By John Ntende
In many churches, cells, congregations and religious gatherings, financial breakthrough is one of the most common prayer requests. Luckily for us, the bible and other religious texts have already documented the ethical principles for acquiring wealth. We just have to put them in practice. And in any case we have all been blessed with unique gifts and talents right from birth and we are all capable of building wealth. The path to wealth lies in unlocking these unique personal gifts and using them to create value for other people who in turn reward us with some money. Now this value creation process can take on many different forms including employment, self employment, entrepreneurship, business ownership and investment.
So here are 20 principles from the bible to help with your finances:
1. Live Within Your Means (Proverbs 21:20): “In the house of the wise are stores of choice food and oil, but a foolish man devours all he has.” Practice this by making a budget and ensuring your expenses don’t exceed your income.
2. Avoid Debt (Proverbs 22:7): “The rich rule over the poor, and the borrower is slave to the lender.” Limit borrowing and if it’s necessary, make sure you have a clear plan to repay it.
3. Invest Wisely (Ecclesiastes 11:2): “Give portions to seven, yes to eight, for you do not know what disaster may come upon the land.” Diversify your investments to protect against potential losses.
4. Plan for the Future (Luke 14:28): “Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Won’t you first sit down and estimate the cost to see if you have enough money to complete it?” Establish an emergency fund, plan for retirement, and save for future expenses.
5. Honesty (Leviticus 19:11): “Do not steal. Do not lie. Do not deceive one another.” Ensure honesty in all financial transactions and don’t resort to deceit or theft for financial gain.
6. Generosity (Proverbs 11:24-25): “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.” Give to those in need and support charitable causes when you can.
7. Diligence (Proverbs 10:4): “Lazy hands make a man poor, but diligent hands bring wealth.” Work hard and be diligent in your profession or business.
8. Contentment (Hebrews 13:5): “Keep your life free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, ‘Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.’” Practice gratitude for what you have and avoid the trap of always wanting more.
9. Right Priorities (Matthew 6:33): “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” Prioritize your spiritual growth and ethical living above the pursuit of wealth.
10. Avoid Surety (Proverbs 22:26-27): “Do not be a man who strikes hands in pledge or puts up security for debts; if you lack the means to pay, your very bed will be snatched from under you.” Don’t co-sign a loan if you’re not prepared to pay it off.
11. Hard Work (2 Thessalonians 3:10): “For even when we were with you, we gave you this rule: ‘If a man will not work, he shall not eat.’” Take responsibility for your own livelihood and work hard to provide for your needs.
12. Avoiding Greed (Luke 12:15): “And he said to them, ‘Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.’” Strive to live a life free of greed, valuing people and relationships over material wealth.
13. Fair Treatment of Workers (James 5:4): “Look! The wages you failed to pay the workers who mowed your fields are crying out against you. The cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord Almighty.” Pay fair wages and treat your employees justly.
14. Use Money, Don’t Serve It (Matthew 6:24): “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.” Use money as a tool, not as your master.
15. Be a Good Steward (1 Peter 4:10): “As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace.” Practice good stewardship with the resources you’ve been given.
16. Save for Future Generations (Proverbs 13:22): “A good person leaves an inheritance for their children’s children.” Plan and save for future generations, considering the long-term legacy of your financial decisions.
17. Avoiding Dishonest Gain (Proverbs 16:8): “Better a little with righteousness than much gain with injustice.” Avoid shortcuts and dishonest means to gain wealth.
18. Wise Counsel (Proverbs 15:22): “Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers they succeed.” Seek wise counsel on financial matters and don’t make important decisions in isolation.
19. Faithfulness in Little Things (Luke 16:10): “Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much.” Be faithful in managing small amounts, and you’ll be equipped to manage larger amounts.
20. Regular Giving (1 Corinthians 16:2): “On the first day of every week, each one of you should set aside a sum of money in keeping with his income, saving it up, so that when I come no collections will have to be made.” Consider tithing or regular giving as a part of your financial plan, as a means of expressing gratitude and commitment.
