaithful steward;  a  good example or a poor example. There is no in between. I clearly remember speaking at a  Community Empowerment Session for a church on the topic of stewardship.  When I completed my presentation I sat down next to Ardella and whispered “How did I do honey?”

She looked dead to my eyes and asked, “Why are you talking about  something you are not doing yourself”?  Ouch! Yeah that hurt, but I made up my mind that day not to stand in front of God’s people and talk about something I was not practicing in my own life.

Just like the 70′s R&B group, The Dramatics,  sang in one of their many hit songs,  “What You See is What You Get”,  I’m committed, with the help of Jesus, to being a person of integrity.  What you see is what you get.

I heard one of my spiritual mentors, Pastor Benjamin Jones say, “Your career ends when you die, but your character goes on for eternity.”  Gods truly wants to develop our character.

He sent his son Jesus Christ to be our earthly example. When Jesus Christ returned to heaven to be with His father, He sent  a Comforter to empower us to overcome selfishness, lust, greed, deceitfulness, and covetousness so we can walk in our God-given purpose.

Level 4 Stewards are people of integrity. They follow through with what they say they’re going to do. Level 4 Stewards are people whose word is their bond. Level 4 Stewards are good examples and good leaders. They are an extremely positive witness to those who are in their circle of influence.

How we spend and relate to money has more to say about our character than anything else. Have you ever spent money you didn’t have, for a gift that someone didn’t need, so that person wouldn’t become disappointed with you?  Many times, money will reveal our inner selves; our true character. Our desire to make everyone happy during the holiday season, can give your finances the holiday blues.

We encourage you this holiday season to spend wisely. Overcoming an American culture that encourages spending at the end of the year takes planning and discipline. Setting boundaries for the amount of money you are going to spend during the holiday season can bring joy and peace to your life.

Prayer of Blessing: Thank  Y0u Heavenly Father, for the peace, joy, and love the Holy Spirit provides for us.

Michael Vance is a senior account executive  with Hundley Batts & Associates and the co-founder of stewardshipofwealth.com. Ardella Vance is  a gifted educator and  a Master Guide in the Pathfinders  Club, a global organization empowered to teach life and leadership skills to young people.  The Vance’s have been married well over 25 years and share their lives with four adult children and four grandchildren. They currently reside in Huntsville, Alabama.