The way we handle our finances as Christians says a lot about what we believe and what we value most. Not only that, but it says a lot about how much we trust and obey God. Money is neither good nor evil, rather, it is a tool given to us by God to be managed. We can ultimately use money to glorify ourselves and our desires, or we can use our money to glorify God and further his Kingdom.
The truth is, how we handle our finances does matter to God. One of the major themes in the Bible is obedience. When the Israelites decided to disobey and distrust God after He liberated them from Egypt, God punished them and allowed them to wander for 40 years.
When we obey God, He delights in blessing us! There are so many examples of God showering people with blessings due to their obedience to Him, no matter how challenging the call was.Let’s take a look at the many Bible verses about money and see what kind of truths we can learn about how to handle our finances.
With Excellence
Christians are called to be set apart from the world, and one of the greatest ways we can show we are different is by pursuing everything with excellence. God himself does nothing short of excellent work and therefore we should follow suit. In fact, He equips us with all the necessary skills to be excellent through the Holy Spirit!
In 1 Corinthians 9:24-25, we read,
“Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever.”
As Christians, we should handle our finances in this same manner, as if we were running a race to get the prize!
Are you managing your money with the greatest amount of excellence?
Related: The First Step Towards Excellent Money Management
With Moderation
Handling your finances with moderation simply means living below your means. Moderation is a way that we can ensure we have enough leftover at the end of the month to save a bit, or even use on unexpected expenses that are bound to pop up. If you are stretched thin with your money already and an emergency happens, how will you end up paying for that expense?
Proverbs 22:3 tells us that those who are wise and prudent foresee difficulties and make preparations for them rather than blindly suffering the consequences.
Another way that moderation will help you glorify God with your money is to shift the focus off of yourself and onto others. Instead of using every last penny to pay for luxury vacations, fancy cars, bigger houses, more clothes, or overloading your fridge, consider living with more moderation and using extra money on things that are more glorifying to God.
Are you using your money to glorify yourself, or to glorify God?
With a Plan
God has entrusted us with these resources to manage with excellence and effectiveness for His Kingdom. If your boss at work entrusted you with thousands of dollars to manage for the company, would you wing it every month and hope you can afford everything and still come out profitable? Absolutely not! In fact, your boss might even require you to put together a plan for the money you had been given.
We need to have the same attitude when it comes to managing the money God has entrusted to us. Just as we read in Luke 14:28, it is wise to have a plan when it comes to our money.
Creating and sticking to a spending plan ensures that the way you are spending your money will effectively cover all of your living expenses, your goals, the things God has called you to, and even future savings.
Do you have a plan in place for how you will spend your money?
Related: 8 Bible Verses About Budgeting
With Generosity
One thing that should set us apart from those of the world is to live a radically generous life. When we use our money to serve those around us, to go above and beyond, and to never hesitate with our giving we are a walking testimony to our generous God.
God loves us so much that he has chosen to be extremely generous to us by giving us his only son (John 3:16). Jesus was so generous that he gave his life for us. God did all of this out of his radical love and generosity.
While we will never be able to become as generous as God is, we can be like Him by choosing to be cheerfully and radically generous with the resources he has blessed us with.
What is one way you can be radically generous this month?
With Shrewdness
Shrewdness is an attribute that God sees as praiseworthy (Luke 16:8-9). To be shrewd means to have good judgement and intelligence. God has given us brains to use in all circ*mstances and he wants us to use them!
Here are a few ways you can be shrewd with your money; understanding your level of risk when making an investment, doing your research before putting your money in a new bank account or investment, understanding the cost of being a homeowner, limiting your risk by diversifying your investment portfolio, or by insuring yourself against common risks like car accidents, house fires, disability, or identity theft.
Blindly throwing your money into an investment because your buddy said it was good is not acting shrewdly. Do your own research, take the time to look into things, consider your risk, and make wise decisions.
With Trust
When we trust God and lean on His understanding, he promises to lead us down the right path. (Proverbs 3:5-6) In fact, the only time when God asks us to test him in the Bible is when he asks for extreme trust. Check out Malachi 3:6-12 where God says to trust him with our tithes and offerings and when we do this he will bless us beyond what we can even handle!
Tithing is one of the simplest acts we can do to show God we trust him with our money. Instead of keeping that 10% of your income so you can feel more secure, put your trust into practice by handing that money to God and let him show you how he is your Great Provider.
When we put God first, we can feel secure knowing that he will provide for our greatest needs. (Matthew 6:33)
What does the way you use your money say about your level of trust in God’s provision?
With Contentment
Discontentment leads us to do stupid things with our money… like overspending and even falling into debt.
Here are some examples of this discontentment leading to debt…
- Seeing your neighbor with a newer nicer car so you get rid of yours that is perfectly fine and take out a loan to buy the newest model
- Looking at your overflowing closet and deciding you need a new dress for that wedding so you put it on the credit card
- Buying a new house in a nice neighborhood with more space than you need
Now don’t get me wrong, God wants us to enjoy the wealth he has blessed us with, but the primary purpose of our money is not to make us more comfortable, happy, or secure. Our money’s first and most important purpose is for God’s glory.
There are times when buying a bigger house is glorifying to God. But make sure that you have done a heart check before swiping the credit card or taking out a new loan to purchase. Don’t let your discontentment lead you into the bondage of debt. And if you do have debt, create a plan to get out of it quickly.
Have you allowed discontentment to lead you to poor money decisions?
With Guidance
What do you do when you feel stuck or need accountability with redeeming your finances? Finding a mentor or a coach to help guide you with your money management is a great solution. We read in Proverbs 27:17 “As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.”
Learning from and being guided by someone who has gone before you, and can help get you there is a great way to make sure you’re handling your finances well and in a way that is glorifying to God.
I’d highly recommend finding a coach to help hold you accountable to the process of implementing these biblical truths on how Christians should handle our finances. If you’re looking for a mentor and coach, check out the money coaching options I offer!
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