Home Sweet Home Part III - Essentials of a Financially Strong Family
A highly misquoted verse is 1 Timothy 6:10, where one word misquoted changes everything. “For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil.” One word, ‘a’ is typically misquoted as ‘the.’ It’s ‘a’ problem not ‘the’ only problem. The other misquote is shifting the subject of the verse. The verse says the ‘love of’ money is the focal point, not the money itself. Being wise about earning and saving money isn’t the problem, it’s being consumed with figuring out how to get more money that will be at the root of so many problems. With that said, let’s see what the Bible says about how we should view money to build a financially strong family.
Bonus: A great practice to strive toward is putting 10-20% of your take-home pay into a savings account. In a very short time, you will have a healthy savings account which will make many of the verses below easier to apply to your family.
I. FOUNDATION – WISDOM ABOUT MONEY (as God sees it)
A. Contentment
But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many grief’s. -1 Timothy 6:6-10
B. Money is a resource not a treasure
“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. - Matthew 6:19-21
“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 6:24
II. WALLS AND ROOF
A. Humility
Humility and the fear of the LORD bring wealth and honor and life.- Proverbs 22:4
B. Perspective/Appreciation
How much better to get wisdom than gold, to choose understanding rather than silver! - Proverbs 16:16
III. TERMITES
A. Love of money
Do not wear yourself out to get rich; have the wisdom to show restraint. Cast but a glance at riches, and they are gone, for they will surely sprout wings and fly off to the sky like an eagle. - Proverbs 23:4-5
B. Need vs. Want, misunderstanding the difference
His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires. - 2 Peter 1:3-4
IV. PREVENTATIVE MAINTENANCE
A. Prayer
Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him. - Matthew 6:8
“Two things I ask of you, O LORD; do not refuse me before I die: Keep falsehood and lies far from me; give me neither poverty nor riches, but give me only my daily bread. Otherwise, I may have too much and disown you and say, ‘Who is the LORD?’ Or I may become poor and steal, and so dishonor the name of my God. - Proverbs 30:7-9
B. Honesty
A greedy man brings trouble to his family, but he who hates bribes will live. - Proverbs 15:27
A fortune made by a lying tongue is a fleeting vapor and a deadly snare. - Proverbs 21:6
C. Generosity
One man gives freely, yet gains even more; another withholds unduly, but comes to poverty. A generous man will prosper; he who refreshes others will himself be refreshed. - Proverbs 11:24-25
