January 11: Money Through a Hole in the Pocket
You look at the bank balance and wonder where it all went. Part of you already knows.
“Ye have sown much, and bring in little; ye eat, but ye have not enough; ye drink, but ye are not filled with drink; ye clothe you, but there is none warm; and he that earneth wages earneth wages to put it into a bag with holes.”
Haggai was talking to people who had come home from exile and got their priorities tangled. They worked hard, planted a lot, earned wages. But nothing seemed to stick. They ate and weren’t full. They drank and weren’t satisfied. They earned money and put it into a bag with holes.
That last picture fits drinking well. Money goes in. It doesn’t stay.
The second half of Step One says our lives had become unmanageable. For many people, money is where that shows up first and plainest. It isn’t only the cost of the alcohol itself, though that adds up fast. It’s the takeout because you were too far gone to cook. The late fees because you forgot the bill. The lost shifts. The car repairs after the thing nobody talks about. The gifts bought to make up for something you said.
Looking at this can sting. You may feel like you’ve wasted years. Please hear this: the goal isn’t to punish yourself with a spreadsheet. The goal is to see clearly. A clear look at money is one of the most concrete, undeniable ways to admit that drinking has taken more than it gave.
And here is some hope. When the drinking stops, the bag starts to hold again. Many people are surprised how quickly a little money builds up when it isn’t leaking out every night. Something as simple as a jar, an envelope or a separate account can become a picture of the new life. Every dollar there is a dollar that didn’t go down the drain.
Haggai’s people were told to consider their ways. Not to drown in guilt, but to see clearly and turn. God was ready to bless the turn.
You might also try the money-saved calculator on this site. Seeing the yearly total in plain numbers helps some people more than any lecture could.
One thing today
Write down your rough weekly spending on alcohol and everything that came with it. Multiply by fifty-two. Just look at the number, and say it out loud.
A prayer
Lord, I’ve poured a lot down the drain, and more than money. Help me look at it honestly without despair. Teach me to use what You give me well, starting today.
This month’s step: Step One.
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