By Randy Alcorn
My Personal Takeaways →This book brings money back to first principles: God owns everything, and we are stewards accountable for how we manage what has been entrusted to us. Randy Alcorn does not offer a get-rich framework; he offers an eternal framework that reshapes spending, saving, giving, and ambition.
The central idea is that financial decisions are spiritual decisions because they reveal what we trust, what we worship, and what kingdom we are building. The book challenges both materialism and fear-driven hoarding by calling for faithful, generous, and wise stewardship grounded in Scripture. Read this if you want your financial life aligned with conviction, not cultural default settings. Implement it by revisiting ownership assumptions, setting intentional generosity targets, simplifying where excess has become a burden, and using resources strategically for family care, gospel impact, and long-term Kingdom purposes.
By Randy Alcorn
The Bible emphatically demonstrates that how we view our money and possessions is of utmost importance. What we do with them will influence eternity.
Jesus told his disciples, “There was a rich man whose manager was accused of wasting his possessions. So he called him in and asked him, ‘What is this I hear about you? Give an account of your management, because you cannot be manager any longer’” (Luke 16:1-2). This parable, like the other “stewardship parables”, shows that God, who is infinitely rich and owns all things, has assigned to human beings management responsibilities over his assets. We can manage his money and possessions well, or—as in the case of this man—poorly. One day we will stand before God and give an account of how we have managed what belongs to him.
Now, it might seem unfair that we won’t formally answer to God for our work as his asset managers until our lives here are done and it’s too late to implement changes based on his performance review. But it’s not unfair. Why? Because God has recorded in the Bible everything we need to know about his investment priorities, his high standards of management, and the rewards he offers his faithful stewards.
This book won’t tell you how to achieve your financial goals, but it will provide the light in which your financial goals should be formulated. That’s why the central focus of this book is not insurance but assurance, not securities but security, not trusts but trust, not principal but principles, not real estate but ‘real’ estate.
As Martin Luther put it, “There are three conversions necessary in the Christian life: the conversion of the heart, the mind, and the purse.”
Many who say, “I have nothing to give,” spend large amounts of discretionary income on cars, clothes, coffee, entertainment, phones, computers, and so on. They have nothing to give when they’re done spending, precisely because they’re never done spending. Then, when they run out of money, they think it’s because they didn’t have enough.
The issue is not what I would do with a million dollars if I had it, but what I am doing with the hundred thousand, ten thousand, or ten dollars I do have. If we are not faithful with what God has already entrusted to us, why should he trust us with any more?
Thousands of verses of Scripture talk directly or indirectly about money and possessions and how God’s people should use them. The sheer enormity of the Bible’s teaching on this subject screams for our attention. Why did Jesus say more about how we are to view and handle money and possessions than about any other topic—including both Heaven and Hell, and prayer and faith? Because God wants us to recognize the powerful relationship between our true spiritual condition and our attitude and actions concerning money and possessions.
Jesus’ interaction with Zacchaeus gives us insight into what God thinks about money. “Zacchaeus stood before the Lord and said, ‘I will give half my wealth to the poor, Lord, and if I have cheated people on their taxes, I will give them back four times as much!’ Jesus responded, ‘Salvation has come to this home today, for this man has shown himself to be a true son of Abraham’” (Luke 19:8-9). Jesus judged the reality of Zacchaeus’s salvation by his willingness—his cheerful eagerness—to part with his money for God’s glory and the good of others.
Someone came to Jesus with this question: “Teacher, what good deed must I do to have eternal life?” … “If you want to receive eternal life, keep the commandments.” “Which ones?” the man asked. And Jesus replied: “You must not murder. You must not commit adultery. You must not steal. You must not testify falsely. Honor your father and mother. Love your neighbor as yourself.” “I’ve obeyed all these commandments,” the young man replied. “What else must I do?” Jesus told him, “If you want to be perfect, go and sell all your possessions and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” But when the young man heard this, he went away sad, for he had many possessions. Then Jesus said to his disciples, “I tell you the truth, it is very hard for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of Heaven. I’ll say it again—it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of God!” The disciples were astounded.
Jesus did not call each and every disciple to liquidate their possessions, give away all their money, and leave their homes. But Jesus knew that money was the rich young man’s god. The principle is timeless: If Christ is not Lord over our money and possessions, he is not our Lord.
When the crowds came to John for baptism, he said, “You brood of snakes! Who warned you to flee God’s coming wrath? Prove by the way you live that you have repented of your sins and turned to God… . Even now the ax of God’s judgment is poised, ready to sever the roots of the trees. Yes, every tree that does not produce good fruit will be chopped down and thrown into the fire.” The crowds asked, “What should we do?” John replied, “If you have two shirts, give one to the poor. If you have food, share it with those who are hungry.” Even corrupt tax collectors came to be baptized and asked, “Teacher, what should we do?” He replied, “Collect no more taxes than the government requires.” “What should we do?” asked some soldiers. John replied, “Don’t extort money or make false accusations. And be content with your pay.” (Luke 3:7-14)
Suppose Luke or John the Baptist were to visit us today and gauge our spiritual condition by our attitudes and actions regarding money and possessions. What conclusions would they draw?
In Mark 12:41-44, we see that our Lord notices—and cares—what people do with their money. “Jesus sat down near the collection box in the Temple and watched as the crowds dropped in their money. Many rich people put in large amounts. Then a poor widow came and dropped in two small coins. Jesus called his disciples to him and said, ‘I tell you the truth, this poor widow has given more than all the others who are making contributions. For they gave a tiny part of their surplus, but she, poor as she is, has given everything she had to live on.’” Notice the passage doesn’t say, “Jesus happened to see… .” No, Jesus deliberately watched what people were giving.
A rich man had a fertile farm that produced fine crops. He said to himself, “What should I do? I don’t have room for all my crops.” Then he said, “I know! I’ll tear down my barns and build bigger ones. Then I’ll have room enough to store all my wheat and other goods. And I’ll sit back and say to myself, ‘My friend, you have enough stored away for years to come. Now take it easy! Eat, drink, and be merry!”’ But God said to him, “You fool! You will die this very night. Then who will get everything you worked for?” Yes, a person is a fool to store up earthly wealth but not have a rich relationship with God. Then, turning to his disciples, Jesus said, “That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food to eat or enough clothes to wear.” The rich fool of Luke 12 stands in stark contrast to the poor widow of Mark 12. He may have attended synagogue weekly, visited the Temple three times a year, tithed, and prayed, as most Jews did. Now, like any good businessman, he wanted to expand by building bigger barns. His purpose was to accumulate enough wealth to retire early and have a good time. Sounds just like the American dream, doesn’t it? Take careful notice: The God who knows hearts and sees from the vantage point of eternity regards the poor woman as eternally wise and the rich man as eternally foolish. Why? Because one was rich toward God and the other wasn’t. Yet who do most Western Christians think and live more like—the poor widow or the rich fool?
According to Romans 14:12, “Each of us will give a personal account to God.” One day we will all have to answer these and other questions: What did I do with all that wealth? What has my handling of money and possessions accomplished for eternity?
A distraught man frantically rode his horse up to John Wesley, shouting, “Mr. Wesley, Mr. Wesley, something terrible has happened! Your house has burned to the ground!” Weighing the news for the moment, Wesley replied, “No. The Lord’s house burned to the ground. That means one less responsibility for me.” We might say, “Get real,” but Wesley’s reaction didn’t stem from a denial of reality. Rather, it sprang from life’s most basic reality—that God is the owner of all things, and we are simply his stewards.
From beginning to end, Scripture emphasizes God’s ownership of everything. Consider carefully the cumulative weight of these verses: • “The earth is the LORD’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it” (Psalm 24:1). • “To the LORD your God belong the heavens, even the highest heavens, the earth and everything in it” (Deuteronomy 10:14). • “The land is mine and you are but aliens and my tenants” (Leviticus 25:23). • “Yours, O LORD, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the majesty and the splendor, for everything in heaven and earth is yours. Yours, O LORD, is the kingdom; you are exalted as head over all. Wealth and honor come from you; you are the ruler of all things” (1 Chronicles 29:11-12). • “Who has a claim against me that I must pay? Everything under heaven belongs to me” (Job 41:11). • “For every animal of the forest is mine, and the cattle on a thousand hills. I know every bird in the mountains, and the creatures of the field are mine. If I were hungry I would not tell you, for the world is mine, and all that is in it” (Psalm 50:10-12). • “‘The silver is mine and the gold is mine,’ declares the LORD Almighty” (Haggai 2:8).
And if we should think, Well, at least I own myself, God says, “You are not your own; you were bought at a price” (1 Corinthians 6:19-20).
Not only does God own everything, but he grants us our money-making skills and determines how much of his wealth he will entrust to us: • “Remember the LORD your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth” (Deuteronomy 8:18). • “The LORD makes poor and makes rich; He brings low and lifts up” (1 Samuel 2:7). • In spending this money, am I acting as if I owned it, or am I acting as the Lord’s trustee?
If we really believe God is the owner of all that has been entrusted to us, shouldn’t we be regularly asking him, “What do you want me to do with your money and your possessions?” And shouldn’t we be open to the possibility that he may want us to share large portions of his assets with those whose needs are greater than ours?
A steward’s primary goal is to be “found faithful” by his master. He proves himself faithful by wisely using the master’s resources to accomplish the tasks delegated to him (1 Corinthians 4:2). Those resources include not only money but time, gifting, relationships, employment, and life opportunities.
If I’m God’s money manager, I’m not God. Money isn’t God. God is God. So God, money, and I are each put in our rightful place.
In this parable, Jesus doesn’t tell us to stay away from “worldly wealth” but to use it strategically. He says to use it “to gain friends for yourselves, so that when it is gone, you will be welcomed into eternal dwellings” (Luke 16:9).
Money can be a tool of Christ. But it must be used as such now, before our current period of service ends.
But who are these friends? They’re believers who are in Heaven as a result of our ministry or whose lives we’ve touched in a significant way through the use of our material assets. Apparently, they’ll have their own “eternal dwellings” and will welcome us in so that we may have a place to stay as we move about the heavenly Kingdom. What a wonderful thought!
As God’s asset managers, what kind of building materials are we sending ahead? Whom have we influenced spiritually to the point that they would welcome us into their eternal dwelling places? To which needy people have we sacrificially given our resources to the glory of God? Every time we give to world missions, famine relief, prison ministry, and Bible translation, whenever we invest our time and prayers, we can dream about the day we’ll meet and enjoy the hospitality of new friends and family, precious people in Heaven. One day, money will be useless. While it’s still useful, God’s money managers with foresight will use it for eternal good.
The parable of the ten minas (Luke 19:11-27) shows that those with comparable gifts, assets, and opportunities will be judged according to their faithfulness, industriousness, and wisdom while investing in God’s Kingdom. Consequently, in God’s eternal Kingdom, they’ll receive varying positions of authority, which Jesus describes as ruling over cities, apparently on the New Earth.
What does Jesus teach us about the property manager? Stewardship. The servants should be acutely aware that they are only caretakers or money managers. It’s their job to take the assets entrusted (not given) to them and use them wisely to care for and expand the master’s estate. Accountability. Because they don’t own these assets, the servants are accountable for them to the master. They will stand before him one day to explain why they invested as they did.
Faithfulness. Servants seek to be trustworthy, to handle their master’s estate in a way that would please him. They do this until the master returns or until death, no matter how many years it may be until then. Stewardship is the servant’s life calling. Resignation isn’t an option. Industriousness. The servants must work hard and do their best. Wisdom. Because they are managing the master’s assets, servants must choose their investments carefully. They can neither afford to take undue risks nor let capital erode through idleness. The goal isn’t merely to conserve resources but to multiply them. The servants must be wise, resourceful, and strategic thinkers regarding the best long-term investments. Respect. The stewards know that the master is just. His instructions are explicit and his expectations high. The master’s generosity ensures that the stewards will be handsomely rewarded if they work wisely. But they also know that if they’re unfaithful, they will feel the master’s wrath. This healthy fear motivates them to good stewardship. Focus. All side interests are brought into orbit around the steward’s one consuming purpose in life—to serve the master well.
When we stand before our Master and Maker, it will not matter how many people on Earth knew our names, how many called us great, or how many considered us fools. It will not matter whether schools and hospitals were named after us, whether our estates were large or small, whether our funerals drew ten thousand or no one. What will matter is one thing and one thing only—what our Master thinks of us.
Two equally incorrect beliefs about money are that it is always evil and that it is always good. But doesn’t the Bible say that “money is the root of all evil”? No, it does not. What it says is this: “The love of money is the root of all kinds of evil” (1 Timothy 6:10).
Materialism is money centered and thing centered rather than God centered. As we’ll see in subsequent chapters, it has no place in the Christian life. The other extreme is asceticism. Asceticism sees money and things as evil. To the ascetic, the less you own, the more spiritual you are. If something isn’t essential, you shouldn’t have it. Materialism and asceticism are rooted in equally wrong views of money and possessions. Martin Luther compared humanity to a drunkard who falls off his horse to the right, gets back on, and then falls off to the left. Asceticism is falling off the horse on one side; materialism is falling off the other side. As Luther said, Satan doesn’t care which side of the horse we fall off, as long as we don’t stay in the saddle.
“Not that I was ever in need, for I have learned how to be content with whatever I have. I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little” (Philippians 4:11-12).
Generating income is a necessary and God-ordained part of life in the present world and is therefore not unspiritual. We should commend those who choose to live simply or strategically so that a larger portion of their income helps the needy. But we should neither disdain income production nor withdraw from “the system,” as if economics were sinful. If we do, we’ll end up contributing to poverty rather than alleviating it. We must all battle materialism—not by withdrawing from society, but by serving God faithfully within it.
God created us to love people and use things, but materialists love things and use people.
When the walls of Jericho fell, Achan stole things set apart for God and thought he could get away with it. He didn’t (Joshua 7:1-26). For a fee, Delilah betrayed Samson to the Philistines (Judges 16:4-8). To gain wealth, Gehazi lied about Elisha’s desire to receive payment for curing Naaman (2 Kings 5:20-27). For this act of greed, God afflicted Gehazi with the leprosy he cured Naaman of. Long before the Israelites had their first king, God warned against a monarch’s temptation to materialism: “The king must not build up a large stable of horses for himself or send his people to Egypt to buy horses, for the LORD has told you, ‘You must never return to Egypt.’ The king must not take many wives for himself, because they will turn his heart away from the LORD. And he must not accumulate large amounts of wealth in silver and gold for himself” (Deuteronomy 17:16-17).
In the ultimate act of treachery, Judas betrayed God’s Son for money.
Don’t be greedy, for a greedy person is an idolater, worshiping the things of this world” (Colossians 3:5). Greed surfaces in possessiveness and covetousness. Possessiveness relates to what we have, being selfish with what we own, not quick to share. Covetousness relates to what we want—longing for and being preoccupied with having what God hasn’t given us, having a passion to possess what is not ours. It takes time to hover over our things, and that time must come from elsewhere—time we might spend cultivating intimacy with God, time in his Word and in prayer, time with family, time visiting the needy, time with people who need Christ. Every item I add to my possessions is one more thing to think about, talk about, clean, repair, display, rearrange, and replace when it goes bad.
Materialism blinds us to our spiritual poverty. It’s a fruitless attempt to find meaning outside of God, the Source of all life and the giver of all good gifts.
Some wonder why God still blesses with wealth many once-godly Western nations. Perhaps the “blessing” is but a curse in disguise. In contrast, times of financial struggle may be God’s character-building gift to us. In the midst of prosperity, the challenge for believers is to handle wealth so that it acts as a blessing, not a curse.
Steinbeck said, “If I wanted to destroy a nation, I would give it too much, and I would have it on its knees, miserable, greedy, sick.”
People store up treasures on Earth rather than in Heaven, not only because of greed and selfishness, but also because of fear and insecurity. Yet putting our hope in earthly treasures does nothing but multiply anxiety. Why? Because earthly treasures are so temporary and uncertain. They cannot bear the weight of our trust. Solomon captured a profound truth: “The sleep of a laborer is sweet, whether he eats little or much, but the abundance of a rich man permits him no sleep” (Ecclesiastes 5:12).
The book of Ecclesiastes is the most powerful exposé of materialism ever written. In it, Solomon, one of history’s wealthiest men, recounts his attempts to find meaning in building projects, entertainment, alcohol, sex, and possessions. “I said to myself, ‘Come on, let’s try pleasure. Let’s look for the “good things” in life.’ But I found that this, too, was meaningless… . I collected great sums of silver and gold, the treasure of many kings and provinces… . I had everything a man could desire! … Anything I wanted, I would take. I denied myself no pleasure” (Ecclesiastes 2:1, 8-10). After decades as the world’s richest man, Solomon said, “But as I looked at everything I had worked so hard to accomplish, it was all so meaningless—like chasing the wind. There was nothing really worthwhile anywhere” (Ecclesiastes 2:11).
“Riches won’t help on the day of judgment, but right living can save you from death” (Proverbs 11:4).
Why trust God when you have all your bases covered? Why pray when you have everything under control? Why ask God for your daily bread when you own the bakery? We pride ourselves on our “financial independence,” but where would we be without God, who gives every breath as a gift? Wealth insulates us from discerning the true depth of our need. God warned his people, before they even set foot in the Promised Land, that the prosperity he intended to give them would actually turn them away from him. “I will bring them into the land I swore to give their ancestors—a land flowing with milk and honey. There they will become prosperous, eat all the food they want, and become fat. But they will begin to worship other gods; they will despise me and break my covenant” (Deuteronomy 31:20).
I took care of you in the wilderness, in that dry and thirsty land. But when you had eaten and were satisfied, you became proud and forgot me” (Hosea 8:14; 13:4-6).
“Look what happens to mighty warriors who do not trust in God. They trust their wealth instead and grow more and more bold in their wickedness” (Psalm 52:7).
Few things are more repugnant to the Lord than the rich despising the poor (Job 12:5; James 2:1-9).
After all, those who indulge their material appetites are not likely to curb their sexual appetites.
For Christians to choose not to provide for their children or truly needy relatives is to deny the faith and become worse than an unbeliever (1 Timothy 5:8, 16). Likewise, it’s the responsibility of grown children, not the state or an insurance company, to take care of their parents and other relatives in their old age or illness.
Christ, even when on the cross dying for the sins of the world, took the time to entrust his mother’s welfare to one of his own apostles—who from that point forward made sure her needs were cared for (John 19:26-27).
Sometimes our actions speak so loudly that our children can’t hear a word we’re saying. Training our children about money and possessions begins at birth (Proverbs 22:6).
Giving gifts to children is often a substitute for giving them personal attention. Many children receive a playhouse, then a train set, then skis, then a motorcycle, then a car, all to compensate for the fact that their parents—often their father in particular—are not available to spend time with them. Anything we give our children is a poor substitute for ourselves.
Our children will not remember what we did for them nearly as much as they’ll remember what we did with them.
God blesses you who are poor, for the Kingdom of God is yours. God blesses you who are hungry now, for you will be satisfied. God blesses you who weep now, for in due time you will laugh. What blessings await you when people hate you and exclude you and mock you and curse you as evil because you follow the Son of Man. When that happens, be happy! Yes, leap for joy! For a great reward awaits you in heaven. And remember, their ancestors treated the ancient prophets that same way. What sorrow awaits you who are rich, for you have your only happiness now. What sorrow awaits you who are fat and prosperous now, for a time of awful hunger awaits you. What sorrow awaits you who laugh now, for your laughing will turn to mourning and sorrow. What sorrow awaits you who are praised by the crowds, for their ancestors also praised false prophets. (Luke 6:20-26)
Prosperity theology sees as our model the ascended heavenly Lord rather than the descended earthly servant. Jesus warned his disciples not to follow a lordship model but his own servant model (Mark 10:42-45). In this life, we are to share his cross—in the next life we will share his crown (2 Timothy 2:12).
Paul wrote what no health and wealth gospel preacher would: “To keep me from becoming proud, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger from Satan to torment me and keep me from becoming proud. Three different times I begged the Lord to take it away. Each time he said, ‘My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.’ So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me. That’s why I take pleasure in my weaknesses, and in the insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles that I suffer for Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong” (2 Corinthians 12:7-10). Whatever Paul’s affliction, it was “given” to him by God, who had a specific purpose for not removing it—to teach Paul that he wasn’t to trust in his own strength but in God’s. We need to recognize that God may accomplish higher purposes through our sickness than our health. Certainly we should follow Paul’s example and pray for healing, but notice that he prayed only three times. When God chose not to heal him, Paul didn’t “name it and claim it” and demand healing. Instead, he acknowledged God’s spiritual purpose in his adversity.
God entrusts riches to us, not so we can keep them, but so we can give them: “God will generously provide all you need. Then you will always have everything you need and plenty left over to share with others. Yes, you will be enriched in every way so that you can always be generous” (2 Corinthians 9:8, 11).
That seems to be a clear statement about why God gives us plenty—not to find a new way to spend it but to find the right place to give it. Augustine put it this way: “Find out how much God has given you and from it take what you need; the remainder is needed by others.”
Only when we look at our lives with an eternal perspective will we be able to make eternally wise, countercultural choices that may not be easy today but will pay off in the long tomorrow.
Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are good, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eyes are bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness! No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money. (Matthew 6:19-24). Jesus presents three groups of two. Two treasures: the present Earth and the future Heaven. Two perspectives: the good eye and the bad eye. Two masters: God and money.
Christ’s primary argument against amassing material wealth isn’t that it’s morally wrong but simply that it’s a poor investment. Financial planners try to convince people to look ahead instead of focusing on today or this month. “Think thirty years from now,” they’ll say. Then they’ll share ways to do that by planning, budgeting, saving, contributing to an IRA, investing in this mutual fund or that real estate partnership. But the truth is, thinking thirty years ahead is only slightly less shortsighted than thinking thirty days ahead. Christ, the ultimate investment counselor, says, “Don’t ask how your investment will be paying off in just thirty years. Ask how it will be paying off in thirty million years.” Wise people, according to Jesus, think ahead not just to their retirement years but to eternity.
Jesus is telling us that we should spend our lives investing in the right treasury, adopting the right perspective, and serving the right master.
We store up treasures on Earth by accumulating and gripping them tightly. We store up treasures in Heaven by holding loosely, sharing freely, and giving away earthly treasures for God’s Kingdom purposes. What reason does Christ give for storing up treasures in Heaven rather than on Earth? Jesus doesn’t say to do it because it’s right but because it’s smart. Because such treasures will last, Jesus argues from the bottom line. It’s not an emotional appeal; it’s a logical one: Invest in what has lasting value.
If we give instead of keep, we invest in the eternal instead of in the temporal, we store up treasures in Heaven that will never stop paying dividends.
Of course, there are many good things God wants us to do with money that don’t involve giving it away. It’s essential, for instance, that we provide for our family’s basic material needs (1 Timothy 5:8). But these good things are only a beginning.
Selfishness is when we pursue gain at the expense of others. But God doesn’t have a limited number of treasures to distribute. When you store up treasures for yourself in Heaven, it does not reduce the treasures available to others. In fact, it is by serving God and others that we store up heavenly treasures. So everyone gains, and no one loses.
He adds that if they do their giving (and fasting and praying) for God and not men, “your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.” Jesus establishes a clear theme: God rewards his children for practicing the spiritual disciplines, the first being giving.
As Craig Blomberg states in the New American Commentary on Matthew, “In this context, however, storing up treasures focuses particularly on the compassionate use of material resources to meet others’ physical and spiritual needs, in keeping with the priorities of God’s kingdom.”
Imagine you’re alive at the end of the Civil War. You’re living in the South, but you’re a Northerner. You plan to move home as soon as the war’s over. While in the South you’ve accumulated lots of Confederate currency. Now, suppose you know for a fact the North’s going to win the war, and the end is imminent. What will you do with your Confederate money? If you’re smart, there’s only one answer. You should immediately cash in your Confederate currency for U.S. currency—the only money that will have value once the war’s over. Keep only enough Confederate currency to meet your short-term needs. Kingdom currency is the only medium of exchange recognized by the Son of God, whose government will last forever. That currency is our present faithful service and sacrificial use of our resources for him. When the Lord returns, what will happen to all the money sitting in bank accounts, retirement programs, estates, and foundations? It will burn like wood, hay, and straw, when it could have been used to feed the hungry and fulfill the great commission. Suppose with $20,000 I could buy a new car. With the same money, I could help translate the Scriptures for an unreached people group, support church planting, feed the hungry in the name of Christ, facilitate gospel literature distribution in Southeast Asia, or support full-time multiple missionary families in parts of the world for a year.
“He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.”
Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits in the place of honor at God’s right hand. (Colossians 3:1-4).
After entering Heaven, the martyrs look down on Earth and clearly remember their lives, fully aware of what’s happening there. When the Lamb broke the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of all who had been martyred for the word of God and for being faithful in their testimony. They shouted to the Lord and said, “O Sovereign Lord, holy and true, how long before you judge the people who belong to this world and avenge our blood for what they have done to us?” Then a white robe was given to each of them. And they were told to rest a little longer until the full number of their brothers and sisters—their fellow servants of Jesus who were to be martyred—had joined them. (Revelation 6:9-11)
Suppose years ago, when my daughters were teenagers, I told them, “If you put in a full day of yard work Saturday, I’ll pay you sixty dollars and take you out to a nice dinner.” Would they be wrong to want to receive that sixty dollars? Would they be wrong to look forward to going out to a nice dinner with their dad? Of course not! I’m their father, I made the offer, and I want them to desire those rewards! Now, it would be inappropriate if my daughters refused to work unless and until I offered them rewards. But that’s not the case—rewarding them was my idea, not theirs. In fact, my own joy would be lessened if they didn’t want the rewards I offered them—particularly that special dinner together. “But God doesn’t owe us anything,” people argue. “He has the right to expect us to work for him with no thought of reward.” True, we should be willing and happy to serve him even without compensation. Jesus addresses this when he says, “So you also, when you have done everything you were told to do, should say, ‘We are unworthy servants; we have only done our duty’” (Luke 17:10). But what turns this debate on its head is one simple fact—it wasn’t our idea that God reward us. It was his idea!
So of course reward should never be our only motivation. But it is nonetheless a biblical and important motivation. Ultimately, “whether we are here in this body or away from this body, our goal is to please him” (2 Corinthians 5:9). Pleasing the one you love is its own lofty reward.
New Testament giving goes far beyond tithing (something that people holding both extreme positions fail to recognize). However, the principle of tithing was ingrained in the beliefs and lifestyles of the early Christians, most of whom grew up in Jewish homes.
There are many passages that teach the giving of the firstfruits and tithing (e.g., Exodus 22:29; Numbers 18:12, 24; Nehemiah 13:12).
The first teaching about tithing as a law occurs in Leviticus 27:30: “A tithe of everything from the land, whether grain from the soil or fruit from the trees, belongs to the LORD; it is holy to the LORD”.
The meaning of the word tithe is “a tenth part.”
The Creator warned the Israelites that to present anything less than the full 10 percent was to “rob God,” since the first 10 percent belonged to him, not them.
Whatever amount we choose to give should not be like a tip tossed mindlessly on a table after a meal. It should be a meaningful expression of our dependence upon God and gratitude to him.
The Israelites actually gave three different tithes, but one of those was given every third year, so that cumulatively the three tithes amounted to 23 percent of their income (Numbers 18:21, 24; Deuteronomy 12:17-18; 14:22-23, 28-29; 26:12-13).
“Those who are taught the word of God should provide for their teachers, sharing all good things with them” (Galatians 6:6).
Those who say, “Tithing isn’t for today,” need to examine their hearts. Are they actually demeaning the transforming power of grace and advocating spiritual-sounding “grace giving” as a license to cling to material wealth? New Testament Christians model lives transformed by the radical grace of Christ—making them more sacrificial and generous, not less!
“What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you are careful to tithe even the tiniest income from your herb gardens, but you ignore the more important aspects of the law—justice, mercy, and faith. You should tithe, yes, but do not neglect the more important things” (Matthew 23:23).
When people tell me, “I can’t afford to tithe,” I often ask, “If your income were reduced by 10 percent, would you die?” They always admit they wouldn’t. Somehow, they would manage to get by. That’s proof that they really can tithe. The truth is simply that they don’t want to. In recent times of economic difficulty, countless people have been living on 10, 20, and 50 percent less than they used to. It isn’t easy, but most manage to make it (proving they were wrong if they believed they couldn’t live on 10 percent less).
Gross is the total amount God provides; net is what is left after taxes and other deductions. Some say that money we don’t see is not true income. But are we not the beneficiaries of taxes and insurance and other withholdings from our paychecks?
In a passage about financial giving to the needy, Paul says, “For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich” (2 Corinthians 8:9).
When the Israelites gave voluntary offerings for the building of God’s Tabernacle, they gave so much that the workers had to ask them to stop! “Finally the craftsmen who were working on the sanctuary left their work. They went to Moses and reported, ‘The people have given more than enough materials to complete the job the LORD has commanded us to do!’ So Moses gave the command, and this message was sent throughout the camp: ‘Men and women, don’t prepare any more gifts for the sanctuary. We have enough!’” (Exodus 36:4-6).
When a friend was trying to figure out how much he should give monthly, he decided to give at least as much as his house payment. He told me, “If I can’t afford to give that much, then I can’t afford to live in a house this nice.” He didn’t reason from the tithe, he reasoned from his house payment, which was significantly greater than 10 percent.
“Bring your burnt offerings, your sacrifices, your tithes, your sacred offerings, your offerings to fulfill a vow, your voluntary offerings” (Deuteronomy 12:6). The Israelites got caught up in the thrill of giving, as exhibited in their joyful contributions toward the building of the Tabernacle: “The people of Israel—every man and woman who was eager to help in the work the LORD had given them through Moses—brought their gifts and gave them freely to the LORD” (Exodus 35:29). Here we see that Old Testament giving went far beyond tithing. The emphasis is not on the amount of the offering but on the willingness of each person’s heart. It wasn’t a tithe, which was obligatory; instead, it was given “freely.”
Giving involves money, but much more. We can give a meal, a house, a dress, a shovel, a bicycle, a sewing machine, or any other possession. Or we can share any possession freely while still maintaining ownership. I know many people who are very generous with their possessions, quick to serve others with no strings attached. They loan their books, cars, camping equipment, or laptop computers. I’m convinced God will reward them not just for giving but for sharing. Two cautions are in order. First, we can easily rationalize owning unnecessary things on the grounds that we share them with others. The fact that we can share doesn’t mean it’s the wisest or most strategic purchase. We must also guard against possessiveness. If we’re the kind of people that others are afraid to borrow from because they know that a dent or scratch or break would bother us, we’re not having much of a ministry no matter how “willing to share” we imagine ourselves to be.
Jesus said, “Give, and you will receive. Your gift will return to you in full—pressed down, shaken together to make room for more, running over, and poured into your lap. The amount you give will determine the amount you get back” (Luke 6:38).
“God is the one who provides seed for the farmer and then bread to eat. In the same way, he will provide and increase your resources and then produce a great harvest of generosity in you. Yes, you will be enriched [made rich] in every way so that …” (2 Corinthians 9:10-11). So that what? How you finish the sentence determines your stewardship future. Prosperity theology would finish it like this: “… so that we might live in wealth, showing the world how much God blesses those who love him.” But that isn’t how Paul completes the sentence. He says, “You will be made rich in every way so that you can always be generous.”
‘For God loves a person who gives cheerfully.’ And God will generously provide all you need. Then you will always have everything you need and plenty left over to share with others” (2 Corinthians 9:6-8).
Why does God give some of his children more than they need and others less than they need? So that he may use his children to help one another. When those with too much give to those with too little, two problems are solved. When they don’t, two problems are perpetuated.
Too often we assume that God entrusts more to us to increase our standard of living, yet his stated purpose is to increase our standard of giving.
Suppose you have something important you want delivered to someone who needs it. You wrap it up and hand it over to the FedEx delivery person. What would you think if, instead of delivering the package, the driver took it home, opened it, and kept it? Imagine confronting him and hearing him say, “If you didn’t want me to keep it, why’d you give it to me in the first place?” You’d respond, “You don’t get it. The package doesn’t belong to you. You’re just the middleman. Your job is to get the package from me and deliver it to those I want to have it.” We need to stop thinking of ourselves as owners and instead see ourselves as God’s couriers. Just because God puts his money in our hands doesn’t mean he intends for it to stay there!
Generous giving isn’t meant to become a badge, something done for recognition or feeding pride. An incident in the early church makes this painfully clear. A man named Barnabas sold a field and brought all the money to the apostles for the church to use. Perhaps he was praised for it. In any case, Ananias and Sapphira also sold a piece of property. They decided to keep some of the money for themselves. That was their right, but when they brought the money to the apostles, they claimed it to be the entire amount of the sale. Presumably they were hoping to be praised. But they did not get what they hoped for: Now a man named Ananias, together with his wife Sapphira, also sold a piece of property. With his wife’s full knowledge he kept back part of the money for himself, but brought the rest and put it at the apostles’ feet. Then Peter said, “Ananias, how is it that Satan has so filled your heart that you have lied to the Holy Spirit and have kept for yourself some of the money you received for the land? Didn’t it belong to you before it was sold? … You have not lied to men but to God.” When Ananias heard this, he fell down and died… . Three hours later his wife came in, not knowing what had happened. Peter asked her, “Tell me, is this the price you and Ananias got for the land?” “Yes,” she said, “that is the price.” Peter said to her, “How could you agree to test the Spirit of the Lord? Look! The feet of the men who buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out also.” Then the young men came in and, finding her dead, carried her out and buried her beside her husband. (Acts 5:1-10)
All the nations will be gathered in his presence, and he will separate the people as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will place the sheep at his right hand and the goats at his left. Then the King will say to those on his right, “Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the creation of the world. For I was hungry, and you fed me. I was thirsty, and you gave me a drink. I was a stranger, and you invited me into your home. I was naked, and you gave me clothing. I was sick, and you cared for me. I was in prison, and you visited me.” Then these righteous ones will reply, “Lord, when did we ever see you hungry and feed you? Or thirsty and give you something to drink? Or a stranger and show you hospitality? Or naked and give you clothing? When did we ever see you sick or in prison and visit you?” And the King will say, “I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me! Then the King will turn to those on the left and say, ‘Away with you, you cursed ones, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his demons. For I was hungry, and you didn’t feed me. I was thirsty, and you didn’t give me a drink. I was a stranger, and you didn’t invite me into your home. I was naked, and you didn’t give me clothing. I was sick and in prison, and you didn’t visit me.’ Then they will reply, ‘Lord, when did we ever see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and not help you?’ And he will answer, ‘I tell you the truth, when you refused to help the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were refusing to help me.’ And they will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous will go into eternal life.” (Matthew 25:32-46)
“If you help the poor, you are lending to the LORD—and he will repay you!” (Proverbs 19:17).
Ignoring the poor is not an option for the godly. In the account of the final judgment, the sin held against the “goats” is not that they did something wrong to those in need but that they failed to do anything right for them. Theirs is a sin of omission with grave eternal consequences. This means we cannot wash our hands of responsibility to the poor by saying, “I’m not doing anything to hurt them.” We must actively be doing something to help them.
The worst thing we can do to the poor is ignore them. The next worst thing is to help them only enough to keep them alive but not enough to assist them out of poverty.
“Take care of any widow who has no one else to care for her. But if she has children or grandchildren, their first responsibility is to show godliness at home and repay their parents by taking care of them. This is something that pleases God” (1 Timothy 5:3-4).
“Those who love pleasure become poor” (Proverbs 21:17).
Some poverty is due to laziness (Proverbs 24:30-34).
Lazy and self-indulgent people do not need financial support; they need incentives to no longer be lazy and self-indulgent. Acts of well-meaning provision can remove their incentive to be responsible for themselves. Paul explained this in no uncertain terms to the church in Thessalonica: “Even while we were with you, we gave you this command: ‘Those unwilling to work will not get to eat.’ Yet we hear that some of you are living idle lives, refusing to work and meddling in other people’s business. We command such people and urge them in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ to settle down and work to earn their own living” (2 Thessalonians 3:10-12).
This was God’s way of helping to provide for the poor of the land (Leviticus 19:9-10). The corners of the fields were left uncut so the poor could have food. But the grain wasn’t cut, bundled, processed, ground, bagged, transported, and delivered to the poor. Provided they were able, the poor did the work themselves—and thereby were neither robbed of their dignity nor made irresponsible by a system requiring no work.
“This is the kind of fasting I want: Free those who are wrongly imprisoned; lighten the burden of those who work for you. Let the oppressed go free, and remove the chains that bind people. Share your food with the hungry, and give shelter to the homeless. Give clothes to those who need them, and do not hide from relatives who need your help. Then your salvation will come like the dawn, and your wounds will quickly heal. Your godliness will lead you forward, and the glory of the LORD will protect you from behind” (Isaiah 58:6-8).
“If I gave everything I have to the poor and even sacrificed my body, I could boast about it; but if I didn’t love others, I would have gained nothing” (1 Corinthians 13:3).
“There were no needy people among them, because those who owned land or houses would sell them and bring the money to the apostles to give to those in need” (Acts 4:34-35). Note that the believers brought the money “to the apostles.” They entrusted their gifts to spiritually qualified church leaders, who distributed them wisely. Giving should start with your local Bible-believing, Christ-centered church, the spiritual community where you’re fed and to which you’re accountable. In the New Testament, giving was not directed to the church at large, the universal body of Christ, but to the local Christian assembly. Even gifts that were sent to other places were given through the local church.
“Everyone must submit to governing authorities. For all authority comes from God, and those in positions of authority have been placed there by God” (Romans 13:1). “Obey your spiritual leaders, and do what they say. Their work is to watch over your souls, and they are accountable to God. Give them reason to do this with joy and not with sorrow” (Hebrews 13:17).
If the Bible tells me to pay taxes (Romans 13:6) and I comply, even though some will be wasted and even used for bad purposes, surely I can give to God through my church even when I don’t feel comfortable with every use of the funds.
To learn which characteristics to look for in a ministry you might choose to support, see my article “Nineteen Questions to Ask Before You Give to Any Organization,” available on our ministry’s Web site. Of course, no organization is perfect. But if you wait to give until you find the perfect ministry, you’ll never give. And for the Christian transformed by the riches of God’s grace, failing to give simply isn’t an option.
One day as Jesus was walking along the shore of the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew throwing a net into the water, for they fished for a living. Jesus called out to them, “Come, follow me, and I will show you how to fish for people!” And they left their nets at once and followed him. A little farther up the shore Jesus saw Zebedee’s sons, James and John, in a boat repairing their nets. He called them at once, and they also followed him, leaving their father, Zebedee, in the boat with the hired men. (Mark 1:16-20)
But even these apostles didn’t irreversibly divest themselves of all possessions. In Mark 1:29, just ten verses after they’ve left their nets, “they went to Simon and Andrew’s home.” These disciples who left their home to follow Jesus still had a home. The Gospels repeatedly refer to Jesus and the disciples traveling by boat on the Sea of Galilee. Most likely, the boat belonged to one of the fishermen-turned-apostles. Peter says to Jesus, “We have left everything to follow you!” (Mark 10:28). He doesn’t say, “We have sold everything,” though they may have liquidated many of their possessions (Luke 12:32-33). When Jesus entrusted his mother, Mary, to the care of John the apostle, John himself writes, “From that time on, this disciple took her into his home” (John 19:26-27).
“Follow me,” Jesus told him, and Levi got up and followed him (Mark 2:14). In the very next verse, a dinner party in Levi’s house is used to introduce people to Jesus. Given his profession and the number of people at the party, Levi’s house was undoubtedly nicer and larger than average. We’re never told that Jesus called Levi to sell his house. Maybe he did; maybe he didn’t.
Just as for most of his life Jesus had served God working as a carpenter and living in a house on a piece of land, so most of his disciples served God as faithful stewards, raising their families and working in their own communities.
After Jesus healed him, the Gerasene demoniac wanted desperately to leave everything and follow Christ. “As Jesus was getting into the boat, the man who had been demon possessed begged to go with him” (Mark 5:18). The next verse is significant: “Jesus said, ‘No, go home to your family, and tell them everything the Lord has done for you and how merciful he has been.’” Although Christ called some to leave their homes, he instructed this man to go to his home. Christ knew that God’s Kingdom could be better served if this man made his home his base for serving God. Was this an inferior calling? Judge by the results: “So the man started off to visit the Ten Towns of that region and began to proclaim the great things Jesus had done for him; and everyone was amazed” (verse 20). Christ called this transformed man to settle back in his own community, steward what possessions he had, and be a powerful witness there.
There are two callings: one to leave behind family and possessions to further the cause in full-time ministry, and the other to serve Christ’s cause in a home and community and to earn an income to support those whose calling means they can no longer generate sufficient income on their own. To determine which calling of God is ours, we should ask him for wisdom and guidance (James 1:5), realizing that he intends for us to know what his will is for us (Ephesians 5:17).
“Pay careful attention to your own work, for then you will get the satisfaction of a job well done, and you won’t need to compare yourself to anyone else. For we are each responsible for our own conduct” (Galatians 6:4-5).
There are some things that no Christian should do—such as hoard money, live in opulence, or fail to give generously. But there are other things that some Christians can freely do that others may sense God’s leading not to do, such as own land, a home, a car, or a business; go on certain vacations; or set aside significant retirement funds. How much money and how many possessions can we safely keep? Enough to care for our basic needs and some wants, but not so much that large amounts of money are kept from higher Kingdom causes. Not so much that we become proud and independent of the Lord. Not so much that it distracts us from our purpose or leaves us with the illusion that we are owners rather than managers of what God owns.
I’m thankful that in the midst of his command that the rich be generous, Paul tells them to put their hope in God, “who richly gives us all we need for our enjoyment” (1 Timothy 6:17). Even in wartime, soldiers take leave when possible. Our battle lasts a lifetime, so I’m grateful to have recreational items, including a bicycle and a tennis racket. Our family spends money on vacations that aren’t “necessary” but serve to renew us. My wife and I sometimes go out to dinner, enriching our relationship. These things aren’t essential, yet they contribute to physical health and mental and emotional refreshment.
“Just as the rich rule the poor, so the borrower is servant to the lender” (Proverbs 22:7). But we’re told, “You were bought with a price; do not become slaves of human masters” (1 Corinthians 7:23). God says borrowers put themselves in servitude to lenders; then he tells us we should be slaves only to him, not men. Isn’t that a powerful warning against going into debt?
The Mosaic law reflects a strong connection between debtors and slaves. So horrible was this situation—and so detrimental in the long term—that God commanded a Year of Jubilee every fifty years when debts would be canceled. More often than not, people were sold into slavery because they were unable to pay back debts. God had special provision for that, too—commanding freedom for slaves after six years: “This is how it must be done. Everyone must cancel the loans they have made to their fellow Israelites. They must not demand payment from their neighbors or relatives, for the LORD’s time of release has arrived. If a fellow Hebrew sells himself or herself to be your servant and serves you for six years, in the seventh year you must set that servant free” (Deuteronomy 15:2, 12).
“The wicked borrow and never repay, but the godly are generous givers” (Psalm 37:21). “My husband who served you is dead, and you know how he feared the LORD. But now a creditor has come, threatening to take my two sons as slaves” (2 Kings 4:1). “When you are on the way to court with your adversary, settle your differences quickly. Otherwise, your accuser may hand you over to the judge, who will hand you over to an officer, and you will be thrown into prison. And if that happens, you surely won’t be free again until you have paid the last penny” (Matthew 5:25-26). If we take God’s Word seriously, we should avoid debt when possible. In those rare cases where we go into debt, we should make every effort to get out as soon as we can. We should never undertake debt without prayerful consideration and wise counsel. Our questions should be, Why go into debt? Is the risk called for? Will the benefits of becoming servants to the lender really outweigh the costs?
Before we incur debt, we should ask ourselves some basic spiritual questions: Is the fact that I don’t have enough resources to pay cash for something God’s way of telling me it isn’t his will for me to buy it? Or is it possible that this thing may have been God’s will but poor choices put me in a position where I can’t afford to buy it? Wouldn’t I do better to learn God’s lesson by foregoing it until—by his provision and my diligence—I save enough money to buy it?
What I would call the “debt mentality” is a distorted perspective that involves invalid assumptions: • We need more than God has given us. • God doesn’t know best what our needs are. • God has failed to provide for our needs, forcing us to take matters into our own hands. • If God doesn’t come through the way we think he should, we can find another way. • Just because today’s income is sufficient to make our debt payments, tomorrow’s will be too (i.e., our circumstances won’t change).
Consider these statements of God’s Word: • “True godliness with contentment is itself great wealth. After all, we brought nothing with us when we came into the world, and we can’t take anything with us when we leave it. So if we have enough food and clothing, let us be content” (1 Timothy 6:6-8). • “Those who love money will never have enough. How meaningless to think that wealth brings true happiness!” (Ecclesiastes 5:10). • “My child, don’t lose sight of common sense and discernment. Hang on to them, for they will refresh your soul. They are like jewels on a necklace. They keep you safe on your way, and your feet will not stumble. You can go to bed without fear; you will lie down and sleep soundly. You need not be afraid of sudden disaster or the destruction that comes upon the wicked, for the LORD is your security. He will keep your foot from being caught in a trap” (Proverbs 3:21-26). • “Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect” (Romans 12:2).
To expect God to meet needs we manufacture through indebtedness is an attempt to manipulate the Almighty. Assuming the role of master, we demote God to the obedient genie who exists to grant our wishes, underwrite our causes, and fulfill our agendas.
You don’t save money by spending money. Saving money is setting it aside for a future purpose—it remains accessible to you. Spending money is making it disappear—so it’s no longer at our disposal. If you buy an $80 sweater on sale for $30, how much do you save? Nothing. You spent $30. If you think buying things on sale is “saving” money, keep it up and you’ll go broke! 3. Just because you can afford something doesn’t mean God wants you to buy it. Remember, God usually grants us excess not to find new ways to spend it but in order to give to others in need (2 Corinthians 8:14). 4. Every purchase should be examined in light of its alternative uses or ministry potential. Before we spend $20, $100, or $1,000 on something, we should weigh the value of our purchases against what the same money could have done if used another way. 5. We should understand and resist the manipulative nature of advertising. Responsible spending says yes to real needs and no to most “created” needs. Advertising thrives on instilling discontent. People have master’s degrees in persuading us to buy things we don’t need. 6. Little expenses add up to big problems. Like water from a leaky faucet, money trickles through our hands. The little drips don’t seem like much, but they add up to gallons. One dollar here and ten dollars over there; a hamburger here, a mocha there; video rentals, a round of golf, extra tools, new clothes. If a swimming pool is full of leaks, you can pump in more water (bring in more income), but it will never be enough until you find the leaks and fix them.
Imagine you’ve entrusted a large sum to a money manager, telling him to take out only what he needs to live on and then invest the bulk of it on your behalf. A few months later, you call him to see how your investments are doing. He says, “There are no investments. None of your money is left.” Shocked, you ask, “Where did it all go?” Sheepishly, your money manager responds, “Well, I can think of some expenses here and there, but … one thing led to another and before I knew it, it was all gone!” What would you think? How would you feel? How does God feel when at the end of the month nothing’s left from the money he entrusted to us, and we don’t even know where it went? If some of us ran a corporation and handled its money like we do God’s, we’d go to prison! “Be sure you know the condition of your flocks, give careful attention to your herds; for riches do not endure forever” (Proverbs 27:23-24). God is saying to all of us, know what your assets are and know where they go. We must get a grip on our management of God’s assets. If we don’t have well-thought-out plans for what to do with God’s money, rest assured: Others do. Two practical steps can greatly help us get a grip on our spending: recording expenditures and making a budget. They will foster a healthy dialogue about what we do with our money and help us develop careful spending habits.
This will improve our mental and marital health, since financial disorder is one of the leading causes of personal and familial stress and often results in divorce.
Why not discipline yourself not to buy unless you’ve wanted something over a period of time? Waiting eliminates most impulsive buying. I’ve found that many things which attract me today hold no interest three months later. Look at garage sales, and you get the picture. Setting a waiting period gives God the opportunity to provide what we want, to provide something different or better, or to show us that we don’t need it and should use the money differently.
Jesus told us what is more important than anything else: “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself” (Matthew 22:37-39). Accordingly, God says there is one debt to which all our money and possessions must be unreservedly committed, yet which we can never retire: “Owe nothing to anyone—except for your obligation to love one another. If you love your neighbor, you will fulfill the requirements of God’s law” (Romans 13:8). Our indebtedness to God is to be treated as indebtedness to others so that we keep both God and others in mind as we manage his money. In order to best fulfill that spiritual debt, we must free ourselves from the burdens that come with financial debt.
“Guard against every kind of greed. Life is not measured by how much you own” (Luke 12:15).
One common formula for figuring out what’s affordable is a purchase price that’s two-and-a-half times (or less) the family’s gross annual income. But remember, there’s no guarantee that you will have your job next year or that you will make as much money. Bottom line, borrowing for a home is sometimes wise and sometimes not. If debt seems the best or a necessary choice, go slowly and prayerfully. Get objective financial counsel from good stewards (Proverbs 15:22).
Never use your credit cards for anything except budgeted purchases. • Pay your balance in full every month. • The first month you have a credit card bill you cannot pay in full, perform plastic surgery—cut the card in half and don’t get another one.
The ancient book of Proverbs applies directly to our use of credit cards: “A prudent person foresees danger and takes precautions. The simpleton goes blindly on and suffers the consequences” (Proverbs 22:3).
Even if I’ve come into debt legitimately, isn’t my first debt to God since he says that the first-fruits belong to him and not to me? For Christians today, first-fruits are the first portion of what we’ve earned: “On the first day of each week, you should each put aside a portion of the money you have earned. Don’t wait.” (1 Corinthians 16:2).
Debt isn’t the main problem; it’s a symptom of a more basic problem—greed, impulsiveness, and lack of discipline—sins we must confess to God. Here are eight steps I recommend to get out of debt:
Proverbs 21:20 says, “Fools spend whatever they get.”
“Take a lesson from the ants, you lazybones. Learn from their ways and become wise! Though they have no prince or governor or ruler to make them work, they labor hard all summer, gathering food for the winter” (Proverbs 6:6-8). Even ants know there will be no food in winter unless it’s stored during the summer. Only a shortsighted person would fail to store up provisions (money, food, supplies) for upcoming times of predictable need.
By God’s inspiration, Joseph devised a careful savings plan in anticipation of an upcoming famine in Egypt (Genesis 41:25-57). For seven years Egyptians stored 20 percent of the harvest. When the seven years of famine came, they drew on their stores of grain. Having anticipated future need and prepared for it, the nation was able to care for itself—and provide for others as well.
Lack of planning invites poverty. To feast now without regard to future famine is to manage our resources poorly and presume upon God or others to bail us out. We must learn to weigh our expenditures not only in light of their immediate value but also their ultimate cost. Money needlessly spent is a double loss. Not only is it gone, but its potential for earnings disappears. Had we set it aside, it could have been multiplying on Earth through savings or in Heaven through giving.
It’s wise to give first, save second, and spend last. Otherwise, we will spend everything and have nothing to give or save, setting ourselves up to fall into debt when true needs arise.
Some save in the wise way that Proverbs encourages. Some save out of greed, others because they’re misers. Still others save out of fear. By stockpiling money, they insulate themselves from God, no longer depending on his provision and protection. Therefore we can’t say, “Saving money is always biblical” or “Saving money is always unbiblical.” It may be either, depending on the reasons and the alternatives.
“A person is a fool to store up earthly wealth but not have a rich relationship with God” (Luke 12:18-21).
Proverbs declares, “Trust in your money and down you go!” (11:28).
Read carefully what James says about the rich (and remember, that’s us): Look here, you rich people: Weep and groan with anguish because of all the terrible troubles ahead of you. Your wealth is rotting away, and your fine clothes are moth-eaten rags. Your gold and silver have become worthless. The very wealth you were counting on will eat away your flesh like fire. This treasure you have accumulated will stand as evidence against you on the day of judgment. For listen! Hear the cries of the field workers whom you have cheated of their pay. The wages you held back cry out against you. The cries of those who harvest your fields have reached the ears of the LORD of Heaven’s Armies. You have spent your years on earth in luxury, satisfying your every desire. You have fattened yourselves for the day of slaughter. (James 5:1-5)
When God provided manna from Heaven to meet the needs of his people, he told them they’d have just enough for each day. “These are the LORD’s instructions: Each household should gather as much as it needs. Pick up two quarts for each person in your tent.” So the people of Israel did as they were told. Some gathered a lot, some only a little. But when they measured it out, everyone had just enough. Those who gathered a lot had nothing left over, and those who gathered only a little had enough. Each family had just what it needed. Then Moses told them, “Do not keep any of it until morning.” But some of them didn’t listen and kept some of it until morning. But by then it was full of maggots and had a terrible smell. Moses was very angry with them. (Exodus 16:16-20)
When a man retires at sixty-five, studies show his chances of having a fatal heart attack immediately double. Our minds and bodies weren’t made to be shut down. Nowhere in Scripture do we see God calling healthy people to stop working. So before we think about saving for retirement, we should reexamine our thinking about retirement itself. How much of what we think and assume is based on our culture, and how much is really based on God’s Word and the leading of his Holy Spirit? Of course, it’s perfectly legitimate to work without pay. You might donate labor to ministries and volunteer. But as long as God has us in this world, he has work for us to do. The hours may be shorter, the work different, the pay lower or nonexistent. But he doesn’t want us to take still-productive minds and bodies and permanently lay them on a beach, lose them on a golf course, or lock them in a dark living room watching game shows.
Paul commended the Macedonian believers, not for clinging to the little they had, but for giving beyond their means (2 Corinthians 8:3-5). The Macedonian Christians had virtually no material things, yet they gave beyond their means to the point of leaving themselves impoverished. If they didn’t need to think of tomorrow, why do we—with all our material wealth—need to be so concerned about storing up earthly treasures for thirty years from now? I’m not saying we can’t use or shouldn’t have retirement plans—but as God’s children, we don’t need them.
Nongivers remain nongivers until the moment they give.
We should be especially quick to evaluate luxury items. What could be accomplished if jewelry that sits in a box were sold and the money given to the needy, world evangelism, church planting, and Bible translation?
If we consider “our” retirement funds off limits to God, we’re pretending to be owners rather than God’s money managers.
At the conclusion of the movie Schindler’s List, there’s a heart-wrenching scene in which Oskar Schindler—who saved many Jews from the Nazis—looks at his car and his gold pin and regrets that he didn’t give up more of his money and possessions to save more lives. Schindler had used his opportunity far better than most. But in the end, he longed for a chance to go back and choose human lives over material possessions. Just as unbelievers have no second chance to relive their lives, this time choosing Christ, Christians get no second chance to live life over, the second time doing more to help the needy and invest in God’s Kingdom. We have one brief opportunity—a lifetime on Earth—to use our resources to make a difference.
Five minutes after we die, we’ll know exactly how we should have lived. But God has given us his Word so we don’t have to wait to die to find out. And he’s given us his Spirit to empower us to live that way now. In this light, ask yourself, “What will I one day wish I would have given away while I still had the chance?” When you come up with an answer, why not give it away now? Why not spend the rest of your life closing the gap between what you’ll wish you’d given and what you really are giving?
Many Christians don’t evaluate the source of their mutual funds’ income. This certainly isn’t easy when there are so many companies with so many names. Most Christians would think it was wrong to invest in Playboy magazine. But the Houston-based Internet company Telescan specializes in data retrieval tools that it uses in partnership with Playboy’s Web sites. Consider Paul’s words to two separate churches about being careful regarding partnerships: “Don’t team up with those who are unbelievers. How can righteousness be a partner with wickedness? How can light live with darkness? Take no part in the worthless deeds of evil and darkness; instead, expose them” (2 Corinthians 6:14; Ephesians 5:11).
Many people sincerely desire to make profitable investments now and give substantial amounts to God’s work later. I have often been asked, “Rather than give now, shouldn’t I hang on to the money, hoping my investments will do well and I’ll have more to give to God’s Kingdom in five or ten years?” In some cases this appears to have been wise. But my observation over many years is that countless good intentions are never realized. That leads me to say this: If you postpone giving, aren’t you postponing God’s blessing? If your heart goes where you put your treasure, are you putting your treasure on Earth, not Heaven? Shouldn’t you give now to be sure the money goes to God’s Kingdom? Considering the market may plummet, your heart my change, or you may die, by holding onto this money now, are you willing to risk that it will never end up where God wanted you to put it?
In Old Testament times, it was essential that parents pass land ownership to their children and grandchildren. Many people were too poor to buy land. With no inheritance, they would end up enslaved or unable to care for their parents and grandparents, who normally lived on the property with them. Hence they were told, “A good man leaves an inheritance for his children’s children” (Proverbs 13:22). What’s different about inheritances in our culture? Today in America and many other affluent countries, inheritances are usually windfalls coming to people who • live separately from their parents; • have regular sources of income generated by their own work, skills, saving, and investing; and • have far more than they need. Even if they are managing the family business, a windfall isn’t needed for them to continue.
Multimillionaire Andrew Carnegie said, “The almighty dollar bequeathed to a child is an almighty curse. No man has the right to handicap his son with such a burden as great wealth. He must face this question squarely: Will my fortune be safe with my boy and will my boy be safe with my fortune?” Cornelius Vanderbilt said, “Inherited wealth is as certain death to ambition as cocaine is to morality.” Henry Ford stated, “Fortunes tend to self-destruction by destroying those who inherit them.” More important, God says, “An inheritance quickly gained at the beginning will not be blessed at the end” (Proverbs 20:21). Certainly we should not transfer wealth to adult children unless we’ve successfully transferred wisdom to them. Without wisdom, wealth will not only be wasted, but it will damage our children by subsidizing addictions, laziness, and immorality.
If parents decide to give most or all of their estate to God’s Kingdom, they should explain their plans to their children. This will prevent false expectations and free their children from later resentment. It will also alleviate present guilt feelings stemming from what children might imagine they have to gain by their parents’ death.
“‘Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.’ … [Jesus warns him] ‘Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions’” (Luke 12:13, 15).
Of course, if children and grandchildren have special needs, parents can leave money to them as seems best. But, generally, leaving only a modest portion—enough to help grandchildren with college, for instance—encourages our adult children to work hard, plan, not overspend, and experience the joy of trusting God.
What’s the difference between giving money now and leaving it to good causes when we die? Passages relating to reward indicate that rewards in Heaven are given for acts of faith we actually do while on Earth. Leaving instructions for what others are to do with money that once was ours is not the same as giving it away while we’re still here. Death isn’t your best opportunity to give; it’s the end of your opportunity to give. After all, “it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment” (Hebrews 9:27). Would Jesus have so highly commended the poor widow’s offering if she had died that day and bequeathed those two coins to the Temple? Or would he have been so moved if Zacchaeus had said that he would put in his will that the poor should receive half of his estate and he would designate that people he’d cheated be paid back four times over from what he left behind? I don’t think so. Sure, it would be good to distribute an estate into God’s work, but their reward wouldn’t have been comparable, because their actions wouldn’t have required faith or sacrifice. Giving is voluntarily parting with an asset. We have no choice but to leave money behind when we die, so designating where it goes, though wise, is not sacrificial.
And while we will all leave something behind when we die, New Testament principles and examples suggest we shouldn’t strive to leave a large estate. John Wesley made a great deal of money on his books, as well as some hymns—about £50,000 in all. Yet at his death his estate was worth only £28. Wesley was left with so little, not because of poor planning but good planning—he had generously given it to the cause of Christ. Wesley’s stated goal was to have as little left as possible when he died. At the end of his life, he wrote in his journal, “I have left no money to anyone in my will, because I had none.”
Children shouldn’t always be paid for their chores. However, there are many “extras” that can legitimately be rewarded financially, and children can take on jobs outside the home as they grow older, including washing cars, mowing lawns, cleaning house, or babysitting.
Parents who automatically pick up the tab for such events do their children a disservice. If teenagers believe that these events warrant that kind of money, they need to work for it themselves—months in advance, if necessary.
Some parents offer to pay for the classes their children earn A’s and B’s in, but the student has to pay for any classes in which he or she gets a C or lower. Suddenly they have motivation to study!
For those who say, “But giving must be from the heart, not imposed by someone else,” I’d respond, “But giving is also a habit, and like all good habits it can and should be cultivated.” There’s no better way for a parent to cultivate giving than by deliberately making it one of the family’s standard practices.
We should praise our children for giving and resist any temptation to hold them back.
When the girls were seven and five, I gave each of them three jars I’d labeled with the designations “Giving,” “Saving,” and “Sending.” I told them that every time they earned their salary (which was then one dollar per week), they were first to put at least 10 percent into the giving jar, then distribute the rest between the other two jars as they wished. But once they put money in the giving jar, even beyond the tithe (often they would put 30 percent, sometimes more), it was dedicated to the Lord. Once they put money in “Saving,” they weren’t to take it out and spend it except for some upcoming special expenditure. However, they were free to transfer money from saving or spending to giving, or from spending to saving.
An effective way to teach children how to properly spend money is to show them how you spend it.
It helps them compare what’s expensive and what isn’t, what’s a priority and what’s not.
Few things we can teach our children are more valuable than the discipline of saying no. We must model delayed gratification and teach the discipline of avoiding expenditures when the money could accomplish a higher purpose by being given away, saved, or used more wisely.
I suggest less shopping for entertainment. It can breed discontent to look at all the latest things we don’t need and can’t afford.
Children who’ve been told to turn off the lights when they leave a room or to shut the front door behind them suddenly understand when they see the stack of money required to pay the electric bill. Children hear their parents’ words, but until they can visualize what they mean, words don’t sink in.
Suppose your child wants a brand-new bicycle like his friends have. One way to teach him the cost of having nice things is to tell him that if he really wants it, you’ll loan him the money at the going rate of interest. Work out a payment schedule with him, showing him how much this bicycle will actually cost him and how long it will take to pay it off. At this point, he may back out of the deal. But if he doesn’t, let him go ahead. By the time he pays off the debt from miscellaneous chores — perhaps as much as six months down the road — he will never forget the cost of borrowing.
Jesus told us never to give in order to be seen by others (Matthew 6:1). Yet maybe ten minutes earlier in the same sermon, he said, “You are the light of the world — like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden. No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father” (Matthew 5:14-16). Jesus commands us to let our good deeds shine so everyone can see them. Why? So everyone will praise God, not us! In other words, there is a way to talk about every good deed, including giving, that does not involve self-praise but instead brings praise to God and illumination and encouragement to others.
Ask people at your church if they can point out prayer warriors. Most can. Now ask them to point out giving warriors, people who have chosen a modest debt-resistant lifestyle so they can give away 100 percent above that to God’s Kingdom. The fact that the term giving warrior isn’t in our vocabulary says it all, doesn’t it?
Better to be seen as fools now in the eyes of other people — including other Christians — than to be seen as fools forever in the eyes of an audience of One whose judgment is the only one that will ultimately matter.
We will never manage God’s money well unless we truly believe it is God’s money.
Life becomes much clearer — and in some respects much easier — when we abandon the false god of our ownership and authority, which manifests itself in a deadly spirit of entitlement.
A test of our stewardship is whether we ask God to show us what to do with his money. If we don’t consult him, no matter what we say, we’re behaving as if we were owners, not stewards.
I realize this will mean surrendering some temporary treasures and downsizing my earthly kingdom. In doing so, I will upsize God’s Kingdom and gain eternal treasures.
In Romans 12, Paul lists seven spiritual gifts, including serving, teaching, mercy, leadership, and giving. “In his grace, God has given us different gifts for doing certain things well…If your gift is to encourage others, be encouraging. If it is giving, give generously. If God has given you leadership ability, take the responsibility seriously. And if you have a gift for showing kindness to others, do it gladly” (Romans 12:6-8).
If you are faithful in little things, you will be faithful in large ones. But if you are dishonest in little things, you won’t be honest with greater responsibilities. And if you are untrustworthy about worldly wealth, who will trust you with the true riches of heaven? And if you are not faithful with other people’s things, why should you be trusted with things of your own? No one can serve two masters…You cannot serve both God and money. (Luke 16:10-13)