Like you mention I think it is very easy to be judgemental of what others are doing, and at the same time not look at our own lives and giving.

Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? Matt 7:3

I know this is something I have done in the past, looking at the pastors of some affluent churches in our area. But since then I’ve gotten closer to some of them, and I didn’t realize just how giving some of these men in fact were. They put me to shame, actually. But again, they’re human, and I’m sure they’re tempted all the time as well.

Living in such a materialistic society it can be easy to fall prey to stuff-itis, and I know I have at times at allowed myself to be too focused on accumulating things. We just have to guard ourselves against that, and remind ourselves that we are only stewards of what God has given us. When we remember that it is all His anyway, it makes it easier to give – in my opinion.

So, do I think it is always wrong to buy luxury items or spend money on ourselves? No, I don’t think so. But I do think that it is easy to lose focus on things that are important if you’re not careful. Because of that we have to examine our own lives, and give freely – while at the same time being careful of judging others – and their giving.

Each of us is responsible for ourselves, so before we worry about how other people spend their money, we should look at our own spending behavior.

At the same time, to see the ultrarich televangelists constantly preach about giving, charity, generosity…and continue to live a life so lavish that it makes most people’s stomach turn, well, that grates the nerves for another reason entirely. But, since your blog is focused on budgeting and wealth, I’ll leave my comments on the hypocrisy of the hyperreligious on another blog.

It seems some people would suggest you give to the point where you only have enough left over for basic necessities and modest luxuries. The problem is that the figure tends to hover around the level of earnings or net worth the judgmentalist (not a word) expects he/she could reasonably obtain.

Here’s what I find truly idiotic. I’ve heard people say, on numerous occasions, that rich people give away money just for the tax break. That makes a lot of sense. Currently, the highest federal income tax bracket for an individual is 35%. You give $1,000,000 to a qualified charity and save $350,000 on your tax bill. Looks to me like you’re still out $650,000. That’s clever.

I think she was having a hard time separating the pastor from their job in the sense that we seem to feel as though social workers, and people with giving or very religious jobs need to be more giving and self-sacrificing than their average fellow person.

While I do admit to feeling like that, I also understand when they don’t. What they do as pastors is also a business. It’s a job to make them money to survive and to pass on the word, as they say.

To put it in another perspective:
When we hear about a rich person donating a million money to charity, instead of only thinking: Wow how nice of them!!

We sometimes think: Heck, they could afford to give MORE, they have millions to spare!

But we don’t apply the same principle to ourselves when we have a surplus of money, even if we can only afford to donate $20, relative to the same percentage of what we earn vs. the millionaire’s donation and their income.

Great post.