Living Within Our Means

I recently got a credit card statement, showing that I owed $1. It got me thinking about living within my means! I do tend to be frugal when it comes to my spending, and I try to be generous with my savings. Partially, because I really don’t like paying interest if I don’t have to. I’ve also experienced times when the arrival of the credit card statement was cause for anxiety.

As we continue in the Pre-Christmas time, it’s not uncommon to discuss the importance of living within our means. We’re a capitalist society, and we seem to assign importance to the gift-buying season ahead.

Yet as we are also in Advent, the time of preparation, I ponder how we live within other means.
Are we being careful stewards with the other resources in our control? Are we being faithful in how we manage our time as we race towards the holiday? Have we considered how to expend our energy in the weeks of busy-ness ahead? Have we contemplated how to divvie up our spiritual care for self and others? Do we have a plan for our acts of generosity?

It is unfortunately not uncommon for us to run ourselves ragged at the holidays; we find ourselves indebted with these non-financial realities. We extend ourselves beyond our ability, which leaves us vulnerable. When we’re overextended emotionally, our shorter tempers get the better of us; a deficit in our energy means we are less likely to tap into the love we want to share and instead can be unintentionally offensive to those we’re closest to. We can find ourselves so depleted that we can’t be recharged from events and encounters that should be energising and enjoyable.

My proposal is that we try – at least a little bit – to live within our means. If we take time to pray and reflect, we can keep ourselves focused on the goodness that is in our midst, and engage in meaningful and appropriate ways. It’s okay for us to set limits in how much we give: of our funds, our time, ourselves. I would much prefer to spend time with people when I am able to give my best self; when I know what my capacity is (and isn’t), and when I am comfortable to respect that.

Living within our means takes practice, it’s not always easy, and others may not always understand it. But it is worthwhile, it is faithful, it is embracing what we have been given. It’s honouring the gift of love that we are receiving when we live authentically within that love.