Managing Money
Main Point: God cares about how we handle our money because it has a significant impact on our hearts and lives.
Don’t
For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs. —1 Timothy 6:10
Keep falsehood and lies far from me; give me neither poverty nor riches, but give me only my daily bread. Otherwise, I may have too much and disown you and say, “Who is the LORD?” Or I may become poor and steal, and so dishonor the name of my God. —Proverbs 30:8-9
Give
Good will come to those who are generous and lend freely, who conduct their affairs with justice. —Psalm 112:5
A generous person will prosper; whoever refreshes others will be refreshed. —Proverbs 11:25
Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Won’t you first sit down and estimate the cost to see if you have enough money to complete it? For if you lay the foundation and are not able to finish it, everyone who sees it will ridicule you, saying, ‘This person began to build and wasn’t able to finish.’ —Luke 14:28–30
Be sure you know the condition of your flocks, give careful attention to your herds; for riches do not endure forever, and a crown is not secure for all generations. —Proverbs 27:23
Avoid
“The rich rule over the poor, and the borrower is slave to the lender.” —Proverbs 22:7
“Debt has been marketed to us for so long that it takes a complete paradigm shift to imagine living without debt.” —Dave Ramsey
The wise store up choice food and olive oil, but fools gulp theirs down. —Proverbs 21:20
The plans of the diligent lead to profit as surely as haste leads to poverty. —Proverbs 21:5
Takeaway: God calls us to handle money wisely so that we can live freely and at peace.
Discussion Questions
How does the way we handle money reveal what’s most important to us? What do you think God wants to be at the center of our financial choices?
Why do you think Scripture warns us about the love of money, as seen in 1 Timothy 6:10? How can we tell if money has too strong a hold on our lives?
What are the benefits of living on a budget according to Luke 14:28–30? How does budgeting help us make wise, faith-based decisions with our resources?
Why does debt make us feel like “slaves,” as Proverbs 22:7 suggests? What are some steps we can take to avoid or reduce debt in our lives?
Table Discussion Question: How can practicing wise money management (budgeting, giving, saving, and avoiding debt) help us live with greater freedom and peace? What changes could you make to align your finances with your faith?