October 20, 2025 • 30 mins
Money is never just about money. Jesus talked about it more than almost anything else because He knew it reveals where our hearts truly rest.
This week on the Everyday Disciple Podcast, we look at how our understanding of the gospel shapes the way we view and use money—and how generosity naturally flows from grace, not guilt. We’ll explore how Jesus’ words invite us to see money not as a measure of success, but as a mirror of what we treasure most.
You’ll also discover how to find lasting security in God’s provision and freedom from the anxiety that money so often brings.
Get started here... From this episode: "All of us can break free from our slavery and attachments to money by trusting and treasuring Jesus, who was willing to pay the ultimate price. His generosity and sacrifice guarantee our significance and security–forever!"Each week the Big 3 will give you immediate action steps to get you started.
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In This Episode, You’ll Learn:
- Why Jesus connected money with the desires of our hearts
- How money can distort our sense of significance and security
- What “gospel tipping” is and why generosity reorders your heart
- A surprising perspective on retirement and inheritance
Get started here... From this episode: "All of us can break free from our slavery and attachments to money by trusting and treasuring Jesus, who was willing to pay the ultimate price. His generosity and sacrifice guarantee our significance and security–forever!"
Each week the Big 3 will give you immediate action steps to get you started.
Download today’s BIG 3 right now. Read and think over them again later. You might even want to share them with others…
Thanks for Listening!
Thanks so much for joining us again this week. Have some feedback you’d like to share? Join us on Facebook and take part in the discussion! If you enjoyed this episode, please share it using the social media buttons you see at the top of this page or right below. Also, please leave an honest review for The Everyday Disciple Podcast on iTunes. Ratings and reviews are extremely helpful and greatly appreciated! They do matter in the rankings of the show, and we read each and every one of them. Links and Resources Mentioned in This Episode: The Gospel In Everyday Life Workshop Register Now FREE Coaching and Mentorship in Missional Living by Caesar and his wife Tina Get Caesar’s latest book: Bigger Gospel for FREE… Click here.Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Caesar Kalinowski (00:01):
Are you living as a conduit or a barrel?
A conduit.
It's like a pipe.
Okay.
Okay.
Like I grew up in Illinois where electrical wires run through a conduit.
Oh yeah.
Conduit.
Okay.
Right.
So, but anything a conduit's, the way you channel one thing from one place to another, right.
That's how you get that.
Right.
It's something that water or electricity, or any other supply is routed from one place to another, a barrel.
(00:21):
Everybody knows what a barrel is.
Yep.
You know, like a big wooden barrel, or it could be a metal barrel or whatever, 55 gallon drum kind of thing.
Sure.
Um, is for storing up resources for holding onto them for later use.
So back to the question, are you living in light of finances and resources that God's pouring into your life?
Are you living like a conduit or a barrel?
Uh, it's a convicting question, right?
(00:43):
God is looking for conduits of his grace and generosity.
He's not looking for barrels to store those things in coveting our things and acting as if they're like our own source of income and supply, and it's my money and my time and so on.
It shows that our hearts are not at peace and ultimately trusting God for all that stuff.
Heath Hollensbe (01:13):
Welcome to the Everyday Disciple Podcast, where you'll learn how to live with greater intentionality and an integrated faith that naturally fits into every area.
Life.
In other words, discipleship as a lifestyle.
This is the stuff your parents, pastors and seminary professors probably forgot to tell you.
And now here's your host, Caesar Kalinowski.
Caesar Kalinowski (01:32):
Hey brother.
Hey man.
What's going on?
Are you gonna throw your mom under the bus again this week?
You,
Heath Hollensbe (01:37):
you know what's funny is she did say something that I thought was, she said, could you rewrite that to, instead of it being the stuff your parents, teachers, and pastors forgot to tell you.
Could you rewrite that to the things they never taught you?
Because they didn't know themselves.
Alright.
I was like,
Caesar Kalinowski (01:49):
we're not gonna rewrite it there Ma Hollensbe, but we're
gonna, but we are gonna acknowledge that.
Yeah.
That that's the truth in most cases.
It's like not only they didn't teach you 'cause they weren't taught it either.
Yeah, they weren't taught it either.
All right.
There's plenty of grace from ma. Oh, Ma Hollensbe listening from Nashville.
Hey, you know what, um, I wanna take a second here to thank our listeners who've been like going over to iTunes, just like we ask.
(02:12):
Yeah.
And they, you know, there's subscribing.
'cause I can see that Monday morning, like that number's climbing up quick, which means it's being pushed out in the feed.
Um, but they're also rating and reviewing us.
Really cool.
So like, like, uh, someone named BF Chris, my best friend Chris, we ever said, if you're.
If you're wishing for a deeper walk with God, especially one in community and discipling others, this podcast is filled with great ideas for changing your lifestyle to one where your faith touches every part of your life.
(02:36):
Wow.
Oh, thanks Chris.
Man, that's like, that's exactly what we want.
I wish I'd have written that.
Um, Dan PR says, great podcast.
Thanks for helping me live an integrated life.
And that's, yeah, that's cool.
That's the other thing, right?
So anyway, I thank you guys.
Please do that.
But still help.
But just know we are really encouraged by that.
And, um, not that we need to be stroked and all, but, you know, uh, we're.
Heath and I are sitting here talking.
(02:56):
You know, we're in a
room and we don't get to hear that.
We see
numbers, we know people, someone's listening, but it's nice to have a name and just go.
Oh, thanks.
That's
Heath Hollensbe (03:02):
great.
So thanks.
Yeah.
I just wanna say thanks for that.
That's really cool.
Hey, Caesar, today we're talking about money.
The one thing that we like to let Jesus into our hearts, but not into our bank accounts.
Yeah.
Caesar Kalinowski (03:11):
I
Heath Hollensbe (03:12):
invited Jesus
Caesar Kalinowski (03:12):
into my heart.
I trust him for my eternity, but not for my finances.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Uh, busted.
Yeah.
Heath Hollensbe (03:18):
Yeah.
So today we're talking about that, uh, we're talking about finances and even the heart behind that as followers of Jesus.
It's always the issue, right?
The thing behind the thing.
Caesar Kalinowski (03:24):
Yeah, absolutely.
Money, money's paper, you know, or it's just digits digitally now, but like how we view it.
Yeah.
How we use it.
What do we think it's for?
Whose is it?
It says a lot
Heath Hollensbe (03:33):
about what we believe about God.
Right?
Caesar Kalinowski (03:34):
Yeah.
Heath Hollensbe (03:35):
Right.
Does, yeah.
Tell us a little bit about like, uh, the depression.
I remember you, you were sharing this with me about your grandparents used to live
Caesar Kalinowski (03:41):
Well, I mean, this is, okay, so just like your mom was saying, you know, like, this is the stuff our parents never taught us 'cause their parents never taught them.
Sure.
My views on money were very shaped by my parents.
Okay.
And, and more specifically, I think my dad.
Heath Hollensbe (03:54):
Okay.
Caesar Kalinowski (03:54):
And my dad was born in 1930, so like boom height of the depression.
Yeah.
Right.
And his parents, they were the parents during that as they lived through it.
And it's ho it was horrifying time, you know, seeing these documentaries in History Channel.
Right.
It was terrible.
And it was, you know, people were, you know, it's the breadlines, all that stuff was real.
You had nothing.
Everybody lost everything, you know, and so when you're born into that right, that, that, you know, my, the way my grandparents viewed it and then my dad having to grow up in that.
(04:18):
I remember him telling us all these stories about.
So born in 30, so like now, like you're talking late thirties, right?
They're just, you know, America's just starting to barely tip its nose up out of that.
Sure.
But you still don't have anything.
But maybe now at least you're starting to eat.
And he would say like, oh yeah.
Um, I used to get, uh, you know, uh, newspapers delivered to the, you know, so and so corner, and it was a corner we still didn't even live that far away from.
(04:40):
I could picture his kid, huh.
And, and I'd sell papers all day on the weekends.
And he said I'd sell so many papers that guys would stack 'em up.
And it was like, it was like a windbreak.
I'd be in like three sides stacked higher than me, and I'd sell all of 'em on a Saturday.
Wow.
I's like, what'd you net for that daddy?
He says, well, if I sold 'em all, there was like 200 of them I'd, you know, I'd make like, you know, like 50 cents.
Wow.
Or something.
I don't know who a number was back then.
(05:00):
Right?
And I go, wow, what'd you do that?
He goes, well, I always gave my mom a quarter.
Okay.
And that would like basically feed us.
For like three days.
Sure.
And then I took a cold quarter myself and I, that was enough to get a movie popcorn, a soda, and I could buy a couple comic books that week, you know.
Wow.
Or something.
Right.
And so that, and he says, and then when I got a little older, I started caddying, you know, at a golf course.
Sure.
And when I got big and you get a, you get a buck bag and I was a lot of money back, you know, like that was like probably in 42 or 45 or something.
(05:25):
Right.
And he goes and I get a bucket bags, sometimes I'd carry two bags.
I'm like, and I can picture picture myself.
And I was like so skinny up until like, still, you know, but, but I remember thinking like, you're 15 carrying two full bags of golf clubs, debt golf clubs.
Yeah.
He said, but I make two bucks like that.
That was like a. Yeah.
That's like what people making a whole day at a job.
Job.
Yeah.
He says, your uncle Ray four bags, he carried four bags on a Saturday.
(05:48):
You know, I'm like, how's that possible?
You know?
And he always had stories.
He always had stories about the guys who, they carry their bags and they were rich and he knew it, you know, 'cause they'd sellwhat they pulled up in and, and they'd hear 'em talking right about their jobs or how they, you know, how much money they made.
And they wouldn't tip 'em, they wouldn't get that dollar tip 'cause they actually caddied for free.
But the standard was you tip the kid a buck.
Yep.
He said, but some of these guys wouldn't.
And he'd name 'em like he still all these years later would remember their name.
(06:11):
Oh, so and so blankety blank.
You know that guy?
Never, he was so cheap.
You know?
Heath Hollensbe (06:14):
Isn't that crazy?
It's, it's interesting 'cause I, when I was living in Nashville, we used to go to his favorite place every Sunday after church.
And I remember we had this new waitress and I was.
I, I remember one morning after church going like, how, how you doing?
She's like, I hate Sundays.
She's like, what do you mean?
She's like, Christians show up after church and they never tip.
I was like, whoa.
I mean, that's unfortunately, we're famous for that.
Yeah.
She's like, we actually bid, like we try to switch schedules so that we don't have to work on Sundays.
(06:37):
I'm like, oh, that is so sad.
I've been come and worship and wow.
Hey, let's come
Caesar Kalinowski (06:41):
back to that idea of tipping later.
Okay.
Yeah.
Yeah, that'd be fun.
So needless to say.
You know, my dad being born in the depression, growing up that way, and then never, he never really made a whole lot of money, though we never lacked for anything.
Sure.
Um, it has filtered into how I kinda see and use money and I, I'll be honest, and, and Tina and I talk about it a lot, there is still sort of, I guess I'd call it a little bit of a scarcity mentality.
(07:04):
Sure.
Not like we don't have enough, like I, so maybe that's not the right word for it, but I, I kind of, I always feel like I'm looking down the road to know, am I working hard enough that more will be coming?
Heath Hollensbe (07:14):
Huh.
Caesar Kalinowski (07:14):
And it betrays where that money even comes from.
Yeah.
And then I, if I sit and talk about it, I go, that's just, I don't even believe that, but I, my heart tends it, you know?
I mean, yeah.
Tends it sure.
Like it leans that way because my dad, part of growing up that way is his work, his work ethic that he, you know, infused into me and the kid.
My, you know, my sibs, it's hard, man.
You know, I work hard.
Yeah, you work really hard.
(07:34):
I love to work, so that's not the issue, but it can get spun around the spokes, you know, I can get all kind of jacked up on that.
And now I'm not having joy in my work and I'm working.
To earn versus working from freedom and all that.
So yeah.
Heath Hollensbe (07:46):
Geez.
Well, Tim Keller, one of my favorites, uh, when he talks about money, he says that money has a tremendous power over us, each and every one of us.
For some it's our significance, and for others it's our security.
What do you think about that
Caesar Kalinowski (07:59):
significance or security?
Um, yeah, right.
I think so.
The thing about what's significance is like I'm worth more.
Yep.
I see myself as more valuable and I hope slash believe that others.
See me the same, see me that way.
Like IE more significant because of what I have financially or stuff, you know?
Sure.
So when we talk money, by the way, today, just so you know, you know, and our listeners know, I'm not talking about necessarily your bank account or your stack, you know, of money in your pocket or whatever.
(08:27):
I mean, money buys stuff right, too.
And, and there's more debt in America than ever before.
So I'm just gonna talk about money in light of like possessions and resource and stuff.
Heath Hollensbe (08:35):
Yeah.
Caesar Kalinowski (08:36):
So it's money.
But it ain't just, I'm not talking about just currency.
Sure.
You know what I mean?
So That's great.
Um, so yeah, so how, how our like what our stuff is leads to significance.
Yeah.
I think that's real.
And I, I could probably sit and think through and spirit would poke me pretty quick on things and I go, you know, I feel pretty significant 'cause I have that Sure.
All right.
Was able to go there and do that.
(08:56):
Yeah.
You know, type of thing or something.
And then the second part of what Tim said there is, you know, or, um, for others it's their security.
I think that one probably actually hits closer to my own heart, like what I was just sharing.
Sure.
That's sort of a bit of a scarcity mentality is like, well, um, I know my security's in Christ and he's the great provider.
Yeah.
But I gotta work hard.
'cause you know, the scripture says, you know, if you, if you don't work, you shouldn eat.
(09:18):
You know, it's like, like, don't take that one outta context.
You know what I mean?
Sure, sure.
So, yeah, I think Tim's absolutely right.
It has not only has tremendous power, but it has tremendous power over our hearts.
But you know what that.
Both those things betray our unbelief.
Heath Hollensbe (09:31):
Yeah.
Caesar Kalinowski (09:31):
Like if I think my significance comes from what I have and own and my money, then I don't, then I'm saying, God, the significance I have as being your image bearer, it's not as good.
Yep.
It'd be better to have significance from being a wealthy God.
Heath Hollensbe (09:44):
Yeah.
Caesar Kalinowski (09:44):
Or if I think my security in life, and I'm not even talking about like our eternal security.
Sure.
That's the big one.
Ho ha.
You know?
Yeah.
But that one proves the, the lesser securities that like, Hey, dad's got us.
And if I think I actually am, it's my own security for the future, my kids' security, you know, I'm actually providing it.
Sure.
Then I'm basically saying I'm a better securer, I'm a better provider than God.
(10:07):
Yeah.
And I see, I'm gonna say no, that's unbelief and, and I can just call in and out.
I go, I don't believe it, but you know what we, you're living way it shows we live.
Yeah, exactly.
Absolutely.
Yeah.
So I think ultimately we get to, uh, break free from our slavery to money.
By trusting and treasuring.
Yeah, truly valuing Jesus.
(10:27):
And, and, and like I said, the big e on the eye chair was that he was willing to go and pay the ultimate price.
In other words, he, he gave all the value his life so that we may be his ultimate treasure.
Wow, that's so good man.
Right?
So we treasure him because of how he treasured us.
Boy does that put money in perspective right off the bat.
Thanks Tim Keller.
Heath Hollensbe (10:48):
Alright,
Caesar Kalinowski (10:48):
so thanks for tuning in.
Heath Hollensbe (10:50):
Have a good week.
Yeah.
Wow.
You know, I work in the ministry and so we're not typically known for being the wealthiest people in the face of the planet, but I'm surrounded by people that financially do make significantly more than me.
Yeah.
I feel that pressure of, you know, feeling like pretty affluent community.
Yeah.
Significance.
I, I feel like man.
If only I can make more money and I could actually go on vacations with the people that invite me to, but I can't because I can't afford it or those sort of things.
(11:14):
Scripture says a lot about money and most of the time we jack it up.
Like we say, that money's the root of all evil.
And it's like, no, it's not money.
It's the love of money that's the root of all evil.
Lucy.
Caesar Kalinowski (11:22):
Yeah,
Heath Hollensbe (11:22):
you got those two words, change everything or talks about stewardship and investment.
Jesus has quite a bit to say about it.
Um, how do you think the way followers of Jesus spend their money should look different from those who don't yet follow Jesus and why?
Well, you're
Caesar Kalinowski (11:38):
right, Heath.
I mean, it's scripture's full of talk about money.
Yep.
And it's, it's really the love of money.
It's, it's, it's, you know, where our treasure lies kind of thing.
And Jesus actually talks about money and money related issues of the heart more than he talks about heaven in hell or pretty much anything else.
Heath Hollensbe (11:53):
Wow.
Caesar Kalinowski (11:54):
I, I don't have the stats, but I, I have had them somewhere in my laptop.
I have them.
Yeah.
Like how many times he brings up money or possessions or, you know that Yeah.
And how our heart's connected to it way more than everything else.
Well, why would that be?
Kinda like what Tim Keller said earlier, because it has great power over our hearts and what we but start to believe about God.
(12:14):
That's fascinating, man.
And ourselves, right?
Yeah, it is.
And so, so here's, that's pretty interesting to me, but, but here's some things like who sets your priorities when it comes to money?
Like if I just threw that out there into the ozone for you, me and our listeners.
Who sets your priorities when it comes to what you do with the money that has now fallen into your care, your stewardship?
(12:34):
For me, it's, it's what we have and once after budget, then we set our priorities based off that.
Yeah.
Right.
And it's kind of based on our priority money, you know?
Right.
Sure.
Um, and then, then that kinda leads to this next question of like, whose money and resources it really anyway.
Yeah.
You know, I could think about, had a friend of mine that when his, uh, teenage son would like get all, you know, teenagey and like rude and like mad at his dad and wanted to.
(12:57):
Like, you know, he's like, that's it.
Well I'm gonna move out then.
You know, he's still in high school.
He said, I'm moving out then get out.
You know, and he'd say, well, um, I don't want you to, I love you son.
Um, but I mean, I can't stop you.
Just make sure when you leave don't take anything that's mine or that I paid for.
And he out the door for nothing.
(13:18):
He starts looked around, he'd have to go out naked 'cause he, you know, he doesn't have a job yet.
The car, he borrows mom and dad's car.
You know, his dressers bed, all his clothes, those killer Nikes.
Yeah.
You know what I mean?
And so, I mean, maybe that's not the best parenting, you know, last episode we talked about gray space parenting, you know, but, but my, but you know that, what made that stuck in my heart is that, um, we come into the world with nothing.
(13:39):
Yeah.
And so, whose resources is it anyway?
And guess what?
You leave with nothing.
Yeah.
And so that means that all that stuff God pours in.
Now, he might pour it through your parents.
He might pour it through your job.
He might pour it through an inheritance.
Sure.
Um, but.
It's all his and he's just, so that's a good question to ask.
Whose money and resource is it?
Um, here's another question I'd like to ask.
If you lost all of your money tomorrow.
(14:00):
Yep.
So that's like what happened, you know, in the depression, right?
Um, how would your identity, you know, how you view yourself change?
Yeah.
Significantly.
If it did, then you, there's probably, there's a, you got a money issue.
Heath Hollensbe (14:14):
Yeah.
Caesar Kalinowski (14:15):
Or a love of money issue, or you're valuing money and what it brings you back into that significance and security, security thing.
Right.
Like just Right.
Ask yourself that, and let me ask it the other way.
If money were no object or concern in your life, in other words, you had more than you know.
Right.
Sure.
How would your life change?
Would it change?
Let, let me just take off the table.
Well, I have a car that ran every day, you know, and maybe I get a house where my kids each had their own bedroom, so let's just, but beyond that.
(14:40):
Beyond some basic sort of extra comfort stuff.
Yeah.
And I know some people listening don't own a home.
I'm not saying that's, it's huge, but I'm just saying, so if you had money was no concern, how would your life change?
I'm not talking about those, those kinda layers.
How would your life change if all of a sudden money was no issue?
Heath Hollensbe (14:55):
Yeah,
Caesar Kalinowski (14:55):
and again, tie to identity and value and significance.
Isn't it weird that.
I probably should have done some digging up and been the statistic guy on this, um, a very, very high percentage of people that win the lottery.
Yep.
Like ruin their lives.
Heath Hollensbe (15:09):
Yeah.
There was a documentary on that that was fascinating.
Caesar Kalinowski (15:11):
And it's like, it goes so fast.
The money's gone real quick.
But it's not only that like, well back to work, I guess that was fun.
You know, saw the world twice or something.
No, it's that generally it's gone and they've kinda ruined their lives and relationships.
Sure.
Or their lives and relationships have been ruined by the money.
Yeah.
And so you go, huh?
Apparently.
There's two sites that not having enough kind of sucks.
(15:32):
Having too much kinda sucks.
There again, the root of it's all the same thing.
Whose money is it and where do you gain your significance and, and your value and your security from.
Heath Hollensbe (15:41):
So good man.
Caesar Kalinowski (15:42):
Right?
And so, I mean, there again, let me, let me go ahead and just deep dive into some stuff that our brother Jesus shared.
So, um, for those of you like to write these things down, Matthew 13.
Um, he, there's so many cool parables, right?
I, I'm just, I love parables.
Love it, love it, love it.
And here's two, back-to-back parables, and I think there's a reason for this, but in Matthew 13, starting in 44, Jesus says, the kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field.
(16:08):
So he's talking about the kingdom of Heaven.
What's, what's the kingdom of heaven?
That's where those who live under the rule and reign of this perfect God daddy, right?
Yep.
So the kingdom of heaven's like a treasure hidden in a field.
And when a man found it, he hid it again, and then his joy, he went and sold everything else he had, and he bought that field.
So what's, what's the point of that parable?
He, Jesus is saying.
(16:29):
Money here was not as valuable as your relationship and your significance and your security that you have from living in the kingdom.
Yeah.
From dad.
Right.
So
Heath Hollensbe (16:38):
good.
Caesar Kalinowski (16:38):
So, so go ahead and burn it all to gain the real deal that gives it all.
Yep.
Okay.
And then back to back, right.
Starting verse 45, he goes again, the kingdom of heaven like a merchant.
So that's like a, you know, a guy who's a buyer, settle or trader.
Sure.
Um, looking for fine pearls.
And when he found one of great value, he went away and he sold everything else he had and he bought that one.
Huh?
(16:59):
Same thing.
Jesus, back to back.
He's going, do you realize that money's not the point?
Yep.
That in fact it's of so little value that you could give all of it.
If you could gain this real security and real significance, that's already, it's already yours.
Yeah, it's yours, right?
So you're not really giving up anything.
Now, this is cool and powerful too.
In Matthew six, Jesus said this, so it's actually, he said this before the parables, but these are all like in his just hanging out and traveling with the boys.
(17:24):
Right.
But I, to me, this underlines the whole thing goes, do not store up for yourself.
Treasures on earth wear moths and vermin and destroy.
Okay?
So, and this isn't King James, but I don't know vermin.
What's a vermin?
So, so don't store up that stuff right on earth.
Okay?
Um, 'cause it's basically, it's gonna go away anyway.
And where thieves breaking and steal it.
(17:45):
So, in other words, you can't, how much stuff can you hang onto in store?
Okay.
Yeah.
But he says instead, store up for yourself.
Treasures in heaven.
Where moths and vermin do not destroy.
And where thieves do not break it in steal.
And here's the big jam he goes for where your treasure is there, your heart will be also.
Now I kinda was raised where, what that verse meant, and I think it does occlude this, it meant like, Hey, what can you store up in heaven?
(18:10):
You can't take money there.
Can't take it with you.
Um, so what you can store up though is people getting saved.
Huh?
So send that stuff along, you know?
Yeah.
And I think there's truth in that.
There's other verses and we can even talk about that in another episode if you want.
Sure.
But, but this is specifically in light of money.
Jesus parables and talks about money, and so what he's saying is, store up for yourself Treasures in heaven.
(18:30):
Now let's pause for a second.
What's heaven?
Is it a place?
Yes.
Is it a state of being?
Yes.
Sure.
When Jesus taught his disciples, Hey, here's how you pray to dad that that his will.
His righteous, perfect rule and reign, his peace, his perfect shalom would be on earth as it is in heaven.
So Jesus is saying, Hey, store up.
(18:51):
For yourselves.
Treasures in the kingdom, in this rule and reign of God in the way the world works.
When you live free and you have your security in him and you have your identity and your significance in him, that's where you wanna put your effort and your resources towards.
Yeah.
He's not talking about for some day far away.
He's going right now.
Right now.
Yeah.
Right now.
(19:12):
Right.
And for where your treasure is, if it's in God's kingdom, if it's in his hands, yeah.
Perfectly.
Then your heart will also be there, which means when you then.
Basically give it all back to God and I wanna live in your righteous rule, Andre, trust you for it all.
So what I'll go is I'll invest in that.
Yep.
Then my heart will be there, which means I will have peace and I will believe the security I have and I'll believe the significance that only comes from God and then the pressure's off.
(19:37):
That's so good.
I mean that is deep.
That's, that's really, it's, it's just three verses.
I mean, go and dig it up.
Right.
So let me ask you a question kinda outta the blue, a little bit of a weird thing.
Okay.
Are you and Kathleen, are you living as a conduit?
A barrel.
I have no clue what you're talking about.
Okay.
All right.
So a conduit.
(19:58):
It's, it's like a pipe.
Okay.
Okay.
Like, like I grew up in Illinois where electrical wires run through a conduit.
Oh yeah.
Condu.
Okay.
Right.
So, but anything a conduit's, the way you channel one thing.
From one place to another.
Right.
Okay.
That's how you get that right.
Um, it's something that water or electricity or any other supply is routed from one place to another.
A barrel, everybody knows what a barrel is.
Yep.
You know, like a big wooden barrel or it could be a metal barrel or whatever.
(20:19):
55 gallon drum kind of thing.
Sure.
Um, is for storing up resources.
For holding onto them for later use.
Heath Hollensbe (20:25):
Yeah.
I remember
Caesar Kalinowski (20:26):
being in Germany and people run their rain gutters into a big barrel.
Heath Hollensbe (20:29):
Yeah.
Caesar Kalinowski (20:29):
And they catch that water for later use.
Right.
So back to the question, are you living in light of finances and resources that God's pouring into your life?
Are you living like a conduit or a barrel?
It's a convicting question, right?
Yeah.
So I, you know, and I'm not trying to,
Heath Hollensbe (20:45):
I'm not trying to, I mean, you don't have to answer what happens when there's no money to conduit and there's no money to barrel.
There's blessings in all kinds of it.
If you're not living under a
Caesar Kalinowski (20:52):
bridge, you got pretty nice clothes on.
And you know, they're simple in color, very simple.
Um, so God is looking for conduits of his grace in generosity.
He's not looking for barrels to store those things in coveting our things and acting as if they're like.
Our, our own source of income and supply and it's my money and my time and so on.
(21:13):
It shows that our hearts are not at peace and ultimately trusting God for all that stuff.
Remember I said we're talking about money today, but it's really about resource period.
Sure.
Um, we hang onto that stuff because we believe it's in short supply in words.
You know, why it feels like it's in short supply?
'cause it's up to us to generate it.
Hmm.
Yeah.
Crazy, right Carter?
Yeah.
But God owns a cattle on a thousand Hill and so he is looking for conduits that he can just like, I'm gonna pour it into your lap Heath, because what I know you're gonna do is you're gonna both enjoy it.
(21:40):
Yeah.
That's my kid.
'cause I want you to And you're gonna let it go just right back out to someone else.
Yeah.
Because you know why?
'cause you trust me there's more coming.
Yeah.
Or you can live like a barrel, like I'll kick out.
Thanks for that.
A quarter mental.
Yeah.
And I'm gonna, I'm gonna hang onto it 'cause I need it.
That really betrays like our true belief in like, does he really have a lot and Sure.
Is he generous?
So whenever my wife t and I have prayed about like giving a certain amount of money to someone in need, you know, like a need comes up, it's like, well, let's pray about hunting and seal.
(22:06):
We come up with, we usually have either ended up with the exact same number Yep.
That we had in mind.
Or Tina's come up with a, a number much bigger than mine, just be honest.
I'll say, I think we should give, you know, this much to those folks who are like, oh, I was thinking like three times.
Usually it's the same number, but I, but I, I trust your heart and good for you, Tina.
Her heart of generosity has helped remind me over and over again that she sees God as a great and generous God able to refill the barrel if we just trust him and pour it out for others.
(22:35):
So I just wanna encourage.
Everybody go ahead and tip over the barrel,
Heath Hollensbe (22:40):
you know?
Caesar Kalinowski (22:40):
Yeah.
Like just dump it out and let everybody, you know, splash around in it and enjoy it and have a blast.
Heath Hollensbe (22:46):
And one of the ways that's so easy to tie this into everyday life is just almost every listener, I'm assuming.
Probably goes out to eat once a month or once every couple weeks.
And tipping is such a great way to tangibly put this into practice.
Uh, so like when we're eating at a restaurant, Kathleen and I sometimes won't go out to nice restaurants or won't go out to restaurants simply 'cause we don't have the money to tip well.
(23:07):
And so we're like, yeah, we'll do something less.
'cause we, when we go out, we wanna show like God is generous and yeah.
And uh, so what are your thoughts on tipping?
Like is it a hassle or is it a really great opportunity for us to practice generosity?
Caesar Kalinowski (23:19):
Well,
Heath Hollensbe (23:19):
you sort just
Caesar Kalinowski (23:20):
kinda
Heath Hollensbe (23:20):
answered, well, let me tell you Caesar.
Yeah, it's a great opportunity to practice
Caesar Kalinowski (23:24):
generosity.
Okay, so here's this term.
Okay.
It's called Gospel Tipping.
Yep.
And as far as I know it was, it was my friend, and you know him as well, Jeff VanDerill.
I think he first coined that phrase, okay, you know, you can go, you can gospel hyphenate, anything's a gospel tipping.
Um, and it was his suggestion that we tip people, you know, waiters, baristas, taxi driver, a doorman, whatever.
In light of how well we believe God has blessed us.
(23:47):
In accordance with our performance.
Hmm.
Right.
Lemme say that again.
That's so good too.
Yeah.
We tend to tip in light of how we believe God's blessed us in light of our performance.
Hmm.
So it works like this.
We usually give good tips to people who we believe have given us good service.
Yep.
They've performed up to our level of expectation and we might tip quite a bit less or withhold a gratuity altogether from folks that we think have given us poor service.
(24:14):
Or had a less than awesome attitude.
Yeah.
Right.
That's so see it's talk about, we talked last week in the parenting thing about transactional parenting.
Yeah.
So, you know, we tend to tip on people's performance.
Mm-hmm.
But if we were to stop for a moment and ask ourselves how generous was God with me?
You know, when I was, when I was still holding my fist up to him in defiance and rebellion, believing I could be my own God, how generous was he to me?
(24:36):
Yeah.
Well, the answer is to that my friend, is that he gave his most valuable and precious resource, his own son, Jesus, to pay our full sin tab.
Yeah.
And redeem us.
Right.
And so in truth, the more sinful we are, the greater in proportion his gift was.
Right?
Yep.
Scripture even talks about that, in other words.
(24:56):
And so in truth, the more sinful we are, the greater in proportion his gift to us is.
Right?
Heath Hollensbe (25:02):
Yep.
Caesar Kalinowski (25:02):
It wasn't like, Hey, we were sinning and God like just.
Threw a little some change at us and said, well, I hope that helps in your crappy life.
And it's like, no.
He completely took on and took over the payment for our sin, which was death upon himself.
He definitely over tipped us.
Yeah.
Right.
Absolutely.
And so when we don't tip generously, in some ways it reveals the truth in our own hearts that, that we may not be really fully believing the gospel because if God gave us what we deserved, yep.
(25:29):
We be screwed and, but he didn't.
Right?
Yeah.
And so, so good.
So, and now, you know, if we shift our thinking, tipping can become this act of expressing the good news tangibly to others.
Hmm.
And it, you know what, and I think I, this is, I'll be honest with you, sometimes people don't know why we're tipping or over tipping.
And I, and I know people that are like, Hey, I just wanna give you a little extra tip.
(25:50):
You know why?
'cause God's great and he's, you know,
Heath Hollensbe (25:52):
you can, you don't need to, it's okay.
Caesar Kalinowski (25:55):
You know, because for me, I'll be honest with you, um.
Tipping and over tipping actually realigns my own heart.
Yeah.
And reminds me of how over the top generous dad is.
Heath Hollensbe (26:03):
Yeah.
In heaven it
Caesar Kalinowski (26:04):
does equally as much for us as anything we could give away.
That's right.
And even more than how others perceive my tipping, I need to tip well to remind myself of what I received and I didn't deserve it.
Heath Hollensbe (26:15):
Yeah.
Caesar Kalinowski (26:16):
You know, and I've, I, I can remember having a conversation with people who were like, oh, I just can't, I just can't tip someone who has bad service.
I think all you're doing is rewarding.
Reinforcing bad service.
You're like, but doesn't scripture say that it's God's kindness that leads to repentance.
Yeah.
So why don't you just leave a track on the table and then that leads back to what you're saying with the waitress friends of yours that don't wanna work on Sundays.
Yeah.
'cause Christians don't tip.
(26:36):
It's that kind of false, like weird theology and belief around finance and money and God's generosity and how well they think of themselves.
I guess
Heath Hollensbe (26:44):
I've earned this.
I know a guy who used to have a, a stack of singles that when he sat down to a meal.
He would go like, here's your tip.
And every time you come back and there's, and my water's not full, I'm taking one of these back.
And so, oh boy, you're just like, I mean, this is a godly man too, that you're going like, dude, boom.
That's his view of God.
Caesar Kalinowski (26:59):
That's his view of God.
Absolutely.
Isn't that crazy?
So, so I share all that because you know, that tipping story is, you know, 'cause it is a bit of an exercise.
I say go for it.
Like over tip chip generously.
Trust God in that and see what it does to your own heart.
And when you don't feel like it, have that conversation.
What am I not believing about?
My own reception of grace and value.
Um.
'cause it really does review how we view money and finances and living generously and all that.
Heath Hollensbe (27:23):
Absolutely man.
So what advice would you give to those who are feeling even right now that they need to make some changes in light of this conversation?
Well, how
Caesar Kalinowski (27:30):
about, 'cause we're kind of running late.
Yep.
How about I give that advice in the form of this week's big three?
Heath Hollensbe (27:35):
Yeah.
Perfect.
As always, each episode we give you three things that you can take away from all of this.
We call those the big three.
Three things that we want you to know and believe that you could right now go out and get started with in light of today's discussion, and you can get this for free.
It's a free download as always, by going to everyday Disciple dot com slash big three.
Again, that's everyday Disciple dot com slash big three.
(27:58):
Alright, Caesar, what are the big three for this three?
Okay.
Big three.
I'm gonna
Caesar Kalinowski (28:01):
go right through 'em.
Uh, first know that all of your resources in life came after you were born.
They were tools given to us throughout this life in all kinds of various ways, by God to show his love and grace and generosity in the.
Okay.
And sure we get to enjoy them too because God loves his kids and he wants us to enjoy those blessings, but they're primarily given to show his grace and generosity.
(28:25):
That's great.
Second, God's looking for conduits of his grace.
So live as a conduit, not as a barrel.
Storing up treasures of your own, you know, for your own use and sort of sort of self-managed future trust God, there's way more where that came from.
Okay.
And then third, um.
You won't be taking any of your financial or stuff resources with you when you die, so I just wanna say bounce your last check.
Heath Hollensbe (28:51):
Yeah.
Caesar Kalinowski (28:51):
Live crazy generous lives.
You can't outgive God and just try it.
You know?
There's only one thing in scripture that says, you know, the scripture says, don't test God.
Jesus says, don't try to test God.
Yeah.
There's one thing that says, test God in this generos.
Huh?
It's the one thing.
Test him live as a conduit.
Check it out.
Watch that.
He goes, that's what I've been looking for.
So live crazy, crazy, generous lives.
(29:12):
Bounce your last check.
Yeah.
Like give it to your kids while you're alive.
Whatever you wanna do, but just live generously and when you go out, can't take it with you anyway.
Have a zero balance.
Heath Hollensbe (29:20):
See, that is so good.
This has been such a good, hard alignment even for me, man.
Thanks for great, man.
Cool.
Hey.
Uh, time's up, sadly, but Wow.
We'll have another one of these next week.
Uh, if you want the free download for this week's big three again to get that for free, it's everyday Disciple dot com slash big three.
Hey, next week we talk about decision fatigue.
We have so much constantly attacking.
(29:42):
Too much to do.
Yeah, we're exhausted to make, make, I can't take the decision.
Yeah.
We're exhausted from having to make decisions all the time.
Maybe you're there.
I've sure been there.
We're gonna address it and we hope you'll join us for that.
Uh, and if you're joining the content from this podcast, be sure to head over to iTunes and do a couple things for us.
Subscribe, like we said, thanks at the beginning of this.
Super helpful.
Maybe we'll read
Caesar Kalinowski (30:01):
yours off next time.
Heath Hollensbe (30:02):
Yeah.
So is that called gospel comment for us?
Gospel commenting?
Yeah.
Write the show.
Lots of stars.
Write of a short review for us that helps us, encourages us as we sit here and we stare at each other, wondering if this is actually making a difference in those comments.
We know it is.
Yeah, we got a lot of emails.
You're super helpful.
We'll start reading some emails maybe once in a while.
That'd be great.
Thanks for joining us today.
For more information on this show and to get loads of free discipleship resources, visit everyday Disciple dot com and remember, you really can live with a spiritual freedom and relational peace that Jesus promised every day.
Are you living as a conduit or a barrel?
A conduit.
It's like a pipe.
Okay.
Okay.
Like I grew up in Illinois where electrical wires run through a conduit.
Oh yeah.
Conduit.
Okay.
Right.
So, but anything a conduit's, the way you channel one thing from one place to another, right.
That's how you get that.
Right.
It's something that water or electricity, or any other supply is routed from one place to another, a barrel.
(00:21):
Everybody knows what a barrel is.
Yep.
You know, like a big wooden barrel, or it could be a metal barrel or whatever, 55 gallon drum kind of thing.
Sure.
Um, is for storing up resources for holding onto them for later use.
So back to the question, are you living in light of finances and resources that God's pouring into your life?
Are you living like a conduit or a barrel?
Uh, it's a convicting question, right?
(00:43):
God is looking for conduits of his grace and generosity.
He's not looking for barrels to store those things in coveting our things and acting as if they're like our own source of income and supply, and it's my money and my time and so on.
It shows that our hearts are not at peace and ultimately trusting God for all that stuff.
Heath Hollensbe (01:13):
Welcome to the Everyday Disciple Podcast, where you'll learn how to live with greater intentionality and an integrated faith that naturally fits into every area.
Life.
In other words, discipleship as a lifestyle.
This is the stuff your parents, pastors and seminary professors probably forgot to tell you.
And now here's your host, Caesar Kalinowski.
Caesar Kalinowski (01:32):
Hey brother.
Hey man.
What's going on?
Are you gonna throw your mom under the bus again this week?
You,
Heath Hollensbe (01:37):
you know what's funny is she did say something that I thought was, she said, could you rewrite that to, instead of it being the stuff your parents, teachers, and pastors forgot to tell you.
Could you rewrite that to the things they never taught you?
Because they didn't know themselves.
Alright.
I was like,
Caesar Kalinowski (01:49):
we're not gonna rewrite it there Ma Hollensbe, but we're
gonna, but we are gonna acknowledge that.
Yeah.
That that's the truth in most cases.
It's like not only they didn't teach you 'cause they weren't taught it either.
Yeah, they weren't taught it either.
All right.
There's plenty of grace from ma. Oh, Ma Hollensbe listening from Nashville.
Hey, you know what, um, I wanna take a second here to thank our listeners who've been like going over to iTunes, just like we ask.
(02:12):
Yeah.
And they, you know, there's subscribing.
'cause I can see that Monday morning, like that number's climbing up quick, which means it's being pushed out in the feed.
Um, but they're also rating and reviewing us.
Really cool.
So like, like, uh, someone named BF Chris, my best friend Chris, we ever said, if you're.
If you're wishing for a deeper walk with God, especially one in community and discipling others, this podcast is filled with great ideas for changing your lifestyle to one where your faith touches every part of your life.
(02:36):
Wow.
Oh, thanks Chris.
Man, that's like, that's exactly what we want.
I wish I'd have written that.
Um, Dan PR says, great podcast.
Thanks for helping me live an integrated life.
And that's, yeah, that's cool.
That's the other thing, right?
So anyway, I thank you guys.
Please do that.
But still help.
But just know we are really encouraged by that.
And, um, not that we need to be stroked and all, but, you know, uh, we're.
Heath and I are sitting here talking.
(02:56):
You know, we're in a
room and we don't get to hear that.
We see
numbers, we know people, someone's listening, but it's nice to have a name and just go.
Oh, thanks.
That's
Heath Hollensbe (03:02):
great.
So thanks.
Yeah.
I just wanna say thanks for that.
That's really cool.
Hey, Caesar, today we're talking about money.
The one thing that we like to let Jesus into our hearts, but not into our bank accounts.
Yeah.
Caesar Kalinowski (03:11):
I
Heath Hollensbe (03:12):
invited Jesus
Caesar Kalinowski (03:12):
into my heart.
I trust him for my eternity, but not for my finances.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Uh, busted.
Yeah.
Heath Hollensbe (03:18):
Yeah.
So today we're talking about that, uh, we're talking about finances and even the heart behind that as followers of Jesus.
It's always the issue, right?
The thing behind the thing.
Caesar Kalinowski (03:24):
Yeah, absolutely.
Money, money's paper, you know, or it's just digits digitally now, but like how we view it.
Yeah.
How we use it.
What do we think it's for?
Whose is it?
It says a lot
Heath Hollensbe (03:33):
about what we believe about God.
Right?
Caesar Kalinowski (03:34):
Yeah.
Heath Hollensbe (03:35):
Right.
Does, yeah.
Tell us a little bit about like, uh, the depression.
I remember you, you were sharing this with me about your grandparents used to live
Caesar Kalinowski (03:41):
Well, I mean, this is, okay, so just like your mom was saying, you know, like, this is the stuff our parents never taught us 'cause their parents never taught them.
Sure.
My views on money were very shaped by my parents.
Okay.
And, and more specifically, I think my dad.
Heath Hollensbe (03:54):
Okay.
Caesar Kalinowski (03:54):
And my dad was born in 1930, so like boom height of the depression.
Yeah.
Right.
And his parents, they were the parents during that as they lived through it.
And it's ho it was horrifying time, you know, seeing these documentaries in History Channel.
Right.
It was terrible.
And it was, you know, people were, you know, it's the breadlines, all that stuff was real.
You had nothing.
Everybody lost everything, you know, and so when you're born into that right, that, that, you know, my, the way my grandparents viewed it and then my dad having to grow up in that.
(04:18):
I remember him telling us all these stories about.
So born in 30, so like now, like you're talking late thirties, right?
They're just, you know, America's just starting to barely tip its nose up out of that.
Sure.
But you still don't have anything.
But maybe now at least you're starting to eat.
And he would say like, oh yeah.
Um, I used to get, uh, you know, uh, newspapers delivered to the, you know, so and so corner, and it was a corner we still didn't even live that far away from.
(04:40):
I could picture his kid, huh.
And, and I'd sell papers all day on the weekends.
And he said I'd sell so many papers that guys would stack 'em up.
And it was like, it was like a windbreak.
I'd be in like three sides stacked higher than me, and I'd sell all of 'em on a Saturday.
Wow.
I's like, what'd you net for that daddy?
He says, well, if I sold 'em all, there was like 200 of them I'd, you know, I'd make like, you know, like 50 cents.
Wow.
Or something.
I don't know who a number was back then.
(05:00):
Right?
And I go, wow, what'd you do that?
He goes, well, I always gave my mom a quarter.
Okay.
And that would like basically feed us.
For like three days.
Sure.
And then I took a cold quarter myself and I, that was enough to get a movie popcorn, a soda, and I could buy a couple comic books that week, you know.
Wow.
Or something.
Right.
And so that, and he says, and then when I got a little older, I started caddying, you know, at a golf course.
Sure.
And when I got big and you get a, you get a buck bag and I was a lot of money back, you know, like that was like probably in 42 or 45 or something.
(05:25):
Right.
And he goes and I get a bucket bags, sometimes I'd carry two bags.
I'm like, and I can picture picture myself.
And I was like so skinny up until like, still, you know, but, but I remember thinking like, you're 15 carrying two full bags of golf clubs, debt golf clubs.
Yeah.
He said, but I make two bucks like that.
That was like a. Yeah.
That's like what people making a whole day at a job.
Job.
Yeah.
He says, your uncle Ray four bags, he carried four bags on a Saturday.
(05:48):
You know, I'm like, how's that possible?
You know?
And he always had stories.
He always had stories about the guys who, they carry their bags and they were rich and he knew it, you know, 'cause they'd sellwhat they pulled up in and, and they'd hear 'em talking right about their jobs or how they, you know, how much money they made.
And they wouldn't tip 'em, they wouldn't get that dollar tip 'cause they actually caddied for free.
But the standard was you tip the kid a buck.
Yep.
He said, but some of these guys wouldn't.
And he'd name 'em like he still all these years later would remember their name.
(06:11):
Oh, so and so blankety blank.
You know that guy?
Never, he was so cheap.
You know?
Heath Hollensbe (06:14):
Isn't that crazy?
It's, it's interesting 'cause I, when I was living in Nashville, we used to go to his favorite place every Sunday after church.
And I remember we had this new waitress and I was.
I, I remember one morning after church going like, how, how you doing?
She's like, I hate Sundays.
She's like, what do you mean?
She's like, Christians show up after church and they never tip.
I was like, whoa.
I mean, that's unfortunately, we're famous for that.
Yeah.
She's like, we actually bid, like we try to switch schedules so that we don't have to work on Sundays.
(06:37):
I'm like, oh, that is so sad.
I've been come and worship and wow.
Hey, let's come
Caesar Kalinowski (06:41):
back to that idea of tipping later.
Okay.
Yeah.
Yeah, that'd be fun.
So needless to say.
You know, my dad being born in the depression, growing up that way, and then never, he never really made a whole lot of money, though we never lacked for anything.
Sure.
Um, it has filtered into how I kinda see and use money and I, I'll be honest, and, and Tina and I talk about it a lot, there is still sort of, I guess I'd call it a little bit of a scarcity mentality.
(07:04):
Sure.
Not like we don't have enough, like I, so maybe that's not the right word for it, but I, I kind of, I always feel like I'm looking down the road to know, am I working hard enough that more will be coming?
Heath Hollensbe (07:14):
Huh.
Caesar Kalinowski (07:14):
And it betrays where that money even comes from.
Yeah.
And then I, if I sit and talk about it, I go, that's just, I don't even believe that, but I, my heart tends it, you know?
I mean, yeah.
Tends it sure.
Like it leans that way because my dad, part of growing up that way is his work, his work ethic that he, you know, infused into me and the kid.
My, you know, my sibs, it's hard, man.
You know, I work hard.
Yeah, you work really hard.
(07:34):
I love to work, so that's not the issue, but it can get spun around the spokes, you know, I can get all kind of jacked up on that.
And now I'm not having joy in my work and I'm working.
To earn versus working from freedom and all that.
So yeah.
Heath Hollensbe (07:46):
Geez.
Well, Tim Keller, one of my favorites, uh, when he talks about money, he says that money has a tremendous power over us, each and every one of us.
For some it's our significance, and for others it's our security.
What do you think about that
Caesar Kalinowski (07:59):
significance or security?
Um, yeah, right.
I think so.
The thing about what's significance is like I'm worth more.
Yep.
I see myself as more valuable and I hope slash believe that others.
See me the same, see me that way.
Like IE more significant because of what I have financially or stuff, you know?
Sure.
So when we talk money, by the way, today, just so you know, you know, and our listeners know, I'm not talking about necessarily your bank account or your stack, you know, of money in your pocket or whatever.
(08:27):
I mean, money buys stuff right, too.
And, and there's more debt in America than ever before.
So I'm just gonna talk about money in light of like possessions and resource and stuff.
Heath Hollensbe (08:35):
Yeah.
Caesar Kalinowski (08:36):
So it's money.
But it ain't just, I'm not talking about just currency.
Sure.
You know what I mean?
So That's great.
Um, so yeah, so how, how our like what our stuff is leads to significance.
Yeah.
I think that's real.
And I, I could probably sit and think through and spirit would poke me pretty quick on things and I go, you know, I feel pretty significant 'cause I have that Sure.
All right.
Was able to go there and do that.
(08:56):
Yeah.
You know, type of thing or something.
And then the second part of what Tim said there is, you know, or, um, for others it's their security.
I think that one probably actually hits closer to my own heart, like what I was just sharing.
Sure.
That's sort of a bit of a scarcity mentality is like, well, um, I know my security's in Christ and he's the great provider.
Yeah.
But I gotta work hard.
'cause you know, the scripture says, you know, if you, if you don't work, you shouldn eat.
(09:18):
You know, it's like, like, don't take that one outta context.
You know what I mean?
Sure, sure.
So, yeah, I think Tim's absolutely right.
It has not only has tremendous power, but it has tremendous power over our hearts.
But you know what that.
Both those things betray our unbelief.
Heath Hollensbe (09:31):
Yeah.
Caesar Kalinowski (09:31):
Like if I think my significance comes from what I have and own and my money, then I don't, then I'm saying, God, the significance I have as being your image bearer, it's not as good.
Yep.
It'd be better to have significance from being a wealthy God.
Heath Hollensbe (09:44):
Yeah.
Caesar Kalinowski (09:44):
Or if I think my security in life, and I'm not even talking about like our eternal security.
Sure.
That's the big one.
Ho ha.
You know?
Yeah.
But that one proves the, the lesser securities that like, Hey, dad's got us.
And if I think I actually am, it's my own security for the future, my kids' security, you know, I'm actually providing it.
Sure.
Then I'm basically saying I'm a better securer, I'm a better provider than God.
(10:07):
Yeah.
And I see, I'm gonna say no, that's unbelief and, and I can just call in and out.
I go, I don't believe it, but you know what we, you're living way it shows we live.
Yeah, exactly.
Absolutely.
Yeah.
So I think ultimately we get to, uh, break free from our slavery to money.
By trusting and treasuring.
Yeah, truly valuing Jesus.
(10:27):
And, and, and like I said, the big e on the eye chair was that he was willing to go and pay the ultimate price.
In other words, he, he gave all the value his life so that we may be his ultimate treasure.
Wow, that's so good man.
Right?
So we treasure him because of how he treasured us.
Boy does that put money in perspective right off the bat.
Thanks Tim Keller.
Heath Hollensbe (10:48):
Alright,
Caesar Kalinowski (10:48):
so thanks for tuning in.
Heath Hollensbe (10:50):
Have a good week.
Yeah.
Wow.
You know, I work in the ministry and so we're not typically known for being the wealthiest people in the face of the planet, but I'm surrounded by people that financially do make significantly more than me.
Yeah.
I feel that pressure of, you know, feeling like pretty affluent community.
Yeah.
Significance.
I, I feel like man.
If only I can make more money and I could actually go on vacations with the people that invite me to, but I can't because I can't afford it or those sort of things.
(11:14):
Scripture says a lot about money and most of the time we jack it up.
Like we say, that money's the root of all evil.
And it's like, no, it's not money.
It's the love of money that's the root of all evil.
Lucy.
Caesar Kalinowski (11:22):
Yeah,
Heath Hollensbe (11:22):
you got those two words, change everything or talks about stewardship and investment.
Jesus has quite a bit to say about it.
Um, how do you think the way followers of Jesus spend their money should look different from those who don't yet follow Jesus and why?
Well, you're
Caesar Kalinowski (11:38):
right, Heath.
I mean, it's scripture's full of talk about money.
Yep.
And it's, it's really the love of money.
It's, it's, it's, you know, where our treasure lies kind of thing.
And Jesus actually talks about money and money related issues of the heart more than he talks about heaven in hell or pretty much anything else.
Heath Hollensbe (11:53):
Wow.
Caesar Kalinowski (11:54):
I, I don't have the stats, but I, I have had them somewhere in my laptop.
I have them.
Yeah.
Like how many times he brings up money or possessions or, you know that Yeah.
And how our heart's connected to it way more than everything else.
Well, why would that be?
Kinda like what Tim Keller said earlier, because it has great power over our hearts and what we but start to believe about God.
(12:14):
That's fascinating, man.
And ourselves, right?
Yeah, it is.
And so, so here's, that's pretty interesting to me, but, but here's some things like who sets your priorities when it comes to money?
Like if I just threw that out there into the ozone for you, me and our listeners.
Who sets your priorities when it comes to what you do with the money that has now fallen into your care, your stewardship?
(12:34):
For me, it's, it's what we have and once after budget, then we set our priorities based off that.
Yeah.
Right.
And it's kind of based on our priority money, you know?
Right.
Sure.
Um, and then, then that kinda leads to this next question of like, whose money and resources it really anyway.
Yeah.
You know, I could think about, had a friend of mine that when his, uh, teenage son would like get all, you know, teenagey and like rude and like mad at his dad and wanted to.
(12:57):
Like, you know, he's like, that's it.
Well I'm gonna move out then.
You know, he's still in high school.
He said, I'm moving out then get out.
You know, and he'd say, well, um, I don't want you to, I love you son.
Um, but I mean, I can't stop you.
Just make sure when you leave don't take anything that's mine or that I paid for.
And he out the door for nothing.
(13:18):
He starts looked around, he'd have to go out naked 'cause he, you know, he doesn't have a job yet.
The car, he borrows mom and dad's car.
You know, his dressers bed, all his clothes, those killer Nikes.
Yeah.
You know what I mean?
And so, I mean, maybe that's not the best parenting, you know, last episode we talked about gray space parenting, you know, but, but my, but you know that, what made that stuck in my heart is that, um, we come into the world with nothing.
(13:39):
Yeah.
And so, whose resources is it anyway?
And guess what?
You leave with nothing.
Yeah.
And so that means that all that stuff God pours in.
Now, he might pour it through your parents.
He might pour it through your job.
He might pour it through an inheritance.
Sure.
Um, but.
It's all his and he's just, so that's a good question to ask.
Whose money and resource is it?
Um, here's another question I'd like to ask.
If you lost all of your money tomorrow.
(14:00):
Yep.
So that's like what happened, you know, in the depression, right?
Um, how would your identity, you know, how you view yourself change?
Yeah.
Significantly.
If it did, then you, there's probably, there's a, you got a money issue.
Heath Hollensbe (14:14):
Yeah.
Caesar Kalinowski (14:15):
Or a love of money issue, or you're valuing money and what it brings you back into that significance and security, security thing.
Right.
Like just Right.
Ask yourself that, and let me ask it the other way.
If money were no object or concern in your life, in other words, you had more than you know.
Right.
Sure.
How would your life change?
Would it change?
Let, let me just take off the table.
Well, I have a car that ran every day, you know, and maybe I get a house where my kids each had their own bedroom, so let's just, but beyond that.
(14:40):
Beyond some basic sort of extra comfort stuff.
Yeah.
And I know some people listening don't own a home.
I'm not saying that's, it's huge, but I'm just saying, so if you had money was no concern, how would your life change?
I'm not talking about those, those kinda layers.
How would your life change if all of a sudden money was no issue?
Heath Hollensbe (14:55):
Yeah,
Caesar Kalinowski (14:55):
and again, tie to identity and value and significance.
Isn't it weird that.
I probably should have done some digging up and been the statistic guy on this, um, a very, very high percentage of people that win the lottery.
Yep.
Like ruin their lives.
Heath Hollensbe (15:09):
Yeah.
There was a documentary on that that was fascinating.
Caesar Kalinowski (15:11):
And it's like, it goes so fast.
The money's gone real quick.
But it's not only that like, well back to work, I guess that was fun.
You know, saw the world twice or something.
No, it's that generally it's gone and they've kinda ruined their lives and relationships.
Sure.
Or their lives and relationships have been ruined by the money.
Yeah.
And so you go, huh?
Apparently.
There's two sites that not having enough kind of sucks.
(15:32):
Having too much kinda sucks.
There again, the root of it's all the same thing.
Whose money is it and where do you gain your significance and, and your value and your security from.
Heath Hollensbe (15:41):
So good man.
Caesar Kalinowski (15:42):
Right?
And so, I mean, there again, let me, let me go ahead and just deep dive into some stuff that our brother Jesus shared.
So, um, for those of you like to write these things down, Matthew 13.
Um, he, there's so many cool parables, right?
I, I'm just, I love parables.
Love it, love it, love it.
And here's two, back-to-back parables, and I think there's a reason for this, but in Matthew 13, starting in 44, Jesus says, the kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field.
(16:08):
So he's talking about the kingdom of Heaven.
What's, what's the kingdom of heaven?
That's where those who live under the rule and reign of this perfect God daddy, right?
Yep.
So the kingdom of heaven's like a treasure hidden in a field.
And when a man found it, he hid it again, and then his joy, he went and sold everything else he had, and he bought that field.
So what's, what's the point of that parable?
He, Jesus is saying.
(16:29):
Money here was not as valuable as your relationship and your significance and your security that you have from living in the kingdom.
Yeah.
From dad.
Right.
So
Heath Hollensbe (16:38):
good.
Caesar Kalinowski (16:38):
So, so go ahead and burn it all to gain the real deal that gives it all.
Yep.
Okay.
And then back to back, right.
Starting verse 45, he goes again, the kingdom of heaven like a merchant.
So that's like a, you know, a guy who's a buyer, settle or trader.
Sure.
Um, looking for fine pearls.
And when he found one of great value, he went away and he sold everything else he had and he bought that one.
Huh?
(16:59):
Same thing.
Jesus, back to back.
He's going, do you realize that money's not the point?
Yep.
That in fact it's of so little value that you could give all of it.
If you could gain this real security and real significance, that's already, it's already yours.
Yeah, it's yours, right?
So you're not really giving up anything.
Now, this is cool and powerful too.
In Matthew six, Jesus said this, so it's actually, he said this before the parables, but these are all like in his just hanging out and traveling with the boys.
(17:24):
Right.
But I, to me, this underlines the whole thing goes, do not store up for yourself.
Treasures on earth wear moths and vermin and destroy.
Okay?
So, and this isn't King James, but I don't know vermin.
What's a vermin?
So, so don't store up that stuff right on earth.
Okay?
Um, 'cause it's basically, it's gonna go away anyway.
And where thieves breaking and steal it.
(17:45):
So, in other words, you can't, how much stuff can you hang onto in store?
Okay.
Yeah.
But he says instead, store up for yourself.
Treasures in heaven.
Where moths and vermin do not destroy.
And where thieves do not break it in steal.
And here's the big jam he goes for where your treasure is there, your heart will be also.
Now I kinda was raised where, what that verse meant, and I think it does occlude this, it meant like, Hey, what can you store up in heaven?
(18:10):
You can't take money there.
Can't take it with you.
Um, so what you can store up though is people getting saved.
Huh?
So send that stuff along, you know?
Yeah.
And I think there's truth in that.
There's other verses and we can even talk about that in another episode if you want.
Sure.
But, but this is specifically in light of money.
Jesus parables and talks about money, and so what he's saying is, store up for yourself Treasures in heaven.
(18:30):
Now let's pause for a second.
What's heaven?
Is it a place?
Yes.
Is it a state of being?
Yes.
Sure.
When Jesus taught his disciples, Hey, here's how you pray to dad that that his will.
His righteous, perfect rule and reign, his peace, his perfect shalom would be on earth as it is in heaven.
So Jesus is saying, Hey, store up.
(18:51):
For yourselves.
Treasures in the kingdom, in this rule and reign of God in the way the world works.
When you live free and you have your security in him and you have your identity and your significance in him, that's where you wanna put your effort and your resources towards.
Yeah.
He's not talking about for some day far away.
He's going right now.
Right now.
Yeah.
Right now.
(19:12):
Right.
And for where your treasure is, if it's in God's kingdom, if it's in his hands, yeah.
Perfectly.
Then your heart will also be there, which means when you then.
Basically give it all back to God and I wanna live in your righteous rule, Andre, trust you for it all.
So what I'll go is I'll invest in that.
Yep.
Then my heart will be there, which means I will have peace and I will believe the security I have and I'll believe the significance that only comes from God and then the pressure's off.
(19:37):
That's so good.
I mean that is deep.
That's, that's really, it's, it's just three verses.
I mean, go and dig it up.
Right.
So let me ask you a question kinda outta the blue, a little bit of a weird thing.
Okay.
Are you and Kathleen, are you living as a conduit?
A barrel.
I have no clue what you're talking about.
Okay.
All right.
So a conduit.
(19:58):
It's, it's like a pipe.
Okay.
Okay.
Like, like I grew up in Illinois where electrical wires run through a conduit.
Oh yeah.
Condu.
Okay.
Right.
So, but anything a conduit's, the way you channel one thing.
From one place to another.
Right.
Okay.
That's how you get that right.
Um, it's something that water or electricity or any other supply is routed from one place to another.
A barrel, everybody knows what a barrel is.
Yep.
You know, like a big wooden barrel or it could be a metal barrel or whatever.
(20:19):
55 gallon drum kind of thing.
Sure.
Um, is for storing up resources.
For holding onto them for later use.
Heath Hollensbe (20:25):
Yeah.
I remember
Caesar Kalinowski (20:26):
being in Germany and people run their rain gutters into a big barrel.
Heath Hollensbe (20:29):
Yeah.
Caesar Kalinowski (20:29):
And they catch that water for later use.
Right.
So back to the question, are you living in light of finances and resources that God's pouring into your life?
Are you living like a conduit or a barrel?
It's a convicting question, right?
Yeah.
So I, you know, and I'm not trying to,
Heath Hollensbe (20:45):
I'm not trying to, I mean, you don't have to answer what happens when there's no money to conduit and there's no money to barrel.
There's blessings in all kinds of it.
If you're not living under a
Caesar Kalinowski (20:52):
bridge, you got pretty nice clothes on.
And you know, they're simple in color, very simple.
Um, so God is looking for conduits of his grace in generosity.
He's not looking for barrels to store those things in coveting our things and acting as if they're like.
Our, our own source of income and supply and it's my money and my time and so on.
(21:13):
It shows that our hearts are not at peace and ultimately trusting God for all that stuff.
Remember I said we're talking about money today, but it's really about resource period.
Sure.
Um, we hang onto that stuff because we believe it's in short supply in words.
You know, why it feels like it's in short supply?
'cause it's up to us to generate it.
Hmm.
Yeah.
Crazy, right Carter?
Yeah.
But God owns a cattle on a thousand Hill and so he is looking for conduits that he can just like, I'm gonna pour it into your lap Heath, because what I know you're gonna do is you're gonna both enjoy it.
(21:40):
Yeah.
That's my kid.
'cause I want you to And you're gonna let it go just right back out to someone else.
Yeah.
Because you know why?
'cause you trust me there's more coming.
Yeah.
Or you can live like a barrel, like I'll kick out.
Thanks for that.
A quarter mental.
Yeah.
And I'm gonna, I'm gonna hang onto it 'cause I need it.
That really betrays like our true belief in like, does he really have a lot and Sure.
Is he generous?
So whenever my wife t and I have prayed about like giving a certain amount of money to someone in need, you know, like a need comes up, it's like, well, let's pray about hunting and seal.
(22:06):
We come up with, we usually have either ended up with the exact same number Yep.
That we had in mind.
Or Tina's come up with a, a number much bigger than mine, just be honest.
I'll say, I think we should give, you know, this much to those folks who are like, oh, I was thinking like three times.
Usually it's the same number, but I, but I, I trust your heart and good for you, Tina.
Her heart of generosity has helped remind me over and over again that she sees God as a great and generous God able to refill the barrel if we just trust him and pour it out for others.
(22:35):
So I just wanna encourage.
Everybody go ahead and tip over the barrel,
Heath Hollensbe (22:40):
you know?
Caesar Kalinowski (22:40):
Yeah.
Like just dump it out and let everybody, you know, splash around in it and enjoy it and have a blast.
Heath Hollensbe (22:46):
And one of the ways that's so easy to tie this into everyday life is just almost every listener, I'm assuming.
Probably goes out to eat once a month or once every couple weeks.
And tipping is such a great way to tangibly put this into practice.
Uh, so like when we're eating at a restaurant, Kathleen and I sometimes won't go out to nice restaurants or won't go out to restaurants simply 'cause we don't have the money to tip well.
(23:07):
And so we're like, yeah, we'll do something less.
'cause we, when we go out, we wanna show like God is generous and yeah.
And uh, so what are your thoughts on tipping?
Like is it a hassle or is it a really great opportunity for us to practice generosity?
Caesar Kalinowski (23:19):
Well,
Heath Hollensbe (23:19):
you sort just
Caesar Kalinowski (23:20):
kinda
Heath Hollensbe (23:20):
answered, well, let me tell you Caesar.
Yeah, it's a great opportunity to practice
Caesar Kalinowski (23:24):
generosity.
Okay, so here's this term.
Okay.
It's called Gospel Tipping.
Yep.
And as far as I know it was, it was my friend, and you know him as well, Jeff VanDerill.
I think he first coined that phrase, okay, you know, you can go, you can gospel hyphenate, anything's a gospel tipping.
Um, and it was his suggestion that we tip people, you know, waiters, baristas, taxi driver, a doorman, whatever.
In light of how well we believe God has blessed us.
(23:47):
In accordance with our performance.
Hmm.
Right.
Lemme say that again.
That's so good too.
Yeah.
We tend to tip in light of how we believe God's blessed us in light of our performance.
Hmm.
So it works like this.
We usually give good tips to people who we believe have given us good service.
Yep.
They've performed up to our level of expectation and we might tip quite a bit less or withhold a gratuity altogether from folks that we think have given us poor service.
(24:14):
Or had a less than awesome attitude.
Yeah.
Right.
That's so see it's talk about, we talked last week in the parenting thing about transactional parenting.
Yeah.
So, you know, we tend to tip on people's performance.
Mm-hmm.
But if we were to stop for a moment and ask ourselves how generous was God with me?
You know, when I was, when I was still holding my fist up to him in defiance and rebellion, believing I could be my own God, how generous was he to me?
(24:36):
Yeah.
Well, the answer is to that my friend, is that he gave his most valuable and precious resource, his own son, Jesus, to pay our full sin tab.
Yeah.
And redeem us.
Right.
And so in truth, the more sinful we are, the greater in proportion his gift was.
Right?
Yep.
Scripture even talks about that, in other words.
(24:56):
And so in truth, the more sinful we are, the greater in proportion his gift to us is.
Right?
Heath Hollensbe (25:02):
Yep.
Caesar Kalinowski (25:02):
It wasn't like, Hey, we were sinning and God like just.
Threw a little some change at us and said, well, I hope that helps in your crappy life.
And it's like, no.
He completely took on and took over the payment for our sin, which was death upon himself.
He definitely over tipped us.
Yeah.
Right.
Absolutely.
And so when we don't tip generously, in some ways it reveals the truth in our own hearts that, that we may not be really fully believing the gospel because if God gave us what we deserved, yep.
(25:29):
We be screwed and, but he didn't.
Right?
Yeah.
And so, so good.
So, and now, you know, if we shift our thinking, tipping can become this act of expressing the good news tangibly to others.
Hmm.
And it, you know what, and I think I, this is, I'll be honest with you, sometimes people don't know why we're tipping or over tipping.
And I, and I know people that are like, Hey, I just wanna give you a little extra tip.
(25:50):
You know why?
'cause God's great and he's, you know,
Heath Hollensbe (25:52):
you can, you don't need to, it's okay.
Caesar Kalinowski (25:55):
You know, because for me, I'll be honest with you, um.
Tipping and over tipping actually realigns my own heart.
Yeah.
And reminds me of how over the top generous dad is.
Heath Hollensbe (26:03):
Yeah.
In heaven it
Caesar Kalinowski (26:04):
does equally as much for us as anything we could give away.
That's right.
And even more than how others perceive my tipping, I need to tip well to remind myself of what I received and I didn't deserve it.
Heath Hollensbe (26:15):
Yeah.
Caesar Kalinowski (26:16):
You know, and I've, I, I can remember having a conversation with people who were like, oh, I just can't, I just can't tip someone who has bad service.
I think all you're doing is rewarding.
Reinforcing bad service.
You're like, but doesn't scripture say that it's God's kindness that leads to repentance.
Yeah.
So why don't you just leave a track on the table and then that leads back to what you're saying with the waitress friends of yours that don't wanna work on Sundays.
Yeah.
'cause Christians don't tip.
(26:36):
It's that kind of false, like weird theology and belief around finance and money and God's generosity and how well they think of themselves.
I guess
Heath Hollensbe (26:44):
I've earned this.
I know a guy who used to have a, a stack of singles that when he sat down to a meal.
He would go like, here's your tip.
And every time you come back and there's, and my water's not full, I'm taking one of these back.
And so, oh boy, you're just like, I mean, this is a godly man too, that you're going like, dude, boom.
That's his view of God.
Caesar Kalinowski (26:59):
That's his view of God.
Absolutely.
Isn't that crazy?
So, so I share all that because you know, that tipping story is, you know, 'cause it is a bit of an exercise.
I say go for it.
Like over tip chip generously.
Trust God in that and see what it does to your own heart.
And when you don't feel like it, have that conversation.
What am I not believing about?
My own reception of grace and value.
Um.
'cause it really does review how we view money and finances and living generously and all that.
Heath Hollensbe (27:23):
Absolutely man.
So what advice would you give to those who are feeling even right now that they need to make some changes in light of this conversation?
Well, how
Caesar Kalinowski (27:30):
about, 'cause we're kind of running late.
Yep.
How about I give that advice in the form of this week's big three?
Heath Hollensbe (27:35):
Yeah.
Perfect.
As always, each episode we give you three things that you can take away from all of this.
We call those the big three.
Three things that we want you to know and believe that you could right now go out and get started with in light of today's discussion, and you can get this for free.
It's a free download as always, by going to everyday Disciple dot com slash big three.
Again, that's everyday Disciple dot com slash big three.
(27:58):
Alright, Caesar, what are the big three for this three?
Okay.
Big three.
I'm gonna
Caesar Kalinowski (28:01):
go right through 'em.
Uh, first know that all of your resources in life came after you were born.
They were tools given to us throughout this life in all kinds of various ways, by God to show his love and grace and generosity in the.
Okay.
And sure we get to enjoy them too because God loves his kids and he wants us to enjoy those blessings, but they're primarily given to show his grace and generosity.
(28:25):
That's great.
Second, God's looking for conduits of his grace.
So live as a conduit, not as a barrel.
Storing up treasures of your own, you know, for your own use and sort of sort of self-managed future trust God, there's way more where that came from.
Okay.
And then third, um.
You won't be taking any of your financial or stuff resources with you when you die, so I just wanna say bounce your last check.
Heath Hollensbe (28:51):
Yeah.
Caesar Kalinowski (28:51):
Live crazy generous lives.
You can't outgive God and just try it.
You know?
There's only one thing in scripture that says, you know, the scripture says, don't test God.
Jesus says, don't try to test God.
Yeah.
There's one thing that says, test God in this generos.
Huh?
It's the one thing.
Test him live as a conduit.
Check it out.
Watch that.
He goes, that's what I've been looking for.
So live crazy, crazy, generous lives.
(29:12):
Bounce your last check.
Yeah.
Like give it to your kids while you're alive.
Whatever you wanna do, but just live generously and when you go out, can't take it with you anyway.
Have a zero balance.
Heath Hollensbe (29:20):
See, that is so good.
This has been such a good, hard alignment even for me, man.
Thanks for great, man.
Cool.
Hey.
Uh, time's up, sadly, but Wow.
We'll have another one of these next week.
Uh, if you want the free download for this week's big three again to get that for free, it's everyday Disciple dot com slash big three.
Hey, next week we talk about decision fatigue.
We have so much constantly attacking.
(29:42):
Too much to do.
Yeah, we're exhausted to make, make, I can't take the decision.
Yeah.
We're exhausted from having to make decisions all the time.
Maybe you're there.
I've sure been there.
We're gonna address it and we hope you'll join us for that.
Uh, and if you're joining the content from this podcast, be sure to head over to iTunes and do a couple things for us.
Subscribe, like we said, thanks at the beginning of this.
Super helpful.
Maybe we'll read
Caesar Kalinowski (30:01):
yours off next time.
Heath Hollensbe (30:02):
Yeah.
So is that called gospel comment for us?
Gospel commenting?
Yeah.
Write the show.
Lots of stars.
Write of a short review for us that helps us, encourages us as we sit here and we stare at each other, wondering if this is actually making a difference in those comments.
We know it is.
Yeah, we got a lot of emails.
You're super helpful.
We'll start reading some emails maybe once in a while.
That'd be great.
Thanks for joining us today.
For more information on this show and to get loads of free discipleship resources, visit everyday Disciple dot com and remember, you really can live with a spiritual freedom and relational peace that Jesus promised every day.
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