The concept of a bag with holes comes straight out of the Holy Bible. The very words are recorded in the first chapter of the book of the prophet Haggai. If you are familiar with that book, you are wondering why we are writing a post about it. Your church does not have a building project so, you cannot see what Haggai has to do with you. And you would be right because on average, each lifetime can only participate in only one church building project.
Therefore, why talk about a bag with holes when God said it in the context of a church building project? The answer is simple really: many of us work hard and yet we don’t see positive results. After reviewing our budgets, we take on a second job or a side hustle, and still, we remain in a financial hole. And this is where God comes in if we allow Him to help us; if we are not stiff-necked. In Haggai 1. 5-6, God says. “Consider your ways! You have sown much, and bring in little, you eat but do not have enough.”
“And you drink, but you are not filled with drink. You clothe yourselves, but no one is warm. And he who earns wages earns wages to put into a bag with holes.” Perhaps, rather than take that second job or work longer hours, we should do what God says. After all, He owns the cattle on a thousand hills and the earth with its fullness is His. Twice in this chapter, God says to consider your ways, implying it is important.
Why One May Have A Bag With Holes
When you do so, you may discover the reason for your financial inadequacy. And in the following section, we shall examine some ways you may be responsible for having a bag with holes. You see, when God sent a caution about a bag with holes, He was not limiting it to building projects. He was speaking to all who have financial problems and that means all of us at one time or the other, right? Fortunately, we can talk about it here in a way that your church pastors cannot. And that is because we do not ask anyone for money.
First, do you seek first the kingdom of God in everything you do and say? If you seek your own interests more than you seek those of God, you may have a bag with holes. With such a high bar, it should not surprise us that Christians seem to always struggle financially. The next time you are tempted to say a sharp word, stop and consider. Will it glorify God? If not, don’t say it so that you don’t punch a hole into your wallet.
Secondly, have you cheated anyone? Perhaps you owe them and have the money but you don’t repay them. Or somebody does a job for you and you ask them to come back tomorrow for the payment. God says we should not do that because that payment may be all he has to go and feed his family. Do you do so? Well, you will be carrying around a bag with holes. And as you go about your business, your money will be falling out.
There Are Several Other Reasons
The ways in which we can have a bag with holes are too numerous to list. That is why God commands us to personally consider our ways. Perhaps you shortchange people, giving an excuse of being poor. Guess what, you have just declared a self-fulfilling prophecy on yourself. By so doing, you have a bag with holes and are likely to remain poor unless you heed God’s caution. Consider your ways. And you don’t consider for the sake of considering; you should amend your ways and stop defrauding others.
For the sake of time, the last example we consider is in your place of work. When you arrive at work, do you clock in faithfully or do you say you arrived earlier than you did? Sorry, but you just punched a big hole in your wallet. Your employer is paying you for a fixed number of hours and you are defrauding him. But, you say, he pays only so little. Well, it is better for you to find a better job than to cheat. Or you can start your own business and ask God to bless it. He will but he will never bless cheating ways.
So, now that we have seen a few examples, the rest is in your hands as you consider and amend your ways. God wants us to prosper but He will not bless cheating ways and strategies. May He give us the grace to consider our ways so we do not have a bag with holes. Amen.
Maranatha!
