Biblical Principles for Managing Money in the Family 1

I Am a Steward of the Things God Has Given Me Psalm 24:1 “The earth is the Lord’s, and all its fullness, The world and those who dwell therein.” 1 Corinthians 4:7 “For who makes you differ from another? And what do you have that you did not receive? Now if you did indeed receive it, why do you boast as if you had not received it?”

I Am a Steward of the Things God Has Given Me Luke 12:13-21, esp. 20 “But God said to him, ‘Fool! This night your soul will be required of you; then whose will those things be which you have provided?’” Daniel 5:22-23 “…you have lifted up yourself against the Lord of heaven. And the vessels of his house have been brought in before you, and you and your lords, your wives, and your concubines have drunk wine from them. And you have praised the gods of silver and gold, of bronze, iron, wood, and stone, which do not see or hear or know, but the God in whose hand is your breath, and whose are all your ways, you have not honored.”

Put God First God is first – Matthew 6:33 “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.” 1 Corinthians 4:7 “For who makes you differ from another? And what do you have that you did not receive? Now if you did indeed receive it, why do you boast as if you had not received it?”

Put God First Each should give as he is prospered. –1 Corinthians 16:2 “On the first day of the week let each one of you lay something aside, storing up as he may prosper, that there be no collections when I come.” Each should give as he purposes in his heart –2 Corinthians 9:7a “So let each one give as he purposes in his heart,…” Each should give cheerfully –2 Corinthians 9:7 “…not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver.”

Put God to the Test Malachi 3:8-9 “Will man rob God? Yet you are robbing me. But you say, 'How have we robbed you?' In your tithes and contributions. You are cursed with a curse, for you are robbing me, the whole nation of you.” Malachi 3:10 “Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. And thereby put me to the test, says the LORD of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you a blessing until there is no more need.”

Put God to the Test Proverbs 11:24-25 “There is one who scatters, yet increases more; And there is one who withholds more than is right, But it leads to poverty. The generous soul will be made rich, And he who waters will also be watered himself.” Luke 6:38 “Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you.”

Realize money cannot buy happiness Ecclesiastes 5:10 “He who loves silver will not be satisfied with silver; Nor he who loves abundance, with increase. This also is vanity.” Ecclesiastes 5:13 “There is a severe evil which I have seen under the sun: Riches kept for their owner to his hurt.”

Realize money cannot buy happiness “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matthew 6:19-21).

Put money in the proper perspective Proverbs 23:4-5 “Do not overwork to be rich; Because of your own understanding, cease! Will you set your eyes on that which is not? For riches certainly make themselves wings; They fly away like an eagle toward heaven.”

Put money in the proper perspective Proverbs 11:4 “Riches do not profit in the day of wrath, But righteousness delivers from death.”

Money Is Like Manna Jim Palmer, in “Where’s the ‘Common Cents?’” Think, June, 2007, p. 4. compares money to manna. It is a blessing from God – Exodus 16:4a “Then the LORD said to Moses, “Behold, I will rain bread from heaven for you.” It was temporarily valuable for meeting a need – Exodus 16:16b “Let every man gather it according to each one’s need, one omer for each person, according to the number of persons; let every man take for those who are in his tent.”

Money Is Like Manna It eventually became worthless and hoarding was not tolerated – Exodus 16:20 “Notwithstanding they did not heed Moses. But some of them left part of it until morning, and it bred worms and stank. And Moses was angry with them.” It had to be managed as a resource – Exodus 16: –So they gathered it every morning, every man according to his need. And when the sun became hot, it melted.

Money Is Like Manna It had to be managed as a resource – Exodus 16: –And so it was, on the sixth day, that they gathered twice as much bread, two omers for each one. –And all the rulers of the congregation came and told Moses. Then he said to them, “This is what the LORD has said: ‘Tomorrow is a Sabbath rest, a holy Sabbath to the LORD. Bake what you will bake today, and boil what you will boil; and lay up for yourselves all that remains, to be kept until morning.’”

Money Is Like Manna It had to be managed as a resource – Exodus 16:21-27 –So they laid it up till morning, as Moses commanded; and it did not stink, nor were there any worms in it. –Then Moses said, “Eat that today, for today is a Sabbath to the LORD; today you will not find it in the field. Six days you shall gather it, but on the seventh day, the Sabbath, there will be none.” –Now it happened that some of the people went out on the seventh day to gather, but they found none.”

Financial Planning Is Wise Proverbs 6:6-8 “Go to the ant, you sluggard! Consider her ways and be wise, Which, having no captain, Overseer or ruler, Provides her supplies in the summer, And gathers her food in the harvest.” Proverbs 21:20 “There is desirable treasure, And oil in the dwelling of the wise, But a foolish man squanders it.”

Debts Must Be Repaid Romans 13:7-8 “Render therefore to all their due: taxes to whom taxes are due, customs to whom customs, fear to whom fear, honor to whom honor. Owe no one anything except to love one another, for he who loves another has fulfilled the law.

Save for the Future As soon as is possible, it is a good idea to save between four and six months’ salary. Palmer says, “Einstein called compounding interest the ‘8th wonder of the world.’ $500 per month for 30 10% is over $1 million!