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7 Money Lessons From the Wisdom of the Proverbs

None of this is to say that there’s anything wrong with hard work. Quite the opposite.

Those who work their land will have abundant food,
but those who chase fantasies have no sense.
(Proverbs 12:11)

Working hard and building margin for rest into your life aren’t mutually exclusive. Setting aside the constant hustle may feel like it’s limiting your opportunities. But if you just consistently work hard over the course of time, you’ll always have enough to eat and enjoy life with.

6. A Generous Life is a Blessed Life.

There are few things more close to the heart of God than generosity. In fact, Solomon tells us that when we’re generous, we’re partnering with God in some of the most important work he wants to do in the world.

Whoever is kind to the poor lends to the Lord,
and he will reward them for what they have done.
(Proverbs 19:17)

It’s out of our love for God that we’re able to generously express love to those in need through our financial gifts and support. Refusing to do so is to reject God’s will for our lives.

It is a sin to despise one’s neighbor,
but blessed is the one who is kind to the needy.
(Proverbs 14:21)

A generous life is a blessed life. Not all blessings are financial. Whatever you give of your finances for the benefit will be multiplied and returned to you in spiritual blessing.

7. God Will Always Provide.

How we handle our money is often a reflection of the condition of our faith. When we trust in ourselves to provide our own resources, we tend to overwork and constantly worry. And we’re tempted to undercut those around us to engage in less-than-honorable practices in order to amass those resources.

But at the end of the day, that’s no way to live.

Those who trust in their riches will fall,
but the righteous will thrive like a green leaf.
(Proverbs 11:28)

God will care for you. He promises to. You won’t always have the resources that you wish you had, but God will tend to your needs. You just need to trust him.

Trust in the Lord with all your heart
and lean not on your own understanding;
in all your ways submit to him,
and he will make your paths straight.
(Proverbs 3:5-6)

None of this means that you don’t need to work hard or be smart with your money. Trusting in God and allowing him to guide your path is what motivates and empowers those very things. It’s when you rely on him to make your paths straight that the road ahead becomes more clear.

Pay Attention to The Spiritual Component of Money.

Whenever we receive advice about how to use or interact with our money, we don’t often frame that conversation in spiritual terms. So long as we’re tithing, we feel like maybe the whole conversation is entirely too pragmatic for God.

But that’s not the case. God cares about every aspect of your life, and your relationship to money is a major facet of who you are.

So no matter how seemingly mundane it may feel in the moment, always be willing to invite God into the conversation. Ask him to teach you to be faithful to him with your money–the way you feel about it, spend it, invest it, and give it.

This article originally appeared here and is used by permission.