Wake Up, Look Up

Hello, everyone, and thanks for listening to Wake Up, Look Up, a podcast where we connect events happening in real time to the gospel of Jesus Christ. I'm Zach Weihrauch and in today's episode, we're asking the question, who is your financial advisor? This is prompted by an interesting and introspective article I read in the Wall Street Journal recently by Annabel Williams about how difficult financial discipline is. She. She was really speaking of her own life. She's talking about how her New year's resolutions in 2026, revolve mostly around how she manages her finances. She's 27. She talks about the difficulties she's had with budgeting and financial discipline, balancing short term goals and long term goals. she talks to a few financial advisors who tell her to know her why and understand why she would say no to something. She even reflects on her tendency to buy breakfast for herself at $6.50 a pop and how she realized over the course of last year she spent over a thousand dollars just on breakfast. When I read the article, I thought it was so interesting because it's so relatable, for many of us, we wish we were better with money. In fact, I read a stat the other day that said the average American has only 7% of their income disposable, meaning. When you get your paycheck, 93% of it is already spoken for. It goes to bills and debt and outstanding commitments. And that leaves us only 7% to actually achieve any goals with or to find any enjoyment with. So when you feel like you're always having to choose, you are, because 7% is just 7%. When I read the article, what was interesting is Annabelle's trying to find her financial plan and she's looking to a lot of different people to try to figure out what's best. I think a lot of people feel that way. It's like, well, I don't really know what to do with my money. And I'm looking for someone, a, financial advisor, YouTube, whatever it might be, to find someone who can tell me what to do with my money. And look, I think financial advisors can be helpful. But it also occurs to me, and of course it does, because I'm a pastor, that the Bible actually has a lot to say about money. It made me think of this line in Proverbs because I think the book of Proverbs is a underutilized resource for Christians, a book full of wisdom that we tend to leave on the shelf at the very beginning. In Proverbs, 3, there's this great line, verse 6, where he says, in all your ways, acknowledge him, him being God, and he will make straight your paths. I think sometimes we think about obedience to God as just obligatory, like giving God what He's owed, giving God what He deserv. God is some kind of cosmic father with his foot stomping on the ground, saying, just do what you're told, or just do it because I said so. But of course, God is a loving and kind father. He's a benevolent creator. When God tells us something is good or something is bad, it's because he desires ultimately our flourishing. The writer of Proverbs says that if we'll acknowledge God, he will make straight our paths. And what that means here is that God has said a lot about money. He said a lot about debt, he said a lot about generosity, about long term, planning, about seeking pleasure. He has thoughts on just about every financial question you might imagine. And the reason he's sharing those with us is he desires to make our financial paths straight. So, simple question. Do you know what the Bible teaches about money? Maybe. Here's another question. Whoever you're going to for advice about money, whether you're going to them digitally and podcasts or a video or literally personally to an advisor, do they know what God teaches about money? Because you see, ultimately, whoever you go to is telling you, if you will acknowledge me, I will make your path straight. I mean, your financial advisor means that he or she really believes they know what's best. That YouTuber, that person, podcaster. They really believe that their way is going to lead to your flourishing. But if somebody's going to make that promise to you, hey, if you'll listen to me, I'll make your past straight. Wouldn't you want that someone to be God? Isn't he the only one you can be sure if he makes a promise, he'll keep it. That if he tells you something is wise, it ultimately is. You know, someone once told me that in the Gospel of John, when Jesus says that part of the job of the Holy Spirit is to help us remember what Jesus taught. They said this. I'll never forget it. They said, zack, you can't remember what you've never read. And that's so true. Look, do you know what the Bible teaches about money? Because it might just be that all the financial advice you're looking for, all the long term planning you're in need of has actually been waiting for you in the Bible from the God who loves you. Look, human financial advisors can be helpful if insomuch as they are taking us down the paths that God says leads to our, flourishing. So maybe in 2026, before you make your goal to get out of debt or to plan long term with your finances, start with this. I'm going to learn what the Bible teaches about money. And then when I learn it, I'm going to follow it. Because God alone is the one who will make my paths straight. Hey, thanks for watching this episode of Wake Up, Look Up. If you enjoyed it, please help us get the word out by sharing it with someone you think might benefit from it. 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Have an article you’d like Zach to discuss? Email us at wakeup@ccchapel.com!