THE LAW OF SAVINGS
Genesis 41: 34-36
God is interested in the way you handle money so much that there are multiple Bible verses about handling money and possessions. It is the desire of God that we are good managers of the resources he gives. A man that does not manage resources well is a foolish person and in no distant a future, poverty will overcome him. In managing resources, one vital thing to do is to think beyond today and plan for the future. Planning for the future is saving for the raining day. It means living on less than you make so that you will have money left to set aside.
In Proverbs 21:20, the Bible talks about the importance of saving: “In the house of the wise are stores of choice food and oil, but a foolish man devours all he has.” It is a foolish man that does not think about tomorrow. Some people say what they have is not enough for them to have something to save. This is never true. It is important to cultivate the habit of saving a portion from the small that you earn. If you do not cultivate that habit now, it will be hard for you to save when you have more. It is like paying tithe. A man that cannot pay the tithe of a meagre amount will not be able to pay tithe on a big sum. Try to save something while your earning is small; it becomes impossible to save after you begin to earn more. If you don’t control your spending enough to have money left over, you’ll wind up living from hand to mouth and before you know it, you will be living in debt and just getting by.
Saving is important if you want to be successful. Benjamin Franklin said, “A penny saved is a penny earned.” The truth of the matter is that too many people spend money they haven’t earned to buy things they don’t need, some buy things just to impress people. That is a waste. It is important to cut down those things and save up.
Make saving a priority, not just a thought. It can be difficult when you count your needs, but it is a habit worth cultivating and a rewarding one at that. The habit of saving teaches self-denial, cultivates an orderly pattern of life, is future oriented, and broadens the mind. Make money a tool that will work for you. Being able to save is being in charge of your money. Don’t let it control you or take the driver’s seat of your life. You should be the one telling your money where it should go. If we command our wealth, we shall be rich and free but if our wealth commands us, then we are poor indeed.
To cultivate the habit of saving, live on a budget. Endeavour to avoid debt. A borrower is a slave to the lender (Proverbs 22:7). Avoid living in debts as much as lies within your power. Even if you need to loan money, it should be for a good cause as in the case of an investment. Something that will yield enough returns to pay the debt. Set a savings goal. If you receive earnings regularly, you can save money automatically before the fund gets to your hand. Manage your spending, learn to say “No” or “Not Now” to some things, don’t buy things frivolously on impulse or out of a competitive spirit. Be a good manager of resources.
MEDITATION: Don’t eat with ten fingers.
