The Dangers of Deficits

God has prescribed a way for us to walk in, and calls us to prepare our hearts, so that we do not succomb to the pressures of the culture.  Here's what Jeremiah 6 says:16 Thus says the Lord: "Stand in the ways and see, And ask for the old paths, where the good way is, And walk in it; Then you will find rest for your souls. But they said, 'We will not walk in it.' 17 Also, I set watchmen over you, saying, 'Listen to the sound of the trumpet!' But they said, 'We will not listen.' 18 Therefore hear, you nations, And know, O congregation, what is among them. 19 Hear, O earth!

Verse 17 - listen!  Verse 18 - hear!  Verse 19 - hear!   Verse 16 talks about the good way bringing rest to our souls.   I've thought about the concept of Biblical preparation.   This involves a conscious choice to submit every area of our lives to the leadership of the Holy Spirit and the authority of God's Word.   We hear the words "debt" and "deficit" so often these days, and in order to avoid a spiritual deficit, we have to take the necessary steps to come out ahead - in Christ.  Otherwise, the tide of cultural influences will sweep us away and we will become spiritually in debt.   The concept works in a multitude of areas - financial, emotional, in our homes - if we go into life unprepared to meet and exceed the challenges we face, then we will encounter a life of defeat and disappointment.

Isaiah 30 addresses walking in God's ways and reminds us that we need to be prepared and attentive to Him:
20 And though the Lord gives you The bread of adversity and the water of affliction, Yet your teachers will not be moved into a corner anymore, But your eyes shall see your teachers. 21 Your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, "This is the way, walk in it," Whenever you turn to the right hand Or whenever you turn to the left. 22 You will also defile the covering of your graven images of silver, And the ornament of your molded images of gold. You will throw them away as an unclean thing; You will say to them, "Get away!"


There's a new Pew survey out regarding student loans, and the information is startling:  About one out of five - 19% - of the nation’s households owed student debt in 2010, more than double the share two decades earlier and a significant rise from the 15% that owed such debt just 5 years ago. 

The Pew Research analysis also finds that a record 40% of all households headed by someone younger than age 35 owe such debt, by far the highest share among any age group.  Since 2007 the incidence of student debt has increased in nearly every demographic and economic category, as has the size of that debt.

Matt Bell of Sound Mind Investing, on The Meeting House just a few weeks ago, referred to a Fidelity survey that found that less than one-third of parents with college-bound children are considering the total cost of college, graduating with debt, the impact of school selection and how the major their children choose could affect job prospects and earning potential.

And, USA Today reports on a new survey released from the College Board that says over half - 57% of 2012 graduating seniors who took the SAT, which it owns, earned a combined score below what it says is necessary to show that students can earn a B-minus or better in the first year at a four-year college.

If you are attempting to dig out from student loan debt, you do realize what an enormous burden that can be, and it has presented a real issue for young couples who are starting out in their marriages and building their families.  

I really thought about this concept of deficit and how preparation can be a real key.   The Fidelity survey shows that a majority of parents are not thinking ahead regarding college expenses.   And, the College Board study, according to Vice President Jim Montoya, is a "call to action", saying that average scores can increase if more students have access to a rigorous college-prep curriculum.

The key word for us today is preparation - lack of preparation, for anything in our lives, can result in a deficit.   This applies in the financial realm.   And, in the spiritual realm, too - just a footnote:  students need to be spiritually prepared for college, and that's why The TransMission is presenting a workshop for parents this Sunday afternoon.  

If we do not prepare spiritually for the challenges of life, even to the extent of hiding God's word in our hearts on a consistent basis, then we will find we'll encounter a deficit when the tough times come.   If we want to avoid crashing and burning in this world that offers a thousand ways to stumble and fall, we must make His word a priority and remain connected to our source of power.   If we are not prayed up and filled with the Spirit, we will operate at a deficit and we run the risk of being unproductive in our lives.   It's preparation that can help us keep from being overcome by the currents in our culture today.