In his April 2004 Conference talk entitled Earthly Debts, Heavenly Debts Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin outlines five key steps to financial freedom. This month we’ll look at:
· First, pay your tithing.
· Second, spend less than you earn.
· Third, learn to save.
· Fourth, honor your financial obligations.
· Fifth, teach your children to follow your example.
Are you honest in your dealings with your fellow men? You probably recognize this as one of the questions from your temple recommend interview. As a child it’s an easy question to answer. As we get older and are influenced by the ways of the world it becomes a matter of integrity. It’s no longer just a lack of deceit, but turns into a matter of doing what’s right even though no one is watching.
From an economical standpoint we understand that failing to honor one’s financial obligations has a ripple effect that spreads across the board to many people. Many companies expect and write off losses, or translate them into higher fees for others. Its common sense to think that paying back your obligations helps to keep commerce running efficiently. It also goes without saying that defaulting on an obligation spreads the consequences of one person’s poor choices or mistakes onto others. With so many companies claiming to have the “easy way out” of debt, we may forget that consequences are still there, not the least of which can be a loss of integrity. Paying back a debt can be a difficult ordeal, but even a child learns quickly not to make the same mistake when the consequences are unpleasant.
If we remain stalwart as Job (Job 27:5 till I die I will not remove mine integrity from me.) we will have peace of mind and be able to answer the question of honesty without question.
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