Seven Guiding Principles
1. Stewardship - It’s not yours!
Psalm 24:1 The earth is the LORD’s, and all its fullness, the world and those who dwell therein.
1 Peter 4:10 Based on the gift each one has received, use it to serve others, as good managers of the varied grace of God.
Philippians 4:19 And my God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.
God owns everything. And we are managers of the Owner’s resources – typically referred to in the Bible as stewards. One day, some day, we will have to give an account to the Owner of how we handled what He entrusted to us. The Owner’s mandate to his servants is to use His resources to love people and build the kingdom of God. In doing so, He promises to take care of our individual needs.
2. Greed – A greedy heart leads to poverty.
Ecclesiastes 5:10 Whoever loves money never has enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with their income.
Proverbs 23:4-5 Do not wear yourself out to get rich; do not trust your own cleverness. 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 28:22 A stingy man is eager to get rich and is unaware that poverty awaits him.
Greed and discontentment lead a person into the abyss. Chronic discontentment causes the never-ending desire to acquire more and more – each new level of affluence leaves a person lonelier and emptier than the last. An unfortunate yet predictable cycle exists in which each new level of affluence is eventually normalized. As the shine wears off, fresh discontentment prompts greed and the desire arises to attain the newest "next level" and offers its fresh set of empty promises to satsify and fulfill a person's soul.
Peace does not exist in the abundance of wealth. Contrarily, abundance gained for the sake of abundance leads to an impoverished heart and soul. This stingy spirit will attack and suck the life out of every other important area of life. It’s possible to have an abundance of money and possessions and live a life of utter poverty.
3. Peace and Contentment – A heart condition!
1 Timothy 6:6-12 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 griefs.
Proverbs 14:30: A heart at peace gives life to the body, but envy rots the bones.
Contentment is the heart condition that leads to peace. Contentment removes deceptive distractions from our lives and allows us to pursue things of nobler purposes. Unfortunately, contentment and peace are not natural to us. Ultimately, they must be pursued through a personal relationship with Jesus Christ that results in a transformed heart. Jesus' peace is the substance our souls long for. Jesus said, “My peace I give you.” John 14:27.
4. Giving - The generous will prosper!
Proverbs 11:24-25 One person gives freely, yet gains even more; another withholds unduly, but comes to poverty. A generous person will prosper; whoever refreshes others will be refreshed.
2 Corinthians 9:6-8 Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.
It is seemingly antithetical that the generous will prosper. Yet, heaven’s economy operates on different principles and accounting methods. How is it possible to prosper by giving generously? How will giving away our resources lead to an abundant life? The math doesn’t seem to work, does it?
Yet, this is a spiritual truth. People with generous hearts will experience fuller lives, richer relationships, and enjoy more peace and contentment than the greedy. And, if you believe the Word of God, a generous heart aligns people with the will of God which will open the doors of blessing in our lives – monetary and beyond.
5. Debt - Take Caution!
Proverbs 22:7 The rich rules over the poor, and the borrower is the slave of the lender.
Romans 13:8 Let no debt remain outstanding except the continuing debt to love on another.
Debt is a thief. Among other things, it steals your security, peace, sleep, relationships, and confidence. The Bible is not silent on its opinion of debt. Of all the scriptural references on debt, there is not one positive or advocative verse. All of them are either negative or neutral. There are financial, emotional, and spiritual costs to debt. Take caution!
6. Planning – Wise people prepare wise plans with wise advisors.
Proverbs 13:16 A wise man thinks ahead; a fool doesn’t, and even brags about it!
Proverbs 21:5 The plans of the diligent lead surely to abundance, but everyone who is hasty comes only to poverty.”
Proverbs 15:22 Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers they succeed.
The long-term attainment of your most important financial goals requires ongoing advice and planning. Wise advice is paramount to success. It is crucial to surround yourself with a team of qualified and connected advisors who speak into your situation in a unified manner.
Typically, a financial team consists of a financial planner, investment advisor, tax advisor, mortgage advisor, attorney, banker, and insurance advisor. We surround our clients with a network of qualified professionals to ensure quality holistic advice and planning.
7. Saving – Prepare for the future and the unexpected.
Proverbs 21:20 The wise store up choice food and olive oil, but fools gulp theirs down.
Proverbs 6:6-8 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.
There are several valuable reasons to save money. You could save to provide for your future retirement income, build cash reserves for unexpected emergencies or employment gaps, buy a car with cash to avoid debt, provide for long-term healthcare costs, save to support missionaries, save to send your kids to college, save to make generous gifts, etc. It is advisable to build wealth. Just don’t worship your wealth!