Seeking Godly Counsel
There are scores of secular money-management gurus out there, but
God warned us against consulting them for the management of the
assets He has entrusted to us. “Blessed is the man who walks not in the
counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the path of sinners, nor sits in the
seat of the scornful; but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in
His law he meditates day and night. He shall be like a tree planted by
the rivers of water, that brings forth its fruit in its season, whose leaf
also shall not wither; and whatever he does shall prosper” (Ps. 1:1–3,
NKJV).
So, the man who delights in the law of the Lord (the law here could
be understood more broadly as the Word of God) shall be blessed. How
simple is that? And he will prosper—be successful.
Read Proverbs 3:5–8. How do we apply this principle in our basic
financial matters?
An overview of the biblical counsel on financial management gives
us very valuable points to follow. Let’s look at seven of them.
1. Get organized. Develop a spending plan (Prov. 27:23, 24). Many
families just exist from paycheck to paycheck. Without a simple plan
for earning, spending, and saving, life is much more stressful.
2. Spend less than you earn. Determine to live within your means
(Prov. 15:16). Many families in Western countries actually spend more
than they earn. This is made possible only because of the availability of
credit and debt. Many problems plague those who are in debt.
3. Save a portion from every pay period (Prov. 6:6–8). We save to make
larger purchases in the future and to take care of unplanned expenses, such
as accidents or illness. Some savings can be used to plan for the time when
because of advancing age, we are no longer able to be employed.
4. Avoid debt like COVID-19 (Prov. 22:7). Interest is one expense
you can live without. A person or a family living with debt—that is, on
borrowed money—is really living today on money they expect to earn
in the future. If any life changes occur, then serious financial embar-
rassment can result.
5. Be a diligent worker. “The soul of a lazy man desires and has noth-
ing; but the soul of the diligent shall be made rich” (Prov. 13:4, NKJV).
6. Be financially faithful with God (Deut. 28:1–14). No family can
afford to live without God’s blessing.
7. Remember that this earth is not our real home. Our management
says a lot about where our ultimate priorities are (see Matt. 25:14–21).
