Acquiring More vs. Frugal Stewardship

For the most part, Clean Cup Cleaning is not about money or financial decisions, other than two obvious facts. First, spending money is the primary way we collect cleaning equipment and supplies. While brooms and window cleaner are not normally expenses that break the household budget,we have to remember that many of our mechanical maids are first and foremost cleaning tools (think washer, dryer, vacuum, water heater, dishwasher). Those are items that can make a dent in any budget, especially when they break down unexpectedly.

The second obvious fact is that spending money is the most common way we increase our cleaning and upkeep requirements. We buy more, and house more, and maintain more—and more—and more. An ongoing stewardship principle is determining if we really should use some of the money we have to acquire or add something in the first place.  To that end:

Don’t fall into the habit mentioned a couple of days ago of thinking that “improving your testimony” or making God appear “big” in your life is tied to the things you have. Improve your testimony by deepening your oneness with the Lord’s  thinking and by becoming increasingly effective in having God meet other people’s needs through you, not by how much you’ve acquired.

As much as possible, design a “buying process” that follows a pattern of  carefully researching additional purchases, praying for specific provision while saving, buying  quality with cash, and maintaining each purchase as if you were never going to get rid of it.

Know the cost and time necessary for upkeep, the cleaning and care (C & C) schedule required for each new purchase,and whether you can handle the  C & C yourself or will need to hire special service visits. In a perfect world, you will have saved all C & C money, so you could pay yourself and/or other family members when they do the job, or if hiring is necessary, the decision of when to have the job done will not be dependent on having the funds to do it.

Account for those C & C funds in your budget before you make the purchase. Save the first year’s C & C funds before you buy. Then use the first year of ownership to save the second year’s C & C funds.

Beyond basic needs, don’t contrive vague spiritual justifications for purchases. Instead count their cost by what could be done for equal value in direct ministry.

Give the Lord ample opportunity to provide. Be sensitive to “right time” (when all the costs, purchase and C & C can be met) more than “good deal,” which focuses only on purchase price and often rushes a purchase into a time frame that requires borrowing.

Learn to think ahead so routine replacements or upgrades of clothing, appliances, cars, furnishings and home systems (electrical, plumbing, heat and cooling, etc) are considered in advance of desperate need and a pressured purchase.

How counter-culture, radical thinking and atypical is this example: During the first five years of owning refrigerator 1, you save $1000 toward its replacement, holding the funds in savings until the legitimate need to replace it comes eight to fifteen years later. When the time comes, you search, not for a new refrigerator, but a quality used model for three to four hundred dollars—and maybe even another one for someone else who needs one. Anything not spent on this refrigerator shortens the next saving cycle for refrigerator 3.

This is an example of responsible foresight, controlled desires, counting all things as one, and contentedness with debt-free moderation all in one tidy package. It is also a good reason to start marriage with five or six thousand dollars in the major appliance fund than in candles, flowers and party favors, but try explaining that to anyone planning a wedding!

Remember, everything we decide we need to acquire must be kept, cared for, stored properly, and used biblically or we have violated our trust as stewards.

With those few suggestions about ways to think and act before something becomes our responsibility to care for, we turn our attention to the principles that will build a biblical work ethic for attending to both the inside and outside of everything we must care for, the principles of Clean Cup Cleaning.