The wise store up choice food and olive oil, but fools gulp theirs down. (Proverbs 21:20)
There are two rules we should all follow when it comes to handling our finances. Rule number one – pay God first. Rule number two – pay yourself second. Tithing should be the first thing we do when we receive a paycheck, giving back ten percent of what we make to the Lord. After all, the money is all His anyways. Then after that, we should pay ourselves, and that means saving money.
Now, you might be thinking, “Wait a minute! I can barely make ends meet. I can hardly pay my bills. And you’re telling me that before I pay my bills, I need to pay myself?” I know, it might seem a little backwards, but when it comes down to it, we can all save something.
Even if you’re just saving a little bit each week, that small amount will add up over time. What if you decided instead of going to Chick-fil-a for lunch one day, you put that money in a savings fund? Or what if you didn’t go buy a $4 cup of coffee on your way to work and put that money in the bank? Again, it might not seem like much, but you’d be amazed how quickly your savings can add up if you’re diligent.
There are several verses in Scripture that show us the value of saving money. For example, Proverbs 6:6-8 says, “Go to the ant, you sluggard; consider its ways and be wise! It has no commander, no overseer or ruler, yet it stores its provisions in summer and gathers its food at harvest.”
In other words, the ant saves because it knows it will need the food later on. Even this small, often unnoticed creature has the wisdom to see the value in saving. We would be wise to follow the ant’s example and save our own resources so that when we need something later on, we aren’t unprepared.
Dear Lord, thank you for the wonderful example of the ant. I pray that you would give me the diligence and the discipline to save money, even if that means just saving a little at a time. I want to be wise with the money you’ve given me Lord, so please grant me the wisdom I need. Amen.
Topics: Money Management
