Writing a money autobiography is a challenging and crucial step in understanding our behaviour and powerful feelings evoked by money. Jesus repeatedly spoke about money and challenged the disciples, the scribes, and the crowds to become conscious of money and their relationship to it. As we discern the ways in which we earn, inherit, invest, spend, give or waste money, often without conscious thought or a deliberate faith stance, we will be enabled to respond more fully to God in this crucial area of our lives.
A money autobiography can be useful not only in personal growth, but also in the growth of the church. Whatever blocks our response to God as individuals also cripples the Body of Christ, the church. The Spirit cannot set us free to be communities of liberation if we are in bondage to an ancient idol. As we grieve over our entanglement with materialism, status and power, new vision and hope can flow through the church to the world.
How to write a money autobiography
Set aside some quiet time to write a three-page autobiography which deals only with the subject of your life as it is related to money. Use some or all of the following suggestions and questions that you find appropriate and helpful:
- Include the role of money in your childhood. What is your happiest memory in connection with money? What is your unhappiest memory? What attitudes did your father and mother have about money? What was your attitude towards money as a child? Did you feel poor or rich? Did you worry about money?
- What was your attitude about money as a teenager? What role did money play in your life as a young adult? As a married person? As a parent? At age 40, 50, 65? Did your attitude or feelings shift at the different transition stages in your life?
- Have you had any major financial crises in your life? What feelings are stirred within you when you think about that?
- How do you feel about your present financial status? What is your present financial status? What is your monthly income? What are your other assets? Do you think that your income is sufficient? What will your income be at age 65, 75, 80? Do you think about that? Are you likely to inherit any money?
- Are you generous or stingy with your money? Do you spend money on yourself? If so, do you do it easily?
- Do you feel guilty about the money you have, or the money you spend? How does having or not having money affect your self-esteem?
- Do you take risks with your money? Do you gamble with your money? Do you ‘throw it away’? Do you worry about money?
- When you eat with friend and there is a group bill, are you the one to pick it up? Do you make sure that you pay your share? Do you tend to be more on the giving end of things, or on the receiving end?
- If you lacked money, how would you feel about others helping you pay your rent, or treating you when you went out and you were not in a position to reciprocate?
- If you have money, how would you feel about subsidizing a friend’s rent, or paying more than your share of things? What would you want in return? How would you feel if that friend spent money on something that in your value system seemed ‘extravagant’?
- What proportion of your money do you give away? 0%, 2%, 10%, 20%, 50%? How do you really feel about it? Do you give money to the church because this is how you want your money to be used, or because you’d feel guilty if you didn’t?
- Have you made a will? If not, why not? Did you include anyone in your will besides your family? Did you include your church? Did you include some oppressed segment of society or any needy members in your community?
- How has your approach to money and its use been shaped by being a woman or by being a man? How does your gender, or your role within your family, influence how you see your financial responsibilities and obligations?
- How does having more/less money that your spouse, partner, and/or a friend impact your relationship with that person?
- Do you ever use money to control events and/or people? Do you ever use money to give others freedom and opportunity?
- How do you feel when beggars approach you asking for money? How do you respond?
- Do you feel that dealing with money is a bothersome intrusion into the real purpose of your life? Do you have a personal or family budget? Do you know how much you earn and spend each month?
- In what ways is your relationship to money a training ground for your spiritual journey, or an expression of your deepest values?
- How has your faith influenced your attitude to your money and what you do with it?
Prayer:
Gracious God, give me the courage to look honestly at the role money plays in my life. Thank you that by your grace I can know the truth, and the truth will set me free. I need this so desperately Lord. Help me, please. Amen.
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