Many are surprised when they read the Gospels and see all that Jesus said about money and finances. The truth is that almost half of the parables of Jesus refer to financial issues and teach something about responsible management of our finances.
There is a link between a healthy spiritual life and the good use of what we have. The more we listen and obey God, the wiser is the use we give to what he provides us..
Let’s look at two of Jesus’ parables and learn some helpful principles for managing our finances.
1. The Rich Fool
One of the crowd asked him: Master, tell my brother to share the inheritance with me. “Man,” replied Jesus, “who appointed me as judge or arbitrator among you? Be careful! He warned the people. Refrain from all covetousness; a person’s life does not depend on the abundance of his goods ». Then he told them this parable: “A rich man’s land produced a good harvest. So he got to thinking, “What am I going to do? I have nowhere to store my harvest.” At last he said, “I know what I am going to do: I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, where I can store all my grain and goods. And I will say: My soul, you already have enough good things in store for many years. Rest, eat, drink and enjoy life.” But God told him: “You fool! This very night they will claim your life. And who will keep what you have accumulated?” This is what happens to the one who accumulates riches for himself, instead of being rich before God».
— Luke 12:13-21
What it teaches us about money
1. We must guard against all greed
The problem was not that the man asked that his brother share the inheritance with him, that request was valid. But Jesus detected that the man had a greed problem. The greedy person is never satisfied with what he has. His reason for being is to have more and better things. He does not think about the needs of others or see the importance of helping others. Apparently, the man in the parable had enough, but he wanted to accumulate more wealth.
The children of God should not be like that. The No does not provide for us to accumulate but for let’s follow his example of generosity sharing with others. Whether we have a lot or a little, there is always something we can help with. Jesus was blunt: we must refrain from all covetousness (v.15). He does not want us to live for our possessions but rather to use what we have wisely and with the firm purpose of bringing his love and presence to those around us.
2. Our value is not found in what we own
Our value is not and will never be based on the things we have. We are valuable for who we are in Christ because of God’s mercy and goodness. We have all been created in his image and likeness for specific purposes (Genesis 1:26-27). By keeping our eyes on him and his will we focus on what is truly valuable and important.
God has prepared good works that He wants us to do to bless others and thus draw them closer to Him (Ephesians 2:10). With our lives and with our resources we can bring joy and provision to other people. What will bring us true joy and satisfaction in life will be obedience to the Father, doing what pleases him.
3. It is foolish to focus on accumulating material goods
The reality is that we are mortal beings and we can die at any time. Why bother to accumulate wealth today to enjoy in the future if we don’t even know if we will be alive in the next minute? Just like Jesus said, that’s nonsense! It is foolish to store and store without taking time to ask God what He wants us to do with the things that He provides for us.
Jesus does not mention the age of the man in the parable, but it seems that he had been working the land for years. He was happy to see a great harvest! But instead of giving thanks to God or finding a way to share his abundance with others, he focused on himself. He already had more than enough and could have thought of others. But he decided to keep it all, build bigger barns. Sadly, it is clear that he would not enjoy those earnings since God warned him that he would die that very night.
Let’s learn from this parable, let’s not dedicate ourselves to accumulating. Rather, let us thank God for his faithful provision and seek his guidance on how to use the resources he grants us. That is the basis of good financial management.
4. We must be rich before God
True wealth is having God in our hearts and loving him with all our being. The material has nothing bad in it because when God provides, he has a purpose in mind. What is wrong is ignoring what God wants us to do with what he gives us, clinging to riches and making them our idol. We should not become attached to the material without taking into account that the eternal, what will remain forever, is the spiritual.
Let’s take care of our soul, let’s fill our lives with the presence of God and seek to glorify him in everything. Let us use the resources he gives us to extend his Kingdom. Our earthly life will end, but our soul will live with God or die without him for eternity. The decision must be made while we are here on earth. Let’s invest in what really counts.
Bible verses with financial advice
2. Treasures in the sky
Do not accumulate for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and rust destroy, and where thieves break in to steal. Rather, lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust eat away, nor thieves break in to steal. Because where your treasure is, there your heart will be too.
— Matthew 6:19-21
What it teaches us about money
1. The earthly is temporary
We can lose the material at any time. There are so many things that can happen! An earthquake, floods, the collapse of the world economy… We have no real control over what could take our possessions without warning. As much as we take care of or protect our clothes, our homes and everything we have, over time they will be damaged or depreciate in value.
Great will be our disappointment if we put our hope in the earthly! Everything we see with our physical eyes is ephemeral, temporary. Why put so much effort into accumulating earthly things? It is wiser to use and invest our resources in what will really remain: the spiritual.
2. The heavenly will remain
The treasures that we accumulate in heaven are the ones that will remain for eternity. How do we accumulate those treasures? First, with contentment. Our heart needs to be at peace with God’s provision and direction, to be happy and satisfied with his will in every area of life. A happy heart praises and thanks God in the midst of any circumstance.
Next, we must be very wise in using all that God gives us. Our main motivation must be to extend his Kingdom and his love around us. We do this, for example, when we feed the hungry or when we buy uniforms or books to help children who might not otherwise have what they need to go to school.
Everything we do with love in the name of Jesus brings eternal spiritual benefit to our lives, to our environment and contributes to the extension of his Kingdom. We need to experience a change of perspective, to see the eternal potential of our financial resources. That is why we must fix our eyes on Jesus and allow him to guide us in his will.
3. We must choose
Each one needs to choose who or what will occupy the throne of his heart to give him his allegiance. If we consider riches as our greatest treasure, our greatest efforts in life will be dedicated to having more things and enjoying them to the fullest. On the other hand, if we value our relationship with God more and seek to have treasures in heaven, our strength and resources will be turned to do everything that brings us closer to God, to his will and to his purposes.
It is not wrong to have possessions, but we should not put our hope in them. The throne of our heart must be occupied by God alone, our desire must be to do his will in everything, using everything we have for his glory. The Bible does not forbid riches, but it does give specific instructions to those who have it.
To the rich of this world, command them not to be arrogant or put their hope in riches, which are so insecure, but in God, who provides us with everything in abundance for us to enjoy.
— 1 Timothy 6:17
Our hope must be placed only in Jesus, our Lord and Savior. Let us thank God every day for his provision and use everything he provides us to honor and glorify him.
See 9 things the Bible says about money