Our church has started a “Budgeter’s Anonymous” class. We are learning to set up a budget. Teaching how to stay within your budget. We are learning how to track our budgets. We are encouraging each other. We are learning some of the pitfalls of budgets. In other words, we are learning how to handle our money instead of wondering where it went.

As my wife and I are working on our finances I have been struck by how many of the principles we are trying to apply with our budget/finances work with relationships.

In our budgeting we have to identify what we have and where it is going. In your relationships you must identify what relationships you have and how they are doing. If you don’t determine how your relationships are doing and where they are heading you will be highly frustrated and often confused in your relationships.

In our budgeting we evaluate if we are ahead or behind in ongoing expenses. In your relationships you need to see if any of them are in need. Are you behind in any relationship? Do you need to give some extra time and effort in any of your relationships at this time?

In our budgeting we are seeking ways to create some margin in our money so we can save more. In your relationships you must seek to improve your margins. To make sure you have something left and are not being drained to the point of having nothing in reserve for your relationships. Willard Harley writes about the “love bank”. It is a concept that you are either depositing positively in your relationships or you are withdrawing from them. If there are too many withdrawals without deposits the relationship is in the red. That is a bad thing financially and relationally.

In our budgeting we are seeking to identify, and eliminate, things that negatively drain our finances. The same is true in your relationships. You need to identify things that drain, or harm, your relationships and work to eliminate these behaviors.

This is just a quick look at some similarities between budgets and relationships. But I am intrigued by the things that crossover between the two. I may need to look a little deeper at this concept. Who knows, maybe there is a sermon series in this somewhere?

Here’s hoping that both your budget and your relationships are balanced and positive.

Dennis