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- Written by Jason Jones, Saint John’s Gift Planning Counselor Jason Jones, Saint John’s Gift Planning Counselor
- Created: August 25 2019 August 25 2019
In economic thought, the “opportunity cost” of making decisions connects to planned benefits received. This is different than giving up something for preferences we choose. God tells us through the Apostle Paul in his epistle to the Galatians 6:7, “Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows that will he also reap.”
When people make determinations related to use of time, allocation of money or development of ability, they typically match choices with the driving motivations of behavior. Balancing priorities is not only driven by personal characteristics, but by the importance placed on desired outcomes.
It’s true that hardwired personality traits that make up psychological and social tendencies paired with parental influence, along with spiritual guidance, determine most of the inclinations that motivate us on how we approach life’s decisions. Today, options are available for unprecedented selection.
Beyond mere psychology, we understand our battle with our sinful flesh, recognizing our need to repent of inappropriate allocations. Only God’s grace in Christ can sort through the chaos of our poor decisions. We replace harmony with our Father for temptations to be like God, which bring disharmony. This reality is most obvious in how we often fail to keep God as first among earthly priorities and how life’s priorities blur our vision of our Father’s. We fail to balance decisions in faithfulness to the Giver of all good things.
Grace has forgiven our failures through the cross and Christ’s Spirit comforts and empowers us to realign priorities to reflect the primary purpose of life; to honor God first and share His kingdom on earth.
You can reflect this balance in your last will and testament, estate trusts or beneficiary designations. Including a witness to faith and support for the Lord’s work in these plans, we validate our priority’s balance to honor God, who Created, Redeemed and Sustains our lives, even as we desire to bless our children and our children’s children.
Jason Jones, CGP, CDE, is Saint John’s Gift Planning Counselor. Jason works with individuals in our congregation who want to discover the lifetime plan that God has planted in their heart. He will help them to use this plan to Transfer the Blessings God has given them to their family and the ministries they love. This service comes to you at no cost as a member of Saint John’s. To schedule a free meeting with Jason or ask questions about this special opportunity, visit www.StJohnsFC.org/transfer-the-blessings, call (970) 988-0305 or email Jason.Jones@lfnd.org.