Financial Wisdom
Financial Wisdom
Thursday, February 22, 2018
“Financial peace is not the acquisition of stuff. It is learning to live on less than you make, so you can give money back and have money to invest. You cannot win until you do this.” – Dave Ramsey
Like it or not, finances are a big part of our lives; it impacts everything. On the one hand the love of money is the root of all evil causing most divorces, lawsuits, murders, and wars. But on the other hand, some amazing things have been done through money. Through the proper handling of money, hospitals have been built, poor people have been taken care of, and the Gospel of Jesus has reached even remote parts of the world. Money is such a big part of our lives that the way we manage it will even determine how much of our hearts actually belongs to God. Money is not everything, but like it or not, it is a major factor that will determine a lot of things that we can and cannot do. That is why it is important that we be financially wise.
Throughout the Bible, God continually admonishes us to live wisely. The problem is that many people confuse wisdom with intelligence. I happen to know many people that are intelligent but definitely not wise and I bet you do as well. Because, basically speaking a wise person is the one who knows the difference between right and wrong and chooses to do what is right. An unwise person is the one that the Bible refers to as a fool. A fool is a person who knows the difference between right and wrong but chooses to do what is wrong. Now, the goal is not to identify who is wise and who is a fool. The goal is to identify in what areas of our lives are we acting wisely and in what areas are we conducting ourselves as fools.
The wise have wealth and luxury, but fools spend whatever they get. – Proverbs 21:20 NLT
Contrary to popular belief, you do not have to become a financial expert to be financially wise. God has made that easy for us, even for those who do not like math; the single most effective way to build wealth is through savings. On average most millionaires invest approximately 20% of their income every year. They do not measure their wealth based on their annual income but rather on how much they are able to save and invest every year. One of the most important steps that you can take towards becoming financially wise is to first stop spending all of your income. And second, practice setting aside a portion of your income for savings. Remember the fool spends whatever they earn but the financially wise have wealth and luxury.
Questions
- How much and how does your finances impact your life? For example, your relationships including God, your happiness, your stress levels…
- What things would you do if you had more money?
- From a Biblical perspective, what does it mean to be financially wise?
- Do you consider yourself financially wise? Why or why not?
- What percentage of your income do you save?
- What percentage of your income should you save?
Prayer
Heavenly Father, I recognize that I have not always acted wisely with my finances. Today I pray that you would help me to become wise when it comes to the money you have entrusted to me. I want to give more, save more, I want to be wise and live my life according to your word and not according to my desires. Thank you for your word, for your goodness, and for your love. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.
