Money Tips from God

Lest we succumb to the false notion that God is opposed to saving and growing money, consider Proverbs 21:20, “The wise store up choice food and olive oil, but fools gulp theirs down” (NIV). It is not more spiritual to live as paupers. God does not expect us to give away every extra dollar that we earn. Instead, we are to exercise wisdom in our giving and our investments as God cautions against recklessly spending all that we make.

Here are some tips from God regarding money matters:

1. Avoid impulse buying, emotional or reactionary investing, and risky investments

Proverbs 21:5 says, “The plans of the diligent certainly lead to profit, but anyone who is reckless certainly becomes poor.” Our spending and our investments should be made with careful thought and attention.

2. Avoid easy money and get-rich-quick schemes

Proverbs 13:11 says, “Wealth gained hastily will dwindle, but whoever gathers little by little will increase it” (ESV). Low interest loans, 0% financing, and money windfalls such as the lottery encourage people to spend money on things they might otherwise avoid. The more we work for our wealth, the more valuable it becomes to us. As such, we tend to be less willing to part with it for non-essential and risky investments and purchases. Ultimately, we are better off slowly and consistently saving money than we are by trying to short-cut the system.

3. Diversify your savings

Ecclesiastes 11:2 says, “Invest in seven ventures, yes, in eight; you do not know what disaster may come upon the land” (NIV). Financial investment is risky business. It is wise to be invested such that when one financial investment is down, another is up.

4. Pay your debts

Romans 13:8 says, “Do not owe anyone anything, except to love one another …”. Strive to not enter into debt. For those who are already in debt, pay off the debt quickly. Do not merely make the minimum payments.

5. Don’t focus on becoming rich

Proverbs 23:5 says, “Do not wear yourself out to get rich …”. There is more to life than making money.

This article is excerpted from the paper “Seeking Refuge in a Precarious Economy.”